Nats Chat

The Nats made too many mental mistakes to count in their 7-6 Saturday afternoon loss to the visiting Giants. Mark & Al examine the puzzling extra inning defeat where there were plenty of examples of terrible fundamentals.  The Nationals had poor base running, awful bunting, and overall came nowhere close to playing smart Baseball. Curtis Mead had a shockingly terrible base running mistake in the b...

The Nats were easily beaten 10-5 by the Giants on Friday night to open the home stand on a sour note. Al & Mark spend plenty of time on Zack Littell, who gave up six runs before the end of the 2nd inning. Littell wasn't signed until March was well underway and it seems like the late Spring start is still affecting him. (10:30) Why do valued Free Agent pitchers have to wait until the middle of Spri...

The Nats split the series in Pittsburgh by emerging with a 8-7 extra-inning win on Thursday afternoon. Mark (From PNC Park) & Al run through the seesaw affair, that was scoreless after four innings of play. (05:20) The offense scored eight runs despite going 1 for 14 w/ RISP. The Pirates were a big help in that department as they committed four errors, including some terrible defense in the Nation...

The Nats were blanked for the first time this season on Jackie Robinson Day across MLB.  Mark (From Pittsburgh) & Al discuss the 2-0 defeat, where the Pirates scored both of their runs in the bottom of the 1st. (04:20) CJ Abrams reached base four times in a game with very few base runners. Abrams singled, walked, and was hit by a pitch on two separate occasions. Abrams' OPS so far is a staggering...

The Nats bullpen inherited a lead and held on for good in Tuesday night's 5-4 win over the Pirates. Mark (From Pittsburgh) & Al begin with CJ Abrams, who continued his recent surge with a solo homer and two other hits. (08:00) James Wood drew pair of walks out of the leadoff spot, but did strike out three times. Brady House came through with a single and a double in the victory. (12:45) The offens...

The Nats were crushed by the Pirates 16-5 on Monday night. Mark (From Pittsburgh) & Al run through Cade Cavalli's rough outing; as he was pulled in the bottom of the 2nd. Cavalli allowed four runs in the 2nd and was lifted in favor of Paxton Schultz.  Paul Skenes meanwhile lasted six frames and only allowed a CJ Abrams solo homer. (10:00) The bullpen had an awful night as Pittsburgh scored ten run...

The Nats pulled off their first series sweep in Milwaukee since 2006 on Sunday afternoon. Mark & Al dissect the 8-6 victory that saw more production from James Wood at the plate.  Wood went deep for the 5th time this season and his OPS has shot up to 1.005. Wood also stole home as part of proper execution of "The Play". (09:00) Jose Tena & Curtis Mead each came through with RBIs as pinch-hitters i...

The Nats won their second straight game in Milwaukee on Saturday night.. Al solo hosts after the 3-1 victory and begins with Foster Griffin's shutout effort that lasted into the bottom of the 6th. Griffin issued three walks but only allowed one hit on 80 pitches. (06:00) Brad Lord relieved Griffin and struck out the side in the 7th. The Brewers didn't score until the 9th, but Clayton Better did ju...

The Nats began their road trip with a 7-3 victory in Milwaukee on Friday night. Al & Mark have more praise for James Wood, who came through with four hits in the win.  Wood had a pair of singles and a couple of doubles to lift his OPS to .930. (04:00) Washington used plenty of small ball including two RBI sacrifice bunts in the top of the 9th. The game was tied at 3 entering the final frame, but t...

The Nats ended a disappointing 1-5 home stand on Wednesday afternoon. Mark & Al analyze the 6-1 loss against the visiting Cardinals that meant the team has dropped seven of their past eight games. (05:00) Miles Mikolas was pulled after the 3rd inning in favor of Brad Lord.  Blake Butera afterwards said he wanted Lord to get more work on the mound and that the plan was for Mikolas to face the St. L...

The bullpen's shaky start to the season continued in Tuesday night's 7-6 extra inning loss vs. the visiting Cardinals.  Mark & Al discuss this continuing theme where the 'pen can hang onto the multi run lead it inherits in the middle of the game. (06:00) Are there any answers for Blake Butera on how to handle this bullpen? (12:40) Cade Cavalli had an inefficient start as he was lifted in the top o...

The Nats snapped their five game losing streak in exciting fashion on Monday evening in Navy Yard. Mark & Al recap the 9-6 come from behind victory over the Cardinals that was propelled by a trio of homers in the bottom of the 8th.   (04:00) James Wood did it both with the glove and that bat in the victory.  Wood robbed a homer at the fence in the 4th and then his 3-run HR tied the affair in the 8...

