Nats Chat

The Nats ended the season on a high note with a 6-4 win over the Mets on Sunday afternoon.  Mark & Al gather after the Nationals 77th victory of the year; 11 more than in 2025.

(04:00) Mark relays the vibe in the clubhouse after game #162.

(08:00) "The focus in 2027 is winning".

(12:00) How should ownership view the 1.839M attendance this season?

(19:00) Washington stunningly ended up scoring the 3rd most runs in the sports th...

The Nats lost 7-1 on Saturday afternoon to the visiting Mets, but it a was successful game in the larger picture. Mark & Al leadoff with the news that James Wood was voted Player of the Year by the local media ahead of CJ Abrams.  Wood has fewer homers than Abrams, but does have a higher OPS.

(07:00) This game began at 12:35pm as opposed to its original 4pm start time due to impending weather.  This worked out on Satur...

Friday was busy one at Nationals Park as it began with a Cade Cavalli press conference and ended with a 7-6 win over the Mets.  Mark & Al begin with Josiah Gray, who earned his first career save by holding off New York in the top of the 9th.  It was the first time that Gray took the mound in Navy Yard since April 4th, 2024.

(10:00) Blake Butera feels that if Washington had an average bullpen this season, then they woul...

The Nats took the series with a 4-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon in Detroit.  Mark (From Comerica Park) & Al examine the team wrapping upits road campaign with a winning road trip in St. Louis & Detroit.  Washington finished the season with a 38-43 record on the road as they had a stretch where they lost 21 of 23 away games this summer.

(6:00) It was a victorious Bullpen game that opened with Richard Lovelady on ...

The Nats topped the Tigers 3-1 on Tuesday night behind a pair of homers by CJ Abrams.  Mark (From Detroit) & Al begin with four rookie pitchers combining to preserve the victory despite not throwing one clean inning all evening.

(06:00) Riley Cornelio served as the Opener behind handing the ball off to Jackson Kent in the bottom of the 3rd. Cornelio's ERA in September is an impressive 1.84 in six appearances.

(8:00) Erik Tol...

The Nats lost 9-2 in Detroit on Monday night as we are in the final week of the season.  Al & Tim begin with DJ Herz, who struggled in his first Big League start since September 2024. Herz lasted four innings and allowed four Tigers runs in the process.  

(06:00) Herz had Tommy John surgery in April of 2025 and originally came to the organization in 2023 in exchange for Jeimer Candelario.

(10:00) Luis Perales had a nigh...

The Nats fumbled an 8th inning lead and lost 5-3 on Sunday afternoon in St. Louis. Al & Tim cite the familiar bullpen refrain as they extended their MLB record for most blown saves in a season to 42 occurrences.

(05:00) Yovanny Cruz gave up the pivotal 2-run homer to Leo Bernal that gave the Cardinals the 5-3 lead in the bottom of the 8th.  Cruz's ERA is up to 5.27 in 15 appearances this season.

(10:00) What will Paul Toboni...

The Nats prevailed in St. Louis 8-5 on Saturday night in a four-hour affair that lasted 11 innings. Al & Mark convene after Washington grabbed their sixth win the past seven games.  The Nationals won their 73rd game of the season; guaranteeing that they will avoid 90 losses in 2026.

(06:00) Andrew Alvarez was fantastic as he tossed six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. Alvarez's ERA is at 3.17 this season and it seem...

Friday was a great day for the Nationals as it began with Cade Cavalli signing an extension and it ended with a 9-1 win in St. Louis.  Al & Mark  dive right into the deal with Cavalli that is worth $47M over 4 years; with a team option for 2031.

(08:00) What does this move say about ownership?

(14:00) What motivated Cavalli to sign this extension now? Cavalli is not a Scott Boras client.

(25:00) Just a few hours after th...

The Nats four-game win streak was halted by the visiting Phillies on Wednesday night. Al & Mark recap the 3-0 loss; which was low lighted by the bullpen issuing a staggering 13 walks in the defeat.

