Nats Chat

The Nats lost 7-3 for the second straight night against visiting Miami. Mark & Al discuss the defeat that included the Marlins hitting three straight homers in the top of the 5th and some questionable decisions by Manager Blake Butera along the way. (04:30) Richard Lovelady had an adventurous scoreless outing. Lovelady issued three walks, but worked around the trouble in two frames on the mound. (06:00) Miles Mikolas then took over and allowed three straight homers in the top of the 5th. Mikolas settled down, but surprisingly began to top of the 97 MPH on the radar. Amazingly, Mikolas threw harder on Tuesday night than he had in years. (10:30) Mitchell Parker relieved Mikolas in the 9th and the Marlins lead ballooned to four runs. Parker did not help himself as he threw to 1st base instead of home on a squeeze bunt with runners on the corners. (17:30) Drew Millas exited after suffering a "lip laceration" while sliding into 3rd base and Keibert Ruiz came in to replace him. (24:00) A breakdown of Butera's decision to pinch hit Jose Tena for Jacob Young. Tena did not get a hit and he then played in RF for the rest of the game. (32:00) Washington looks to avoid the sweep on Wednesday afternoon as Andrew Alvarez will take the mound at some point. The Nats are just 1-4 against the hapless Marlins so far this season.

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2026

The Nats lost 7-3 to Miami on Monday night in Navy Yard. Mark & Al note that the Nationals are now just 1-3 so far this season against the underwhelming Marlins. (04:30) Cade Cavalli threw another good outing as he struck out six Marlins in five plus innings on the mound. Cavalli is tied for the 8th most strikeouts in the National League. (12:20) The bullpen did not fare well on Monday evening. Richard Lovelady allowed a game tying 2-run HR to the first batter he saw in the top of the 6th. Paxton Schultz stepped up with a scoreless outing , but Cole Henry let the game get a bit out of hand in the 9th. (19:30) What is Cole Henry's future in the organization? His ERA thus far is 7.30 in nine appearances this year. (22:00) Jacob Young homered for the 8th time this season and is tied for 3rd for the most on the team. (25:45) Nasim Nuñez was thrown out in a steal attempt with two outs and James Wood at bat in the bottom of the 5th. Nuñez is now 22 for 25 on stolen base attempts this season. (29:00) An update on Jake Irvin and how he has not yet resumed throwing. (31:30) Dylan Crews is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday after sitting out a few games due to being hit in the ribs.

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2026

The Nats topped the Padres 4-2 to take the weekend series and return to two games above .500. Al solo hosts and begins with Blake Butera's early case for NL Manager of the Year as the team went 16-12 in the month of May. (07:00) James Wood slugged his 16th homer of the season which is tied for the 2nd most in the NL. Luis Garcia Jr. also went deep for his 5th homer of the season. (09:00) Keibert Ruiz had a great month of May; both at the plate and behind it. Is Ruiz a legit All - Star candidate? (11:30) Zack Littell pitched into the 7th inning and this start was another indication of his in-season improvement. (13:40) Orlando Ribalta & Clayton Beeter comined for the final nine outs and Beeter notched his 4th save of the season. (16:50) The Nationals host the Marlins for three games beginning on Monday. _____________________________________________________________________ (19:00) Tim is joined by Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports to discuss the Wizards holding the #1 pick in this summer's NBA Draft.

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2026

The Nats offense exploded for six runs in the 7th inning in their 9-4 victory over the Padres. Mark & Al run through the hectic frame, that began with a 3-1 San Diego lead. Washington scored in many unconventional ways and Craig Stammen was ejected for the first time as Padres skipper in the process. (07:00) San Diego starter Michael King was cruising through six innings, but the 7th inning avalanche caused him to be charged with five runs. (09:00) Curtis Mead didn't start, yet drove in three runs on Saturday. Mead was purposely used a pinch hitter when the moment called for a right handed hitter. (12:40) Dylan Crews helped ignite the rally, but continues to have trouble hitting the ball in the air. Crews hard slide into 2nd base in the 7th led to the Stammen ejection. (16:45) The "Tarp's Off" phenomenon came to Nationals Park on Saturday. (18:30) Foster Griffin allowed three solo homers in five innings of work. His ERA sits at 3.76 after a dozen starts. (23:30) Clayton Beeter notched a four-out save despite issuing two walks. Better escaped a jam in the 8th to keep the big lead intact. (26:00) The Nationals have won 15 games so far in May with one more game remaining in the month.

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2026

The Nats lost their homestand opener 7-5 on Friday night. Mark & Al examine the 7-5 loss to the Padres that put the team back at .500 after two consecutive defeats. (04:45) Paxton Schultz surprisingly was used as the Opener and his 26 pitch 1st inning set a tone for a pitch inefficient evening on the mound for Washington. (06:00) Andrew Alvarez only lasted three innings as the Bulk starter. Alvarez gave up a trio of runs off of five hits and two walks were issued. (09:30) Could Clayton Better be used as an Opener against right-hand heavy lineups? (11:20) Mitchell Parker gave up the 7th inning homer to Jackson Merrill that put the Padres up for good in the 7th. Blake Butera had interesting comments on the lefty afterwards as he allowed three runs in only two innings on the mound. Parker's ERA has risen to 5.28 through 13 appearances. (18:00) Curtis Mead & Keibert Ruiz each homered in the loss. (22:30) Luis Garcia Jr. flew out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th. Garcia was facing Mason Miller, who might be the best reliever in all of MLB right now. (29:30) The Padres have a coaching staff that knows their way around Navy Yard. Craig Stammen, former Nats reliever, is the new San Diego manager and his staff includes Bobby Henley, Randy Knorr, and Steven Sousa Jr.

