Nationals Blow Another Late Lead in Disheartening Loss to Marlins
Washington carried a 2-0 lead into the ninth inning against Miami, but reliever Max Kranick and Tom Cosgrove combined to allow four runs, including a throwing error that gifted the Marlins a go-ahead run. The collapse wasted a strong start from Andrew Alvarez and two scoreless relief innings from Clayton Beeter. The loss marked the Nationals' 35th blown save of the season.
The ninth-inning sequence unraveled quickly after Miami opened with a bunt single. Kranick walked the next batter, then induced a pop-up before manager Blake Butera brought in Cosgrove with the bases loaded. Cosgrove hit his first batter, allowed a sacrifice fly, then watched Vivas' throwing error hand Miami the lead. A walk, a stolen base of home, and a two-run homer completed the four-run frame.
Cosgrove now carries a 7.71 ERA across 18 appearances, while Kranick sits at 7.41 in 16 outings since returning from elbow surgery. Both were acquisitions by president of baseball operations Paul Toboni. Washington is on pace to break the MLB single-season record for blown saves, with the loss wasting Alvarez's six scoreless innings and Beeter's two dominant frames.
This collapse could deepen fan disillusionment with the Nationals' rebuilding trajectory, as repeated late-inning failures may erode confidence in the front office's roster decisions. For a young team aiming to establish itself in the NL East, such losses could affect player morale and the organization's ability to attract free-agent relievers this winter. The broader impact may extend to ticket sales and local engagement as supporters weigh whether this core can genuinely contend.