Yusei Kikuchi LHP
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
4.96
160th
WHIP
1.47
203rd
K/9
9.00
77th
BB/9
3.49
177th
P-Score45i
FIP
–
HR/9
1.29
56th
OPS/R
–
IP
49.0
Last 5 starts
ERA
3.72
FinalFinal lineupsAL West / NL East
Los Angeles Angels 3, Washington Nationals 4
Final Score and Game Recap
Final score, pitching lines and standings context.
6:45 PM ET · Nationals ParkGame-day snapshot Sep 11, 9:50 PM ETFinal lineups lockedCurrent 2026 season stats — updated Oct 24, 5:00 AM ET
Pitching recap
| Pitcher | Team | Role | IP | H | ER | BB | K | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yusei Kikuchi | LAA | Starter | 4.0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 88 |
| Samy Natera Jr. | LAA | ReliefLoss | 1.0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 29 |
| Cade Cavalli | WSH | Starter | 6.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 96 |
| Clayton Beeter | WSH | ReliefWin | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| Erik Tolman | WSH | ReliefSave | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 25 |
Scoring by inning
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Angels | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
 Washington Nationals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
Top hitters
Mike Trout1-for-3 · 1 HR · 1 RBI
Christian Moore2-for-4 · 2 RBI
Jorbit Vivas1-for-3 · 2 RBI · 1 BB
James Wood1-for-3 · 1 RBI · 1 BB
CJ Abrams2-for-4 · 1 R
Matchup at a glance
PitcherStat calculationPregame contextStarting pitchers
Cade Cavalli RHP
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
3.12
29th
WHIP
1.18
57th
K/9
10.49
21st
BB/9
2.61
57th
P-Score70i
FIP
–
HR/9
0.96
61st
OPS/R
–
IP
158.2
Last 5 starts
ERA
1.20
With lineups still unconfirmed, the clearest pregame advantage Friday at Nationals Park sits on the mound
With lineups still unconfirmed, the clearest pregame advantage Friday at Nationals Park sits on the mound.
Washington is set to send probable starter Cade Cavalli, and his numbers give the Nationals the strongest single edge in this matchup. Across 30 starts and 158.2 innings, Cavalli owns a 3.12 ERA, 3.29 FIP and 1.18 WHIP, while striking out 10.49 batters per nine. He also leads this pitching comparison in every major category provided: lower ERA, FIP, WHIP, walk rate and home-run rate, plus a 57 percent quality-start rate.
That is a very different profile from the one the Angels have gotten from probable starter Yusei Kikuchi. In 10 starts covering 49 innings, Kikuchi has a 4.96 ERA, 4.24 FIP and 1.47 WHIP, with a 30 percent quality-start rate. His strikeout rate is still solid at 9.0 per nine, but Washington’s starter has been better at limiting baserunners and damage.
If the game is decided strictly by season-long starting pitching and offense, the Nationals have a pretty clear case. They have the better record at 67-81, compared with the Angels at 56-90, and Washington has been the more productive lineup by every supplied rate stat: 5.11 runs per game to 4.05, a .247 average to .235, and a .750 OPS to .682. The gap is especially noticeable in slugging, where the Nationals hold a .054 advantage.
But this is not a spotless setup for Washington.
The Nationals enter on a 2-8 run over their last 10 games, and their offense has cooled to 3.80 runs per game in that stretch. Los Angeles has not exactly surged at 4-6 over its last 10, yet the Angels have scored the same 3.80 runs per game in that window, effectively flattening what has been a season-long offensive disparity.
Then there is the bullpen contrast, which leans the other way. Washington’s relievers carry a 5.31 ERA and 1.48 WHIP, while the Angels’ bullpen sits at 4.06 and 1.30, with a slightly better strikeout rate as well. That means the Nationals’ biggest advantage is strongest early, with Cavalli on the mound, while Los Angeles has the statistical relief edge if the game tightens in the middle or late innings.
So the shape of this matchup is fairly straightforward: Washington brings the better season profile and the better probable starter, but recent results and the bullpen numbers keep the Angels from looking overmatched.
- With lineups still unconfirmed, the clearest pregame advantage Friday at Nationals Park sits on the mound.
- Washington is set to send probable starter Cade Cavalli, and his numbers give the Nationals the strongest single edge in this matchup.
- Across 30 starts and 158.2 innings, Cavalli owns a 3.12 ERA, 3.29 FIP and 1.18 WHIP, while striking out 10.49 batters per nine.
How the lineups match the starters' pitch mix
Pitch data coverage: partial. Usage and velocity only.
Team OPS vs opposing starter's hand
Lineups
Final lineupsOrder from the stored snapshot; treat as unofficial until the card is filed.Full lineup page
Team comparison
LAA·WSHAVG.234 28th.246 11th
OPS.679 30th.744 4th
Home runs154 29th210 6th
Runs655 29th821 3rd
OBP.310 25th.321 8th
SLG.369 30th.423 3rd
LAA·WSH1stMLB rank30th
LAAWSH
LAAWSH
LAAWSH
LAAWSH
LAA·WSH1stMLB rank30th
no league rank
no league rank
LAAWSH
LAA·WSH+32222nd
Run differential
+4464th
62–100 Record77–85
4–6 Last 102–8
Last 10 games
W
W
L
L
W
L
L
L
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
W
L
2026 head-to-head
Season Series
1—2
Frequently asked
Who is starting for the Angels?+
Yusei Kikuchi (4.96 ERA, 1–5) is listed as the starter.
Who is starting for the Nationals?+
Cade Cavalli (3.12 ERA, 12–5) is listed as the starter.
What time does the game start?+
6:45 PM ET at Nationals Park.
Where is the game being played?+
Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals.
Are the lineups confirmed?+
Not as official league cards. The orders shown are the current projected or last-posted lineups.
How have the Angels and Nationals performed head-to-head?+
Season series: Nationals 2–1 this season.
How do the starters compare on P-Score?+
Yusei Kikuchi is at 45; Cade Cavalli is at 70. P-Score is PitcherStat's 0–100 season index for qualified starters.