Nats Minutecast with Dan Holmi

The Washington Nationals made a strategic move by hiring Blake Butera as their new manager, emphasizing his strong background in player development from his time with the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni highlighted Butera’s ability to connect with young players, align with organizational values and help guide a roster built around emerging talent...

The Washington Nationals are ushering in a new era with the hiring of 33-year-old Blake Butera as their next manager — making him the youngest skipper in Major League Baseball in decades. Once a player development leader in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, Butera brings a reputation for communication, teaching, and modern player development philosophies to a Nationals team ready for a fresh voice....

James Wood crushed 31 homers in 2025 — but can he sustain that success for six full months? Dylan Crews, meanwhile, battled injuries and inconsistency in his first full MLB season. In this episode of The Talk Nats Podcast, host Dan Holmi breaks down what’s next for the Washington Nationals’ two cornerstone outfielders: Wood’s strikeout problem and how he can adjust to stay hot all season Crews’ re...

The Washington Nationals have taken another major step in their front office overhaul, hiring Devin Pearson , formerly the Red Sox’s director of amateur scouting, as an assistant general manager . This marks Paul Toboni’s first major hire since being named president of baseball operations. Pearson, 31, worked closely with Toboni in Boston, helping to oversee successful drafts that produced key pro...

The Washington Nationals have officially entered a new era. In this episode of the Talk Nats Podcast, host Dan Holmi breaks down the massive front office shakeup led by newly appointed President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni. Longtime executives Eddie Longosz, Mark Scialabba, and Kris Kline are among several key departures as Toboni begins what insiders are calling the most sweeping organizat...

In this episode, host Dan Holmi dives into the growing conversation around the Washington Nationals’ payroll strategy . After years of cautious spending, the Nats face a pivotal moment as young stars like CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore emerge as franchise cornerstones. Dan breaks down why new leadership under Paul Toboni insists it’s about process over money — but also why a lack of investment could...

The newest Talk Nats Podcast covers one of the biggest organizational shifts in recent Nationals history: the hiring of Paul Toboni as the team’s president of baseball operations. At just 35 years old and with a background in scouting and analytics from the Red Sox system, Toboni laid out his vision to transform Washington into a “scouting and player development monster.” Host Dan Holmi breaks dow...

The Washington Nationals wrap up their 2025 season today with  Game 162 against the Chicago White Sox at 2:05 pm , closing the book on a year filled with ups and downs. While the final record won’t change with one more game, all eyes are on Miguel Cairo, who may be managing his last contest in D.C. The pitching struggles defined much of the Nationals’ season, but bright spots emerged in the form o...

The Washington Nationals have finalized a major front office move, hiring Paul Toboni as their new head of baseball operations. Toboni, who previously served as a senior executive in the Boston Red Sox front office, brings a strong background in drafting and player development. For the Washington Nationals, this represents a turning point after years of missed draft picks, a shallow farm system, a...

The Washington Nationals are seeing their young arms step up in a big way. Cade Cavalli bounced back with one of his strongest starts yet, while rookie Andrew Alvarez made history by throwing five scoreless innings in his MLB debut. With James Wood, Daylen Lile, Riley Adams, and Jacob Young all contributing at the plate, the Nationals showed flashes of the balanced lineup and pitching depth fans h...

The Washington Nationals’ struggles hit rock bottom as the team dropped its eighth straight game to close out a brutal August. With the worst monthly ERA in franchise history, poor starting pitching, and an offense stuck at the bottom of MLB in batting average, the Nationals’ season continues to unravel. Adding to the frustration, All-Star pitcher MacKenzie Gore landed on the injured list with sho...

The Washington Nationals are once again searching for stability at first base. Luis García Jr. has been taking reps at the position under interim manager Miguel Cairo, even though he’s been the team’s everyday second baseman since 2022. With Nathaniel Lowe designated for assignment and veterans like Josh Bell, Paul DeJong, and Andrés Chaparro filling in, Washington is experimenting to see who migh...

The Washington Nationals snapped a rough stretch with a 3-2 win over the Phillies, powered by the return of Dylan Crews. After nearly three months on the injured list with an oblique strain, Crews wasted no time making an impact, ripping a single in his first at-bat, stealing second base, drawing a walk, and flashing elite defense with a diving catch in right field. His energy helped spark a young...

