Will Dion delivers in long relief, but Yovanny Cruz blows save as Nationals lose to Mets

NEW YORK — Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni attempted to thread the needle at the trade deadline, which is a tricky spot.

On July 29, the Nationals sat one game above .500 after dropping a series finale against the Blue Jays before heading on an eight-game road trip. Then the bottom fell out for the franchise as it was swept in Atlanta, dropping the Nationals’ record to 55-58 entering the Aug. 3 deadline.

The losing likely made it easier for Toboni to part with All-Star left-hander Foster Griffin and first baseman Luis García Jr. — Curtis Mead was traded the week prior.

Dealing those players allowed the Nationals to revamp their pitching depth. They acquired Connelly Early, Jake Bird, Yovanny Cruz, Will Dion, Jack Cebert, Ben Grabel, Josh Hartle and Kendeglys Virguez across the three trades. Toboni opted for the bulk approach to supplementing the staff.

And on Saturday the Nationals saw two deadline additions deliver completely diffferent results in a 5-4 loss to the Mets. It was their 32nd blown save of the season.

Cruz, who struggled Wednesday against the Cubs, came in to try to close the game. With his tantilizing stuff, he’s the most logical choice for late-inning roles. But, after a leadoff walk, a single and a double, he went from protecting the lead to trying to avoid another blown save in a season filled with bullpen implosions.

But Cruz allowed the walk-off single to Francisco Lindor.

On the other end, Dion was superb for the Nationals.

He delivered in a big spot after reliever-turned-starter Brad Lord couldn’t escape the first inning — he walked four batters and allowed two runs.

Dion kept the Nationals in the game, throwing 4 1/3 no-hit innings, striking out seven and walking one, enough to bide time as the offense found its rhythm and allow manager Blake Butera to deploy his bullpen how he saw fit.

Andrew Pinckney reached base on a hit by pitch and Andrés Chaparro walked, setting the stage for Brady House’s momentum-changing, three-run homer to give the Nationals a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning.

Tom Cosgrove allowed a solo homer to Carson Benge in the bottom of the sixth.

In the eighth, Clayton Beeter allowed a leadoff single to Lindor, who was ruled out at second base after he tried to advance.

A single, a walk and a wild pitch gave the Mets runners on second and third with one out. Beeter recovered, striking out Jared Young and inducing a Marcus Semien groundout.

Dion, acquired from the Cleveland Guardians, was one player evaluators around the league were enamored with. Despite his average fastball velocity sitting in the 10th percentile at 91.4 mph, Dion was effective Saturday by getting ahead in counts and living in the strike zone.

It’s not unusual that Dion was able to deftly navigate the Mets lineup. After being drafted in the ninth round in 2021 out of McNeese State, Dion progressed through the minors, starting 27 games with an unremarkable 5.48 ERA for Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate in 2024. But in 2025 he transitioned to more of a relief role and saw his ERA lower to 4.09.

Dion debuted on May 26, ironically against the Nationals, and allowed two runs over three innings. After a blow-up outing against the Red Sox that saw Dion allow six runs (two earned) in an inning, he’s largely been a consistent producer, sporting a 2.79 ERA since that May 30 game entering Saturday.

During his pregame media availability, Butera gushed about his affinity for hybrid pitchers, those particular arms that can oscillate between starting and relieving. Dion’s starting experience certainly aids him in his new role.