(04:00) Jared Simpson opened the game, but only recorded one out while walking four Phillies. Simpson has combined to issue seven walks in his past two outings.

(12:00) Luis Perales had a wild boxscore as he tossed two scoreless inning...

The Nats win streak extended to four-games with another comeback victory on Tuesday night. Mark & Al dig into the 6-3 victory over the visiting Phillies, who are now five and a half games behind Atlanta in the NL East standings.

(03:00) A quick message from Tim about supporting the podcast.

(06:00) Daylen Lile did not get the start, but changed the game with his pinch-hit opportunity in the bottom of the 7th.  Blake Butera l...

The Nationals rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the bottom 8th to prevail with a 6-5 win over the Angels on Sunday afternoon.  Mark & Al discuss Washington sweeping the worst team in the AL during the weekend series in Navy Yard.

(06:00) Daylen Lile began the four-run 8th with a RBI triple and it ended with a Dylan Crews RBI single for a 6-4 lead.

(11:30) James Wood did not run hard when thrown out at home in the 1st.  Ryan...

The Nats blew a late 4-run lead but ultimately emerged victorious on Saturday afternoon over the Angels.  Al & Tim examine the 6-5 walk-off victory after Harry Ford's comebacker was not fielded cleanly in the 10th and that brought across CJ Abrams for the winning run.

(07:00) Andrew Alvarez struck out eight Angels in seven innings of work; while allowing only one hit.  Alvarez seems to be on the path towards locking up...

The Nats snapped their seven game losing streak on Friday night as they rallied past the Angels 4-3 in Navy Yard. Before Al & Mark dig into the dramatic bottom of the 8th, they address a significant shake up in the team's medical personnel.

(04:00) Mark reported prior to the game that the team parted ways with Harvey Sharman, the franchise's executive director of medical services.  Sharman has been with the organization sin...

The Nats were swept by the Padres on Wednesday for their 7th straight loss.  Mark (From San Diego) & Al jump right into the reality that is an 0-6 road trip in Southern California after falling 9-2 in the Petco Park matinee. Adding extra insult to injury, Maryland native Jackson Merrill drove in six runs in the midst of his two homer effort.

(05:30) Blake Butera was ejected in the bottom of the 3rd when the Padres took a 3-...

The Nats bullpen set a dubious MLB record in Tuesday night's 5-4 loss to the Padres.  Mark (From San Diego) & Al examine the bullpen implosion that occurred in the bottom of the 8th as Washington fumbled away their 3-run lead.  This was the 3rd blown save of the five game winless road trip in Southern California and their 38th of the season.  That sets a record for blown saves; surpassing the 37 blown saves commi...

The Nats are now 0-4 on their West Coast road trip as they lost 3-2 on Labor Day afternoon in San Diego.  Mark (From Petco Park) & Al convene after Washington lost for the 19th time in the past 21 road games. The assignment was a tough one as first pitch was at 2pm PT on Monday afternoon despite not finishing their series in LA until 10pm PT on Sunday night.

(06:00) Dylan Crews hit his 11th homer of the season to cut the de...

The Nats yet again coughed up a late lead as the tied the 2024 White Sox for the most blown saves in a season. Mark (From Dodger Stadium) & Tim recap the 7-5 loss in Los Angeles on Sunday evening. Washington led 5-4 until Mookie Betts' 3-run HR in the bottom of the 8th off of Will Dion.

(05:00) Orlando Ribalta was unavailable out of the 'pen due to right forearm tightness.  Ribalta felt discomfort less than an hour before t...

The Nats fell 6-5 on Saturday night in L.A. for their 17th road loss in their past 19 games.  Mark (From Dodger Stadium) & Tim begin with another failed top of the 9th rally by Washington.  CJ Abrams ultimately struck out with two runners on base to end the game.

(05:10) Clayton Beeter gave up a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 7th to Tommy Edman, the 36th blown save for the franchise this season. The Nationals pitchin...