The Washington Nationals snapped their daytime woes with a 4-2 win over the San Francisco Giants, fueled by James Wood’s leadoff homer, back-to-back blasts from Paul DeJong and Josh Bell, and six solid innings from rookie Brad Lord. Despite going just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, the Nats held on as new closer José A. Ferrer earned his first save since September. In other news, Dylan...

MacKenzie Gore struggled in what may have been his final start with the Washington Nationals, surrendering six runs over 5⅓ innings in a 9–1 loss to the Astros. Despite some signs of improvement, Gore’s second-half ERA ballooned to 10.66, and with trade speculation swirling, his future in D.C. remains uncertain. While Gore admitted the chatter is hard to ignore, he emphasized focusing on his perfo...

The Nationals face a pivotal decision with MacKenzie Gore, their best pitcher and most valuable trade chip. With two more years of team control and a dominant season on the mound, Gore’s trade value is sky-high. Interim GM Mike DeBartolo must weigh whether dealing Gore now — at his peak value — is smarter for a franchise still years away from contention. Given that Gore, like Juan Soto before him,...

Luis García Jr. finally broke out of a frustrating slump with a thunderous 390-foot homer Saturday night, leading the Washington Nationals to a 9–3 win over the Twins. The bat-flip moment was both relief and release after several hard-hit outs in recent games. His performance, paired with big nights from CJ Abrams and Alex Call, helped snap a 22-inning scoreless streak and reminded fans what this...

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly targeting Nationals ace MacKenzie Gore after losing Tanner Houck to injury, with Gore seen as a “perfect match” due to his age, team control, and strong 2025 performance. Boston, still in playoff contention, could part with top prospects to bolster their rotation, though it would take a massive offer to pry Gore from Washington. For the Nationals, moving Gore woul...

The Washington Nationals were rocked early in Sunday’s loss to the Padres, with MacKenzie Gore surrendering eight runs in just 2.1 innings, including a grand slam to Xander Bogaerts. It was Gore’s worst outing of the year, and a sharp contrast to his All-Star form, with his ERA ballooning from 3.02 to 3.59. While Nick Pivetta dominated the Nats again, the lone offensive bright spot came from Riley...

The Washington Nationals are at a major crossroads after firing longtime president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo. With the team sitting 20 games below .500 and both the GM and manager positions filled on an interim basis, the Lerners must now make the franchise’s most important leadership hire in over a decade. The front-runner internally is Mike DeBartolo, a lifelong Nat who has climbed the r...

The Washington Nationals stunned the baseball world by selecting 17-year-old Oklahoma shortstop Eli Willits with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. While the outside consensus favored prospects like Ethan Holliday or Kade Anderson, Nationals brass described the decision as "unanimous," citing Willits’ elite contact ability, speed, defensive tools, and makeup. His lack of Scott Boras representat...

The Nationals shocked the draft world by selecting 17-year-old Oklahoma high school shortstop Eli Willits with the No. 1 pick — bypassing consensus favorites like LSU ace Kade Anderson and top-ranked prep infielder Ethan Holliday. In a chaotic week that saw GM Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez fired, interim GM Mike DeBartolo claimed the pick was backed by both scouting and analytics. Still, th...

The Washington Nationals are facing a pivotal moment in their rebuild following the firings of GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez. Interim GM Mike DeBartolo now has to guide the franchise through a crucial 2025 MLB Draft, trade deadline decisions, and potentially a massive trade involving ace MacKenzie Gore. With Gore’s value peaking and his free agency looming in 2027, the Nationals must de...

In his first public remarks as the Nationals’ interim head of baseball operations, Mike DeBartolo signaled a significant shift in organizational philosophy. While expressing gratitude to former GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, DeBartolo emphasized the need for real change — including integrating more data, technology, and innovation across scouting, player development, and medical evaluat...

In the wake of the shocking double firing of manager Davey Martinez and longtime GM Mike Rizzo, the Washington Nationals have named bench coach Miguel Cairo as interim manager. Cairo, a former big league infielder with 17 seasons of MLB experience and a quiet, respected presence in the dugout, will begin his 72-game audition Tuesday in St. Louis. He inherits a coaching staff entirely handpicked by...