Foster Griffin is coming off a monster 10-2 first half with a stellar 2.77 ERA, and after the All-Star break, he and the Washington Nationals are hitting the West Coast looking to put a painful Yankees sweep behind them. The Nationals had a productive July before that series, but getting swept by New York definitely left a sour taste. Now, it’s all about kicking into second gear and making a serious push for a playoff berth. They’re starting their second-half journey with three games against the Oakland Athletics, a team in a completely different universe right now.
Oakland’s Brutal Slide vs. Washington’s Playoff Drive
Talk about opposite directions! While Washington is trying to bounce back from that Yankees series, the A’s are just trying to turn the page and forget their whole July. They actually started the month strong, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-1. But since July 3rd, it’s been a nightmare: nine consecutive losses and three straight sweeps. Ouch. You never want to come off three straight sweeps, but that’s exactly where Oakland is. The Nationals have a clear task ahead: keep burying them in the standings. This series against a reeling Athletics squad is a prime opportunity for Washington to grab some much-needed wins and build momentum for their playoff chase. You gotta take advantage of these spots.
Pitching Matchups: Cavalli Needs to Spark, Littell Needs to Trend
Game One on Friday brings us a matchup between Oakland’s rookie LHP Gage Jump (3-4, 3.51 ERA) and Washington’s RHP Cade Cavalli (5-4, 3.83 ERA). Jump had a rough patch in late June and early July that spiked his ERA, but he settled down in his last start, holding the White Sox to just one run over 5.2 innings. For Cavalli, questions about his workload might pop up soon, but for now, it’s full steam ahead. The Nats are leaning on him to stabilize their rotation, and the coaching staff wants to see him take another step forward. He hasn’t had a scoreless outing all year, but he’s been an objectively solid starter. A dominant performance from him to kick off the second half would be massive.
Saturday’s Game Two features RHP JT Ginn (7-6, 3.67 ERA) for the A’s against Washington’s RHP Zack Littell (7-6, 4.90 ERA). Ginn has definitely taken a step forward this year, even if his numbers got rocked by giving up eight runs to Chicago in his last start. The Nationals’ lineup should be looking to force a repeat of that blowup outing. Littell, on the other hand, has been steadily improving, lowering his ERA in each of his last four starts. That trend absolutely needs to continue if Washington wants to make a legitimate run at the postseason. He’s been missing more bats and limiting walks way better than he was earlier in the season. That’s the kind of consistency you need from your starters when every game matters.
Griffin Looks to Keep Dominating, Lopez Needs to Find It
Then we get to Sunday’s Game Three, and this is where it gets interesting. Oakland sends LHP Jacob Lopez (4-3, 6.83 ERA) to the mound, and frankly, his numbers scream exactly what kind of pitcher he’s been. It’s a tough spot for the A’s. For Washington, though, it’s ace LHP Foster Griffin (10-2, 2.77 ERA) taking the hill. This is the guy who has been absolutely lights out for them. If Washington wants to really push for October, they need their best arms to keep dealing, and Griffin has certainly been that guy. After a disappointing end to the first half, this series against the struggling Athletics is a huge chance for the Nationals to reset, recharge, and show everyone they mean business in the second half.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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