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2026

The Nats lost to the Guardians 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon to snap their four game win streak. Mark & Al take stock in the 4-2 road trip where the Nationals only played 1st place teams. The team went 10-6 during a sixteen day stretch without a day off. (05:30) The offense was only 1 for 8 w/ RISP, but the big stars each doubled. CJ Abrams doubled Wood into score in the 3rd and his 47 RBIs are the second most in all of Baseball. (12:00) PJ Poulin tossed a scoreless 1st and then handed it off to Miles Mikolas. The Guardians scored all of their runs in the bottom of the 5th and two of those runs were charged against Mikolas. (16:00) Six pitchers were used and after the game Poulin was optioned to AAA. (20:15) Andrew Alvarez will take the mound on Friday to begin the six game homestand. San Diego is in town for the first three and then Miami comes to D.C. on Monday night. (24:20) When will Yohandy "Yo Yo" Morales get called up to Washington? Morales' OPS is currently at 1.018, but there are questions as to where he fits in defensively.

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2026

The Nats doubled up the Guardians 6-3 on Wednesday night to go two games above .500. Al & Tim discuss the longest win streak thus far for the Nationals as all four victories have come on the road. (04:30) This is the highest point for the franchise since the Trade Deadline in 2021. (06:30) Cade Cavalli struck out out seven Guardians in six innings of work. Cavalli escaped a jam in the 5th to maintain a comfortable lead. (11:20) Mitchell Parker took the baton from Cavalli and pitched the final three innings. Parker struck out the side in the 8th and it seems that he is taking on a role similar to Brad Lord on this pitching staff. (14:40) Washington scored four runs in the top of the 2nd to go ahead for the rest of the night. Wood homered for the 15th time this season and his OPS is now .964. (21:10) Miles Mikolas will take the mound at some point on Wednesday afternoon as the Nats look to not only sweep Cleveland, but also finish a 5-1 road trip. **Audio courtesy of the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2026

The Nats slugged their way to a 10-2 romp on Memorial Day in Cleveland. Al & Mark begin with the fact that the Nationals are above .500; the latest point in the season that they have a winning record since July 1st, 2021. (10:00) Washington crushed six homers in Monday night's win. They began the hit parade immediately as James Wood led off the game with a solo shot and two batters later Carlos Mead made it 3-0. (11:35) Mead and his .844 OPS went deep twice in the win as he is making a case to be the everyday 3B. Mead was acquired from the White Sox in late March in exchange for Boston Smith, who is currently in High-A Ball. (15:30) Jacob Young homered for the fifth time in the past seventeen games to put the Nats up 4-0. (18:20) Zack Littell took over for PJ Poulin the bottom of the 3rd and took it home the rest of the way. Littell & Miles Mikolas' improved performance have been crucial as of late. (24:00) Would the Nats be buyers at the Trade Deadline if they are still in the playoff hunt? (Let's have some fun) (29:05) Updated conversation on CJ Abrams' future with the organization.

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2026

Sunday was a long one in Atlanta, but the Nats emerged with a hard fought 2-1 victory. Mark (From ATL) & Al open by noting that the Nationals are indeed .500 as they have concluded a third of the season. Washington stands at 27-27 and are in 2nd place in the NL East. (06:20) Foster Griffin bounced back from two not so good outings with six shutout frames on Sunday afternoon. Griffin struck out six and his ERA is down to 3.63 on the season. (11:20) Andrew Alvarez earned the Hold by recording four crucial outs and it is likely that he will move into the rotation now that Jake Irvin is on the IL. (14:45) Nasim Nuñez's error in the 9th did not allow Richard Lovelady to notch the Save. Orlando Ribalta took over and was able to escape the bases loaded jam to preserve the victory. (17:00) Jake Irvin's MRI landed him on the 15-Day IL due to a right shoulder strain. Irvin is expected to resume throwing soon and the feeling is that this is the best possible scenario. (20:00) The Nationals won a series over a 1st place team without the offensive firepower they've had throughout most of the season. Luis Garcia Jr. stepped up the most on Sunday as his pinch-hit RBI single served as crucial insurance. (27:40) There were two rain delays on Sunday and both were mismanaged. It briefly looked like the field would not return to playable conditions, but the 7th inning resumed at 7:35PM. (39:30) Greg Madia, who covers UVA Sports for The Daily Progress, gives a scouting report on AJ Gracia, an outfielder who is a possible 1st Round pick for the Nationals this summer with the #11 overall pick.

