The Washington Nationals left Miami with a split that could have been more. After winning the series opener and getting back within one game of.500, they dropped the final two games to the Marlins, with Miami scoring in the eighth inning on both Saturday and Sunday.

Now the Nationals head to Cincinnati for a three-game set against the Reds, a team that is 22-19 but tied for last place in the NL Central. Cincinnati’s offense has leaned heavily on Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart, while Nathaniel Lowe has given the lineup a boost with a 139 wRC+ in 29 games. Even with that production, the Reds’ overall team wRC+ is 90, fourth worst in MLB.

The pitching staff has not been able to make the offense’s job easier. Cincinnati ranks 25th in baseball in starting pitching ERA and 22nd in bullpen ERA, and Hunter Greene is currently on the injured list. That leaves a rotation and relief group that has had to work around uneven results while trying to hold a place near the middle of the standings.

For Washington, the weekend in Miami underscored both the promise and the frustration of a young club that can look sharp for a night and vulnerable the next. Foster Griffin set the tone in Friday night’s opener, throwing seven innings of one-run ball and striking out nine. He owns a 2.12 ERA and has allowed one run in his last 20 innings across his last three starts.

The Nationals will not get much rest before facing another staff with some volatility. Nick Lodolo returned to the Reds rotation from injury last time out against the Astros and gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings. He had a 3.33 ERA in 29 starts during the 2025 season, but Cincinnati will still be watching closely to see whether he settles back into form. Chase Burns, the second overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, threw six innings of one-run ball in his last start against Houston and has allowed two or fewer runs in all but one start this season.

Washington’s own rotation also has questions to answer. Jake Irvin went at least five innings in his last start against the Twins and allowed four runs, part of a stretch that has left little margin for error when the offense stalls. The Nationals know what the next series is: a chance to turn one good result in Miami into something sturdier before the trip gets away from them. What they do not know yet is whether the team that got within one game of.500 has the consistency to stay there once the pressure shifts to Cincinnati.