Here’s a sentence we were expecting to write in 2025: in a game that lasted just one hour and fifty minutes, Soroka and Patrick Corbin engaged in one of the top pitching duels of the season, throwing 14 innings and allowing just seven hits between them. Soroka struck out seven and walked one in easily his best showing for the Nationals to date. His only other quality start saw him give up three runs and strike out two in six innings against the Giants. Soroka improved to 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA. He’ll likely make his next start Thursday against the Mets.

Finnegan had to work around a CJ Abrams error, but it didn’t prove to be an issue. He’s 3-for-3 saving games since returning from a few days off due to shoulder fatigue.

It’s Corbin’s first complete game since 2022. That was also an eight-inning loss, though, and he hasn’t had a complete game end well since hurling his second career shutout in 2019. That Corbin has a 3.52 ERA through 11 starts is pretty stunning. He even faced the disadvantage of not signing until March 18. His peripherals don’t suggest that he’ll remain an above average starter, but the Rangers won’t worry about that until they need to. He’ll make his next start in Minnesota.

Call had five of the Nationals’ eight total bases in the 2-0 win. He just rode the pine for seven straight games against righties, but now he’s gotten to start three in a row with the Nationals facing a stretch of lefties. Although he’s hitting a nifty .274/.384/.389 this season and doesn’t possess big splits, he’ll probably continue in a platoon role going forward.

Seager is 2-for-30 with a 13/3 K/BB ratio in eight games since coming off the injured list. It’s the third time in his career that he’s had five straight hitless games. It previously happened in Apr. 2024 and in his rookie year of 2016.

The Cubs had just pushed a run across against Tarik Skubal in the top half of the sixth inning to tie the game when Torkelson battled back from an 0-2 count and crushed a full-count fastball for a 392-foot (103.4 mph) solo shot that put the Tigers ahead to stay. The 25-year-old slugger finished the night 2-for-4 and is now slashing .232/.341/.500 with 15 long balls and 43 RBI.