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2026

The Nats impressively blanked the Braves 2-0 on Saturday afternoon to even the weekend series. Mark (From Atlanta) & Al have a lot to discuss with Jake Irvin, as he threw five shutout innings, but exited early due to injury concerns and will get a MRI for his back/lat on Sunday morning. There was a forty minute rain delay after the 1st inning, but Irvin remained in the game through the delay. (07:00) Irvin struck out seven Braves and he has plenty of outings this season with at least five Ks. (14:20) Brad Lord tossed three shutout innings and Mark lays out why he should stay in this role and not move into the starting rotation. Richard Lovelady pitched the 9th and closed out his 4th save of the season; just one day after he Opened on Friday night. (18:25) Dylan Crews homered for the first time since getting promoted to put the Nats up 1-0. Coincidentally, Crews' last homer in 2025 came in Atlanta in late September. (21:15) Daylen Lile tripled for the first time season after having a flurry of them last year. (24:40) Keibert Ruiz doubled in the 3rd and his OPS is now up to .784 after it was only at .507 at the end of April. (28:00) The Nats aim to get back to .500 on Sunday late afternoon in the series rubber match as Foster Griffin will take the mound. This will be Game #54; the 1/3 point of the 162 game season.

Transcribed - Published: 24 May 2026

The Nats blew it in 10th and ended up losing 5-4 in 11 innings top to the Braves on Friday night. Mark (From Atlanta) & Al recap the narrow defeat that saw extra innings played in an active rain as Washington has lost by one run in two straight days. (05:10) CJ Abrams had two huge late hits as he homered in the 8th and tripled in the 10th. Abrams knocked in three runs to extend his lead across the sport in this category. (09:40) Curtis Mead homered for the first run of the night. Mead started at 3B and he might become an everyday starter at the position while Brady House is in AAA. (12:35) Dylan Crews singled, stole a base, and had an outfield assist. Crews however made a poor throw home on the final play of the game, but it came amid a wet atmosphere. (19:20) Blake Butera took a risk in the 8th when Jose Tena pinch hit for Jacob Young and grounded out. This caused Wood to move from DH to RF and the Nationals lost their DH spot the rest of the way. (24:20) Richard Lovelady served a the Opened and did his job in the bottom of the 1st. Miles Mikolas then took over and tossed five shutout frames while striking out three Braves. (30:00) Five more relievers were used over the course of the final five innings. Orlando Ribalta blew the save in the bottom of the 10th and allowed Atlanta to score a pair of runs in order to force an 11th inning.

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2026

The Nats were on the losing end of Thursday afternoon's 2-1 loss against the Mets. Al & Tim start with Cade Cavalli, who struck out nine hitters in seven innings of work on just 84 pitches. Cavalli dipped his ERA down to 3.86 after this impressive outing despite being tagged with the loss. (09:30) Is Cade Cavalli the #1 individual bright spot so far this season? (13:10) Clayton Beeter and Orlando Ribalta each tossed a scoreless inning against New York. Ribalta escaped a bases loaded/ no outs jam and his ERA is down to an impressive 1.80. (18:00) The only Washington run came on an Andres Chaparo RBI groundout in the 5th. Keibert Ruiz had a pair of hits, but was thrown out at 2nd on a double steal attempt to end a threat. (23:20) Dylan Crews went 2 for 11 in the three games he played since returning to D.C.. Crews committed an error on Thursday, one of the two made by the team. (27:15) The Nationals head to Atlanta for a weekend series and then the road trip will move to Cleveland. Both teams are leading their divisions and the Braves hold the NL's best record. (29:00) RIP to Howard Fendrich, who sadly passed away at age 55. Howard was best known for his tennis coverage for the Associated Press, but he spent plenty of time covering the Nationals & other local teams.

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2026

The Nats are back at .500 after beating the Mets for the 2nd straight night. Mark & Al convene after the 8-4 victory on Wednesday night and put in perspective where this team stands after 50 games played. (09:00) Comparing this team to the 2005 Nationals, who had a surprisingly strong start. (13:20) CJ Abrams hit a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 1st to put Washington ahead right away. Abrams is in a four-way tie for most RBIs in all of Baseball (42). Abrams also had an impressive OPS (.928) which is the 7th highest in the NL. (18:10) Jacob Young's 2-run HR in the bottom of the 8th gave the Nats a four run cushion. Young has homered four times this month and already has a career high with six home runs on the season. (20:00) Keibert Ruiz hit a RBI double to give Washington a 4-1 lead. Ruiz's OPS has recently skyrocketed and he is now slugging .500. Ruiz was thrown out at home on a controversial play and hear why Blake Butera was unable to challenge the call. (28:05) Nasim Nuñez had a great all-around game as he stole a base, made an impressive play in the field, and laid down a sacrifice bunt. (30:30) Zack Littell & Andrew Alvarez combined for all nine innings in the victory. This tandem is expected to continue to work together when it is time in the rotation. (38:20) PJ Poulin was sent to AAA after the game.

