Yankees Chase a Series Sweep as Warren Faces Cavalli in Washington Finale

The Yankees haven’t just won this series — they’ve won it in the most dramatic fashion possible, twice. After a three-run ninth-inning comeback on Friday and a four-run eighth-inning explosion on Saturday, New York arrives at Nationals Park on Sunday with a chance to complete a clean sweep, sending Will Warren to the mound against Washington’s Cade Cavalli in a series finale the Nationals desperately need to salvage.

Yankees vs. Nationals — Game Details

Series Sweep on the Line — Yankees’ Back-to-Back Comebacks

This has already been one of the more dramatic series of New York’s season. On Friday, the Yankees erupted for two homers in a three-run ninth to escape with a 5-3 win. Saturday was even more emphatic — three home runs in a four-run eighth inning turned a deficit into a 4-2 victory, with Ryan McMahon, Trent Grisham, and Paul Goldschmidt all going deep off Washington’s bullpen. Manager Aaron Boone picked up his 750th career win as a manager in the process, and the Yankees now sit 3-0 straight up in their last three games overall.

For the Nationals, the pattern has become painfully familiar. Manager Blake Butera has cycled through matchup strategies — lefty-lefty on Friday, righty-lefty on Saturday — without finding an answer, openly admitting afterwards that he’s “searching right now” for solutions.

Players to Watch — Wood, Abrams, Grisham, and Goldschmidt

James Wood remains the offensive centrepiece for Washington, having already delivered a leadoff homer during the series, while CJ Abrams continues to provide table-setting production at the top of the Nationals’ order. On the Yankees’ side, Trent Grisham’s go-ahead blast was a key piece of Saturday’s comeback, joining Paul Goldschmidt and Ryan McMahon as the veterans who’ve turned this series into a home-run showcase.

Pitching Matchup: Will Warren vs. Cade Cavalli

Sunday’s finale features a matchup between two right-handers heading in very different directions. Will Warren (7-4, 4.15 ERA) has scuffled badly of late, carrying a 6.53 ERA over his last four starts and surrendering six home runs in that stretch, including a rough outing against Tampa Bay his last time out. Notably, Warren has never faced the Nationals in his career, adding an unknown element to the matchup.

Cade Cavalli (5-4, 3.88 ERA) returns from a five-game suspension stemming from a brawl with the Red Sox, and will be pitching on extra rest as a result. Cavalli’s lone previous outing against the Yankees didn’t go well — he allowed seven earned runs in just 2⅓ innings last August — meaning revenge is very much on his mind heading into Sunday afternoon.

📺 Watch the series: Yankees vs Nationals Game 3

Bullpen Watch: Bednar Chases Another Save

With both starters carrying question marks, this game could once again come down to the bullpens — exactly the kind of situation that’s favored New York all series. Yankees closer David Bednar will be looking to lock down another clean finish if New York holds a lead late, while Washington’s relief corps will be under enormous pressure to avoid a third consecutive meltdown against a Yankees lineup that’s found its power stroke at exactly the right time.

Season Series and What’s at Stake

New York enters Sunday having already gone 2-0 against Washington this season, with both wins coming by way of the run line. A win today would complete the sweep and continue the Yankees’ post-All-Star-break momentum heading into the second half, while the Nationals — sitting at 48-46 and still within playoff contention — face a real risk of finishing the first half of their season on the sourest note possible in front of their own fans.

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