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The Washington Nationals are giving Cade Cavalli some extra rest before his next start.
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Cavalli’s scheduled start was pushed back to Friday, with rookie left-hander Jared Simpson taking the mound Wednesday for a planned bullpen game, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reported on X.
The Nationals are being careful with Cavalli after the right-hander put together his first full major league season since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Cade Cavalli is being pushed back to Friday, giving him extra rest at the end of his first full MLB season. Jared Simpson will start a bullpen game tomorrow.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) September 16, 2026
Cavalli has made 31 starts this season and entered the week with a 12-5 record, a 3.12 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP across 164.2 innings.
He has also recorded 194 strikeouts against 48 walks while posting 18 quality starts. The workload represents a significant increase for a pitcher whose early career was interrupted by elbow surgery.
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The Nationals also dealt with another scare involving Cavalli late last month. He left his Aug. 29 start after being hit by a 93.1 mph comebacker but avoided structural damage.
With Cavalli getting additional recovery time, Simpson will handle the opening assignment Wednesday. The 26-year-old lefty made his major league debut earlier this month and earned his first win after throwing three scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves.
The Nationals entered Wednesday at 71-81 and fourth in the NL East, leaving them with little reason to push Cavalli unnecessarily during the final weeks of the season.
Instead, Washington can use the remaining schedule to manage its young starter while giving other pitchers opportunities.
Cavalli will now have until Friday to prepare for his next outing, with the Nationals hoping the extra rest helps him finish his breakout season on the mound.
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This story was originally published September 16, 2026 at 8:00 AM.