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2026

The Nats trailed by five runs right away, but completely flipped the script on the Mets for a 9-6 win on Tuesday night. Al & Mark examine James Wood's Inside-the-Park Grand Slam in the bottom 2nd to cut the deficit to just one run. Wood has 13 homers this season, tied for 3rd most in the NL, but leads all of MLB in runs scored. (11:45) Paul Toboni met with the media on the same day that Dylan Crews joined the Big League Club. Toboni addressed what he has recently seen from Crews and why now is the right time to call him up. Crews went 1 for 4 on Tuesday night while playing in CF and hitting sixth in the lineup. (15:15) What to expect the outfield to look like now that Crews is up and Joey Wiemer has been sent to AAA. (18:00) Toboni answered plenty of questions regarding the decision to send Brady House to Rochester. It was pointed out just how much House has struggled against right-handed pitching this year. (23:00) Was Crews called up too early to make his MLB debut back in 2024? (27:00) Foster Griffin was terrible in the beginning of his start as New York led 5-0 by the top of the 2nd. Griffin however settled down and was able to make it through five innings of work. (31:30) Brad Lord tossed three innings to get to the 9th and Richard Lovelady closed it out from there. Lovelady bounced back after getting hit hard as the Opener on Sunday against the Orioles. (34:30) Will Andrew Alvarez continue to stay on the roster?

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2026

Monday was a jam packed one for the Nats as lost 16-7 to the Mets in extras, with New York scoring 10 runs in the top of the 12th. Mark & Al begin with the report that Dylan Crews is getting called from AAA and that he will take the place of Brady House, who will be sent to Rochester. House has really struggled lately in the field and has committed eight errors already this season. Crews' OPS in Rochester was .777 with five homers during his month and a half stretch in AAA. (11:45) Seaver King was promoted to AAA after having a strong start to his season in Harrisburg at shortstop. King was the franchise's 1st Round pick at 10th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. King's OPS in AA was .989. (16:20) Jacob Young was removed in the bottom of the 2nd after getting drilled in the ribs and the X-Rays were negative. (18:00) The defense continued to be sloppy as Washington committed four errors on Monday night. (23:00) Jake Irvin only lasted four innings and allowed one earned run, three runs in total. Irvin's ERA is up to 5.59 and the concerns about him in the rotation do remain. (24:30) Explaining the confusion in the top of the 12th when the umpires briefly would not allow Jorbit Vivas to relieve Paxton Schultz on the mound. Schultz was forced to pitch for the 3rd straight day when the 12th began and the Mets took full advantage.

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2026

The Nats did not sweep on Sunday and instead lost 7-3 to the visiting Orioles. Mark & Al open with Richard Lovelady, the Opener who gave up an upper deck solo homer in the top of the 1st hit to Gunnar Henderson. (04:00) Miles Mikolas allowed a 2-run HR vs. the initial batter that he faced in the top of the 2nd after taking over for Lovelady. Mikolas' ERA this season is a grisly 6.91. (09:00) Will Andrew Alvarez take Mikolas' spot in the rotation? (17:00) Jacob Young homered for the 5th time this season; which is already a career high. Young also went deep in Saturday's victory. (20:00) Keibert Ruiz doubled, walk, and his slugging percentage is almost on par with Jams Wood believe it or not. (27:00) Brady House dropped a foul ball and was charged with his 8th error of the season, tied for the 2nd most in all of MLB. (29:30) The Mets come to town on Monday for a four game series. New York is coming in with momentum as they went 5-1 in their recent home stand.

Transcribed - Published: 18 May 2026

The Nats have finally returned to the .500 mark and did so in emphatic fashion. Mark & Al dive into the Nationals 13-3 pummeling of the Orioles on Saturday afternoon in front of another sell out crowd in D.C. The fans were not only treated to a win, but also received Alex Ovechkin Bobbleheads. (08:00) Keibert Ruiz had a monster afternoon as he homered, knocked in five runs, stole a base, and even won an ABS challenge. Ruiz's OPS is up .715 and has climbed over .200 points in the month of May. (15:00) Brady House did not start on Saturday, but he still ended up doubling and homering late in the rout. (21:00) Cade Cavalli lasted until the 7th and struck out eight O's along the way. Cavalli was throwing a shutout through six innings (79 pitches), but he allowed a pair of homers in the top of the 7th to mar his final pitching line. (28:10) This victory ends a shocking streak of 15 consecutive defeats for Washington when entering the game at 1 game under .500. (31:15) A great shoutout that mentions Nationals Fantasy Camp. If you are interested in a shoutout to be read on air, send us an email at natschatpodcast@gmail.com.

Transcribed - Published: 17 May 2026

The Nats edged the Orioles 3-2 on Friday night in front of a sold out crowd in Navy Yard. Al & Mark praise the nearly 39,000 fans in attendance who packed the house for the well received promotion of "Hot Dog Day". (08:00) Zack Littell tossed five shutout innings before handing the ball off to Andrew Alvarez. This was the first scoreless outing of the season for Littell in his 9th appearance. Blake Butera showed confidence in Littell in allowing him the opportunity to wriggle out of a jam in the top of the 5th. (14:45) Andrew Alvarez had a strong performance after returning from Rochester. Alvarez tossed three scoreless innings before running into trouble in the top of the 9th. Alvarez was relieved by Gus Varland with no outs and then Richard Lovelady came in to nail down the final Orioles out. (24:00) Daylen Lile homered for 4th time this week to put Washington up 3-0. Lile had three of the team's hits in the victory and his OPS is now at .798; making him the clear 3rd best hitter in the lineup. (29:15) Cade Cavalli will take the mound on Saturday afternoon as the team looks to finally get back to .500. Thursday's loss was the 15th consecutive one for Washington when entering the affair at one game below .500.

