Marlins vs Nationals Preview: Big pitching duel awaits

Sandy Alcantara is one of baseball's most interesting comeback stories. The Dominican ace used to win Cy Young Awards. He threw hard and pitched deep into games. But injuries knocked him off track. Now he's fighting back. The Marlins need him to be great again. Alcantara's arm is powerful when it's healthy. If he pitches like his best self, Miami's rotation becomes scary. Watch his fastball. That's where the magic happens. He'll face Cade Cavalli and the Nationals tonight.

The Marlins have big problems. Their starting pitchers keep getting hurt. Robby Snelling had Tommy John surgery. Eury Perez is on the injured list. Janson Junk has shin problems. Andrew Nardi missed most of the year already. Griffin Conine is still recovering from surgery. Miami is 26-34 and just lost five straight games. They need healthy arms. They need wins. Tonight is a chance to turn things around. Alcantara pitching well could spark something special for this struggling team.

The Nationals are hot right now. They've won two straight games. In their last ten games, they're 6-4. That's solid baseball. Washington is still building for the future with young pitchers like Cade Cavalli. Jake Irvin went down with a shoulder injury, but the news wasn't terrible. He's expected back soon. Dylan Crews got hit by a pitch but should play soon too. The Nationals are 31-29 overall. Tonight they host Miami at home. This is a big moment. Two teams fighting hard for respect.

Sandy Alcantara versus Cade Cavalli. That's your pitching showdown. Alcantara has been ranked #154 in pitching stats this season with a strong 0.86 WHIP. He's focused on proving he still dominates. Cavalli is younger and still figuring it out. The Marlins are banged up but dangerous with Alcantara on the mound. Washington has momentum from winning twice recently. Both teams want to keep rolling. Miami is desperate. Washington is confident. What happens when these two forces collide at Nationals Park? This game matters for both teams' seasons.