The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Washington Nationals on Saturday, September 5, 2026 at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, with first pitch set for 9:10 PM ET. Tyler Glasnow gets the ball for Los Angeles against Washington's Cade Cavalli in a regular season matchup that gives the Dodgers another opportunity to build on whatever ground they've staked out in the National League standings. This one airs on SportsNet LA and Dodgers Radio AM570 locally.

Pitching Matchup: Tyler Glasnow vs. Cade Cavalli

Glasnow is the headliner here, and for good reason. When healthy, the right-hander is one of the more imposing arms in the National League — a power pitcher with elite strikeout potential who can flat-out dominate lineups when his fastball and curveball are working in tandem. The Dodgers will need him to go deep into this game and keep the bullpen fresh heading into the final weeks of the regular season.

Cavalli takes the hill for Washington. The young right-hander has shown flashes of real stuff since coming up with the Nationals, and pitching in a hostile environment at Dodger Stadium will be a genuine test. This is the kind of start that can define where a developing arm stands relative to contending clubs.

Dodgers Lineup to Watch

The Dodgers are running out a lineup that demands attention top to bottom. Tommy Edman leads off from center field, with Freddie Freeman hitting second at first base. Mookie Betts slots in third at shortstop, followed by Max Muncy at third base in the cleanup spot. Kyle Tucker hits fifth in right field, and Teoscar Hernández rounds out the outfield in left, batting sixth.

The bottom of the order features Dalton Rushing at DH in the seven hole, Alex Freeland at second base batting eighth, and Hunter Feduccia behind the plate hitting ninth. That Edman-Freeman-Betts-Muncy-Tucker stretch at the top is legitimate run-scoring firepower, and Cavalli will have to navigate it carefully from the first inning on.

Keys to the Game

• Glasnow's command: If he's locating his fastball and getting ahead in counts, this has the makings of a dominant outing. Walks are the enemy.
• Early pressure from the lineup: The Dodgers' top five hitters need to make Cavalli work and get to the Washington bullpen as quickly as possible.
• Rushing and Freeland in the bottom third: Production from the seven and eight spots can turn a modest lead into a comfortable one, taking pressure off the top of the lineup to do everything.
• Bullpen management: Even if Glasnow is sharp, how the Dodgers handle their relief corps on a September Saturday matters for the week ahead.

Prediction

The talent gap at the top of the rotation is real. Glasnow against a Nationals club that is not built to go toe-to-toe with Los Angeles's lineup depth is a favorable equation. Expect the Dodgers' offense to generate runs early, give Glasnow a cushion to work with, and take care of business at home. Dodgers win, 6-2.