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2026

The Nats entered Thursday one game below .500 and for the 15th consecutive (15th!!!!) time they lost when trying to reach that level. Mark (From Cincinnati) & Al recap recap the 15-1 thrashing at the hands of the Reds. (04:15) Blake Butera is not hung up on necessarily reaching .500 right now. (07:00) Foster Griffin had by far his worst start of the season by allowing nine runs in under five innings of work. Griffin issued three walks and gave up a pair of homers against the Cincinnati offense. The outing went so poorly, that his ERA went from 2.12 to up to 3.53 in the process. (15:00) Washington's starting pitching was rough all series despite the two victories. The bullpen was needed a lot this week even though the team is in the midst of a 16 games in 16 days stretch. (17:20) The offense was no match for Reds starter Chase Burns,, who struck out seven hitters in six innings. The Nats only mustered three hits, but Nasim Nuñez did steal his MLB leading 18th base. (21:30) The Nationals welcome Baltimore on Friday to begin their two series/ seven game home stand. The Orioles thus far are four games below .500.

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2026

The Nats staged an impressive comeback in Wednesday night's 8-7 win in extras. Mark (From Cincinnati) & Al discuss how Washington found themselves in an early 5-0 hole, before the offense & bullpen teamed up to rally against the Reds. They are just one game below .500 through 43 games played. (05:45) Daylen "The Louisville Slugger" Lile hit his 3rd homer in the past two games in the top of the 10th. Lile had a very strong reaction after he went deep and shared the moment with family, friends, and of course teammates. (08:30) Curtis Mead played three different infield positions and is the first National to do this since.... Gerardo Parra! (13:30) The offense is 2nd in runs scored across MLB this season. (17:40) Five relievers combined to only allow one run in seven frames. The one run the Reds scored off of the 'pen came with a ghost runner in the bottom of the 10th. Mitchell Parker bounced back from Saturday's poor performance in Miami by tossing three scoreless innings in immediate relief of Jake Irvin. (21:35) The Nats caught a big break in the 10th when fan interference was ruled on a potential game tying homer. (22:20) Jake Irvin had a bad start and lasted just three innings. Irvin's ERA is a staggering 5.91 and his spot in the rotation is officially in jeopardy. (27:30) TGIF - Foster Griffin will take the mound on Thursday afternoon as the team is one win away from reaching .500 in mid-May. (30:00) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, gives an update from AAA.

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2026

The Nats blasted six homers on Tuesday night for a 9-2 win in Cincinnati. Mark (From Great American Ballpark) & Al start with the impressive offensive totals, that included a pair of homers from both Luis Garcia Jr. & Daylen Lile. (05:30) Luis Garcia Jr. has been on a hot streak after missing a few games due to a wrist issue. Garcia's OPS has now climbed up to .725 for the season. (07:00) Daylen Lile went deep twice in front of a throng of friends and family as he grew up in Louisville, which is roughly 90 minutes away from Cincinnati. (12:45) Washington has hit 50 homers in just 42 games. James Wood's solo shot was his 12th of the year; which is the 3rd most in the NL. (16:00) Miles Mikolas began his evening with three scoreless frames, but ran into trouble in the 4th. The Reds ended up scoring two runs in that inning and a Brady House fielding error was a culprit. (19:30) Brad Lord earned the win by throwing nearly three innings on Tuesday. Lord's ERA currently sits at 3.21 through 13 appearances. (25:00) Brady House committed his 7th error of the season and Keibert Ruiz was charged with catcher's interference. This was after Blake Butera called for defensive drills over five hours prior to Tuesday's 1st Pitch.

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2026

The Nats dropped a second straight winnable game over the weekend in Miami. Mark & Al react to Washington's 5-2 loss in the rubber match of the three game series that came just before the Wizards were announced as the lottery winners for the NBA Draft. (05:30) The Nationals continued their pattern of sloppy play by making a pair of crucial outs on the bases. One of them was particularly painful because it came with James Wood in the batter's box and a runner already in scoring position. (11:10) Nasim Nuñez let a double play ball go through his legs that led to an early unearned Marlins run while filling in at shortstop. (16:45) Miami pulled off a double steal against Gus Varland in the pivotal bottom of the 8th. Drew Millas also used poor judgment in use of ABS Challenge that inning. (21:30) An assessment of Cade Cavalli's outing where he allowed two runs in almost six innings of work. Cavalli struck out four and his ERA dropped a tad to 4.02. (23:00) Luis Garcia tripled and also had a RBI double in the middle of the game. Could Garcia step up and be the 3rd best hitter in this lineup? (37:15) Jim Callis, Senior writer for MLB Pipeline, gives Nats Chat an exclusive scouting report on potential options for the Nats at #11 at this Summer's MLB Draft. (27:00) Jacob Young was hitless, but did make a pair of fantastic defensive plays in the top of the 2nd. Mark notes some instances where Brady House could improve defensively. (32:05) The Nats are off on Monday and begin a three game series in Cincinnati on Tuesday night. Every team in the NL Central is currently over .500.