The Nats were swept on Sunday afternoon as they could not protect their 6-1 lead in what ultimately ended being an 8-6 loss at the hands of the visiting Dodgers.  Al & Mark look at the bullpen faltering over the course of the final four innings after taking over for Foster Griffin.  Things went sideways in the top of the 8th as Cionel Perez allowed four runs that gave the Dodgers the lead for good...

The Nats dropped their 4th straight on Saturday afternoon to the two-time defending champion Dodgers in a 10-5 loss. Al & Tim discuss Jake Irvin's rough outing where he allowed six runs in just four innings of work.  Irvin is coming off a poor 2025 season where his ERA finished at 5.70. (07:30) Brad Lord gave up a 3-run homer to the red hot Andy Pages after entering the game for Irvin in the 5th....

The Nats were crushed 13-6 on Friday afternoon for Opening Day at Nationals Park.  Mark & Al focus on starter Miles Mikolas, who gave up a staggering 11 runs in just over four innings of work.  Mikolas has allowed 17 runs in just two starts this season and there are already questions about how long he will remain in Washington. (20:30) Recap of the bullpen's so-so game. (23:20) CJ Abrams launched...

The Nats had a gut punch extra-inning loss on Wednesday afternoon.  Mark (From Philadelphia) & Al react to the 6-5 defeat where the Nationals blew a 5-1 late inning lead. (05:00) The bullpen did not get it done as four relievers gave up a run.  Cole Henry took the loss after giving up a RBI leadoff single in the bottom of the 10th. (09:45) Could Brad Lord have taken the mound late in the game? (12...

The Nats lost 3-2 in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, but still are a game above .500. Mark (From Philly) & Al look react to James Wood's up and down start thus far, where he has contributed offensively, but also is tied for the MLB strikeout lead. Wood came through with a RBI double in the loss, but also had a pair of K's. (13:40) Daylen Lile has carried over his impressive September into the begin...

The Nats extended their strong start with a 13-2 victory in Philadelphia on Monday night.  Mark (From Citizens Bank Park) & Al note how this is the first time that the franchise has been two games over .500 since.... the summer of 2021! (06:00) Joey Wiemer's streak of reaching base made it to ten consecutive plate appearances. Wiemer had two hits in the victory, part of the 17 hits that the offens...

The Nats beat the Cubs 6-3 on Sunday afternoon to take the series in Chicago.  Mark (From Wrigley Field) & Al have a lot of praise for Joey Wiemer, who is having a dream start to the season.  Wiemer has homered in both games he has played so far and has reached base in all eight plate appearances. Wiemer bounced around a bit th roster transactions this offseason, but ultimately Washington claimed...

The Nats were trounced 10-2 on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field for their first loss of the season. Mark (From Chicago) & Al discuss a sloppy affair for the visitors. One of the runs came courtesy of James Wood, after connecting on his first homer of the season, while hitting in the leadoff spot. (10:15) Drew Millas was a very surprising choice to bat 2nd in the lineup.  It is expected that Mil...

The Nats began their season in style with a 10-4 road victory over the Cubs on a chilly Thursday afternoon. Mark (From Wrigley Field) & Al discuss the strong start for the offense, as a trio of Nationals went deep.  Joey Wiemer got things going with a solo shot in the 2nd while getting the nod in RF. The other homers came courtesy of Jacob Young and Brady House in the 9th for some welcomed insuran...

Al & Mark convene just a few days before the Nationals open the season at Wrigley Field on Thursday afternoon. There has been a flurry of roster activity in the past few days as Spring Training is finished and the Paul Toboni Era is underway. (04:45) Josiah Gray was surprisingly placed on the 60- Day IL on Monday evening (Right flexor strain). Gray has not pitched for the Nats since April 2024 due...

Quick update by Tim Shovers regarding Friday afternoon's news that Dylan Crews will not be on the Nationals Opening Day roster. **Audio Courtesy of natsjournal.com** Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Opening Day is just one week away and the roster is starting to come into focus.  Mark (From West Palm) & Al dive into what players are expected to head north with the Big League team as Spring Training is wrapping up soon. Many positions still have question marks and catcher is atop the list. (05:45) Zack Littell is on track to start the Nats 2nd game of the season in Chicago despite not having s...

It is a busy time in Baseball as Spring Training continues alongside the popularity of the World Baseball Classic. Team USA is onto the quarterfinals amid very strong TV ratings. (04:30) The Nats just signed veteran starter Zack Littell, who surprisingly was available into March.  The 30-year-old has a 3.88 career ERA and will immediately fit into the starting rotation, which has more experience t...