Cavalli Dominates Cubs in Career-Best Performance
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After overcoming significant injury hurdles, the Nationals ace took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Thursday's victory.
Washington Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli delivered the best performance of his major league career on Thursday, leading his team to a 7-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs. According to Sports Illustrated, Cavalli carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Chicago first baseman Michael Busch hit a bloop single to left field to break the bid.
Cavalli finished the outing with eight innings pitched, allowing only one hit and no runs while recording 10 strikeouts and two walks. Per Sports Illustrated, this marked the first time the 27-year-old recorded an out in the eighth inning of an MLB game.
The performance comes after a prolonged absence from the mound. Sports Illustrated reports that Cavalli, a 2020 first-round pick, dealt with shoulder inflammation in 2022 and underwent Tommy John surgery for an elbow injury before the 2023 season. He did not return to major league action until Aug. 6, 2025, marking a gap of over 1,000 days between MLB starts.
Now serving as the rotation's No. 1 following the departure of MacKenzie Gore, Cavalli has largely been excellent this season. Sports Illustrated notes that he currently holds a 3.36 ERA across 136 2/3 innings pitched in 26 starts.