Transcribed - Published: 11 May 2026

The Nats blew an early four run lead and ultimately lost 8-7 on Saturday afternoon in Miami. Al & Tim point out how this was a particular frustrating defeat as the Nationals drop to 19-21 overall through 40 games. (06:30) Washington staged a furious rally in the 9th that fell just short. They trailed 8-4 entering the frame, but Joey Wiemer made a crucial base running mistake that removed the tying run from scoring position. (14:00) Richard Lovelady was the surprise choice as the Opener and he delivered with two scoreless frames. PJ Poulin had to come in for the final out for Friday night's win and that possibly led to Lovelady getting the ball on Saturday. (16:00) Zack Littell & CJ Abrams each committed an error on Saturday afternoon. Abrams' throwing error in the bottom of the 6th led to an unavoidable Marlins run to make it 4-3. (19:45) Mitchell Parker had a nightmare relief appearance as he allowed five runs and his ERA ballooned to 5.82 afterwards. (27:30) The Nats & Marlins square off earlier than usual on Sunday afternoon at 12:15PM on Peacock. Cade Cavalli will take the mound with a current ERA of 4.15. (30:40) Tim (Atlanta native) gives his thoughts on the passing of Hall of Fame Manager Bobby Cox at age 84.

Transcribed - Published: 10 May 2026

The Nats edged the Marlins 3-2 on Friday night for their 3rd straight victory. Mark & Al discuss the road win where all of the scoring came in the 1st inning. (03:00) Foster Griffin was tremendous in striking out nine Marlins in seven innings of work. Griffin has pitched at least six frames in four consecutive starts. The lefty's ERA is a very impressive 2.12. (11:30) **Riding the wave while it lasts** - Is there any scenario where the Nationals would give Griffin an in-season multi-year extension? (17:30) Brad Lord came an out shy of recording the save, but a CJ Abrams throwing extended the bottom of the 9th. PJ Poulin came in relief of Lord and served as the Closer as opposed to the Opener. Will Poulin then pitch the bottom of the 1st on Saturday? (22:00) Jacob Young's 2-run HR in the top of the 1st turned out to be the difference. Young has three homers so far this season; already more than he hit in 2025. (26:10) Nasim Nunez stole a pair of bags and he leads the majors with 16 stolen bases.

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2026

The Nats beat the Twins 7-5 on Thursday afternoon for their first home series victory of the series. Mark & Al have plenty of praise for Keibert Ruiz, who doubled twice and broke a late tie with a solo homer in the bottom of 7th. Ruiz's OPS rose an astonishing .127 points in single day. (10:30) Breaking down the Nationals catching situation after back to back days of rare offensive production from that position. (18:00) Curtis Mead knocked in a pair of runs while hitting 3rd in the lineup. (20:05) The victory masked Jake Irvin's so-so outing on Thursday. Irvin allowed eight hits and four runs in just innings of work as his ERA is a concerning 5.22. (23:00) Multiple instances of good defense by the Nats in this game. (27:20) Gus Varland notched his 4th save of the season to extend his team lead in that category. (30:30) Washington heads to Miami for a three game set over the weekend. Foster Griffin will start on Friday as the team enters the road trip at two games below .500.

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2026

The Nats crushed Minnesota 15-2 on Wednesday night; the most runs they've scored all season. Mark & Al open with the offensive performance where four homers were hit in the victory. (05:00) Another big night by CJ Abrams, highlighted by a late Grand Slam. Abrams roped a pair of doubles to give him eight total bases on Wednesday night. Abrams' OPS is at .960, tied for 7th best in the NL. (11:00) The other three Washington dingers came from Drew Millas, Brady House, and Jose Tena. This was Millas' first homer of the season and his OPS shot up over .100 points after the home run. (16:30) Miles Mikolas had his best outing of the season and earned the win by last over five innings. Mikolas allowed two runs off of three hits and struck out three Twins. (20:25) Mitchell Parker tossed over two perfect innings in relief and his stats are very impressive thus far this year. Parker's ERA is now down to 3.38. (24:00) Cionel Perez surprisingly chose to be released instead of going to AAA. Perez then was signed by the Mets on a minor league deal. (26:30) Jake Irvin is slated as Thursday afternoon's starter as the Nats seek their first series victory at home this season.

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2026

The Nats were trounced 11-3 on Tuesday night against visiting Minnesota. Al & Mark examine Cade Cavalli's poor outing, where he allowed six runs in just four innings of work. Three of those were unearned, but Cavalli had a fielding error that contributed to the run total. Cavalli only threw two strikeouts after having registered double digits Ks in his previous two starts. (14:30) Andre Granillo struggled by giving up four late runs in two innings on the mound. Granilo afterwards was sent down to AAA-Rochester. (19:00) Jackson Rutledge was DFA'd to make room for reliever Max Kranick on the 40-man roster. Rutledge was a 1st round draft choice from 2019 that did not pan out. (22:05) James Wood came very close to hitting a homer and had to settle for a double. It was Wood's first extra-base hit in almost a week. (25:10) Daylen Lile doubled in a rare show of power so far this season. Lile is tied for the team high in hits, but his OPS is only at .692. (28:30) WIll Riley Adams get called up from AAA to take over for one of the scuffling catchers? (32:00) Brady House did not start on Tuesday and we answer a listener question about House's usage.

