# Nationals lose to Phillies, but pitching future looks bright

> Washington's young arms are developing while injured stars near their returns.
- Title: Nationals lose to Phillies, but pitching future looks bright
- Summary: Washington's young arms are developing while injured stars near their returns. The Nationals are using their final games to develop rookie pitchers while…
- Keywords: nationals, phillies, mlb, pitching, dj herz, josiah gray, connelly early, cade cavalli, blake butera, rookie pitchers, injured list returns, news
- Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/sports/nationals-mlb/nationals-phillies-dj-herz-josiah-gray-connelly-early-ELAL3RXEFZERHED6BRXZR7CKEI
- Author: Kyle Williams
- Published: 2026-09-17T01:51:13.279+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: nationals, phillies, mlb, pitching, dj herz, josiah gray, connelly early, cade cavalli, blake butera, rookie pitchers, injured list returns, news
## Nationals fall 3-0 to Phillies
Washington lost to Philadelphia on Wednesday night as Zach Wheeler silenced the Nationals' bats. The loss clinched a losing record for the season.
## Three injured pitchers nearing return
DJ Herz, Josiah Gray and Connelly Early are all close to coming back from the injured list. Herz will continue rehab in the majors with two bullpen sessions planned before a potential game return.
## Manager calls it a good problem
Blake Butera said having multiple pitchers returning is exciting but requires careful management with only 10 games left in the season. The team must balance getting healthy arms back while developing young players.

> It's a good problem to have.
## Simpson's struggles force bullpen overload
Starter Jared Simpson allowed two runs and four walks in one-third of an inning, forcing the bullpen to cover more innings than planned. His ineffectiveness kept the game close but taxed the relief corps.
## Cornelio shows September improvement
Riley Cornelio pitched two and two-thirds innings without allowing a hit. His ERA dropped from five point nine six at the start of September to four point four five after an impressive stretch.
## Perales struggles with control
Right-hander Luis Perales walked five batters and struck out two in his outing. The rookie said the struggles were mental, noting that walking the first batter affected his confidence.

> I think it's more on the mental side. Nobody wants to throw balls.
## Rookie pitchers gaining valuable experience
Every pitcher besides Richard Lovelady on Wednesday was a rookie. Perales and Yovanny Cruz showed elite velocity, and the team must help them harness it through experience against major league hitters.

> They have to believe in that stuff, and they have to understand that you got to attack hitters.
## Final games crucial for 2027 preparation
The Nationals' remaining nine games are important for developing young pitchers. Manager Butera emphasized that experience and innings pitched will help them prepare for next season.

> The more we can get them out there, the more innings they can get under their belts, it's only going to help going forward.
## Key takeaway

The Nationals are using their final games to develop rookie pitchers while three key injured arms prepare comebacks, a situation manager Blake Butera calls a good problem to have.