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2026

The Nats won their first home game since April 21st on Sunday afternoon. Mark & Al discuss the 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, where five Washington pitchers combined to take the mound. PJ Poulin lasted two innings for the first time as an Opener this season and he remains the only pitcher on the team to serve in that role. (05:45) Zack Littell only allowed one run in nearly four innings of work on 41 pitches. Littell's ERA remains high at 7.24 through seven outings. (15:25) Richard Lovelady recorded the final two outs for his first Save of the season as it continues to be a different reliever almost every time in that role. (19:20) CJ Abrams had a great offensive game has he had a pair of hits, stole a base, and scored two of the three Nationals runs. (23:00) Nasim Nuñez had a big day as well as he knocked in a pair of runs and scored the other one. (28:10) Blake Butera changed up the pregame defensive drills and Mark relays what he saw while watching it happen. (33:15) Minnesota comes to town on Tuesday night for three games. The Twins are currently in last place in the AL Central. (35:00) Luis Garcia Jr. was pulled from the game due to wrist soreness. Garcia is getting an MRI on the wrist and there is a chance that he will land on the IL.

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2026

The Nats home woes continued in Saturday afternoon's 4-1 loss to the Brewers. Al & Tim note how the team is now 3-12 at Nationals Park to begin the season, and they have not yet won a home series. (06:30) The offense has cooled off a bit recently; other than a few recent exceptions. Washington had two men on, with no outs in the bottom of the 9th and were unable to do anything with it. Brady House's OPS is currently at .642 and that needs to improve this month; as does the contribution at the plate from the catchers. (13:30) Foster Griffin had a slow start to his outing, but did settle down over the course of six innings. Griffin's was charged with three unearned runs in the top of the 1st after Brady House made a two-out fielding error. Griffin's ERA remains impressive at 2.27. (19:00) Orlando Ribalta pitched the top of the 9th shortly after returning from Rochester. Cionel Perez, also a reliever, was then ultimately sent down to AAA after clearing waivers. (23:20) Zack Littell will take the mound on Sunday in the series finale and this will be his 7th outing of the season. (27:00) Blake Butera is publicly not pleased with how the team leads the majors in errors. Washington committed a pair of errors in the field on Saturday.

Transcribed - Published: 3 May 2026

The Nats continue to struggle at home as they lost 6-1 to Milwaukee on Friday night. Al & Mark marvel at Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski, who no-hit the Nationals until being removed in the bottom of the 6th due to a right hamstring cramp. Misiorowski eclipsed 100 MPH many times in his dominant outing. (08:00) The offense only mustered two hits and the first one didn't come until the bottom of the 7th after a Daylen Lile double. (11:45) Washington is 3-11 at home this season and it is comfortably the worst record in Baseball. Conversely, the Nats are 12-7 on the road thus far. (15:20) Jake Irvin allowed four runs in just five innings of work. Irvin did strike out five Brewers however and his ERA currently sits at 4.93. (21:40) Mark's assessment of the team's defense after one month of play. The Nationals committed pair of errors in Friday evening's defeat. (27:20) Foster Griffin, the franchise's Ace so far in 2026, will take the mound on Saturday afternoon. Griffin had his own no-hit bid in Milwaukee a few weeks ago. (29:30) An update from the Voice of the Harrisburg Senators at the AA level, Frankie Vernouski.

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2026

The Nats won another road series after rallying for a 5-4 victory over the Mets on Thursday afternoon. Mark (From Citi Field) & Al open with CJ Abrams, who crushed a 2-run HR in the top of the 8th to put the Nationals up for good. Abrams' OPS is up to .961; which is 5th best in the NL (Ildemaro Vargas has the lead believe it or not). (13:15) Sloppy base running in the top of the 9th; which cost the team chance at insurance runs. (15:45) James Wood made two excellent defensive plays in RF. (20:00) Miles Mikolas pitched competitively and ultimately allowed three runs in four innings of work. Mikolas struck out three Mets and his ERA currently sits at 8.23. (23:00) The bullpen only gave up one run the entire series. Gus Varland notched a four out Save, his 3rd of the year. (25:35) After a 4-2 road trip, the Nationals return for six game home stand on Friday. This weekend they host Milwaukee, who they swept last month on the road. Minnesota comes to town on Tuesday for a three game series on South Capitol Street. Washington will enter May at a surprising 15-17. (28:00) The Juan Soto trade and its after effects seemed to be in the background this series more than past meetings against Washington.

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2026

The Nats pummeled the Mets 14-2 on a wet Wednesday night in New York. Mark (From Citi Field) & Al have another strong Cade Cavalli outing to go over as he struck out ten hitters for the 2nd straight start. Cavalli lasted six innings and ended his evening by throwing 24 straight strikes. (11:00) A trio of relievers combined for three scoreless innings in relief of Cavalli. PJ Poulin threw the bottom of the 9th, meaning it is unlikely that he will be the Opener on Thursday afternoon for Miles Mikolas. (14:05) Brady House's Grand Slam in the top of the 4th put the game out of the reach by giving the Nationals a 9-1 lead. The offense had no trouble with David Robertson, who gave up seven runs in his outing. (15:30) Curtis Mead had a 4-hit evening, which included a 9th inning homer, a double, two singles, plus a RBI HBP. (25:45) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, gives an update on Dylan Crews and others in AAA.

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2026

The Nats were shutout 8-0 on Tuesday night at the Mets. Mark (From New York) & Al begin with Zack Littell, who gave up a homer on the first pitch of his outing Littell allowed eight runs, and almost all of those came in the decisive bottom of the 4th. The veteran righty's ERA is now up to an awful 7.85. (05:30) Littell has pitched 16 innings this season and stunningly has give up 13 homers in that stretch. This leads to a discussion about Littell & Miles Mikolas, who both have really struggled in the starting rotation thus far. (15:05) The bullpen did not give up a run in relief of Littell. Is Brad Lord the next man up if there is an opening in the rotation? (18:10) Offense struck out 11 times and could only muster three singles. Luis Garcia Jr. went 0 for 4 and his OPS is only at .617 this season. (22:00) Paul Toboni met with the media prior to the game on Tuesday afternoon and this could be a monthly occurrence. (24:15) Toboni on Dylan Crews and how he is doing down in AAA. (35:00) Cade Cavalli will take the mound on Wednesday in the 2nd game of this series on the road.

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2026

The Nats emerged victorious in another extra inning affair this weekend vs. the White Sox. Mark (From Chicago) & Al recap Sunday's 2-1 triumph; where the Nationals took the series rubber match. (04:00) Washington went 9-8 in this stretch of 17 games in 17 days. As they sit at 13-16, it feels like the team culture is at a better place all things considered. (07:05) Foster Griffin tossed seven shutout innings and he closes his April with a very impressive 2.67 ERA. Griffin pitched in Japan for the past three seasons for the Yomiuri Giants. (15:10) Paxton Schultz notched the first save of his career immediately after getting called back from AAA. Clayton Beeter has been placed on the IL due to right forearm tightness. (22:00) Jose Tena pinch- hit for Jacob Young ; even though the Nationals were already up 1-0. Tena responded with a solo homer to give his squad some insurance. (26:40) Next game is Tuesday at the Mets after a much needed off day. Will we get an Opener for Zack Littell on Tuesday? (28:15) Some symmetry between the bizarre firing of the Red Sox staff and what happened to the firings on South Capitol Street last early July.

Transcribed - Published: 27 April 2026

The Nats beat the White Sox 6-3 on Saturday afternoon in 10 innings. Mark (From Chicago) & Al praise Jake Irvin for his nine strikeout effort in almost six innings of work. This was the first scoreless outing for Irvin in 2026 and the most strikeouts he's had since April 20th last year in Colorado. (11:30) Mitchell Parker allowed a pair of runs, but did strikeout three Chicago hitters. Brad Lord took the mound in the 10th to notch the final three outs. (14:30) Nasim Nuñez was the offensive star of the day with four RBIs in the win. Nuñez's big hit came in the 10th to give the Nationals two more insurance runs. (18:00) It seems like ABS has led to more walks across the sport. The Nats drew 10 walks in the victory on Saturday afternoon. (23:10) Foster Griffin will toe the rubber on Sunday in the series finale. Griffin so far has been the team's Ace and this will conclude a stretch of 17 straight days with a game.

Transcribed - Published: 26 April 2026

The Nats fell 5-4 at the White Sox to open their road trip on Friday night. Al & Mark (From the South Side) begin with the White Sox's curious decision to pitch to James Wood in the top of the 9th w/ first base open and Luis Garcia Jr. standing on second base. (04:45) PJ Poulin was the opener before handing the ball to Miles Mikolas in the bottom of the 2nd. Munetaka Murakami hit his 11th homer of year off of Mikolas, which is tied for most in Baseball. (07:30) Riley Cornelio was put in a tight spot for a MLB debut. Cornelio took the mound in the 7th and it was a rough ride that included issuing four walks, and allowing the decisive three runs. Cornelio joined the team from AAA on Friday, but was sent back to Richmond following the defeat. (11:00) Parsing through the decision to use Cornelio in a high leverage bullpen spot for his MLB debut, when he normally is a starter. Why did he not just start the game? (20:30) Erick Fedde was the White Sox Bulk pitcher and he gave up 3 runs in almost six innings of work. (22:10) Brady House had a big night as he homered in the top of the 8th to briefly to tie the game at 4. (23:15) Two more instances of costly and terrible base running. (29:00) Injury updates on Josiah Gray and Cole Henry.

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2026

The Nats lost 7-2 to the Braves on Thursday afternoon to conclude another disappointing home stand. Al examines the bullpen meltdown in the top of the 7th where Atlanta scored four runs to break the tie. Gus Varland & Cionel Perez were the culprits in the pivotal frame. (08:10) Cade Cavalli struck out 10 in just five innings for his best outing of the season. Cavalli gave up two runs and his ERA dropped down to 4.01. (14:00) Mark gives a quick update on Riley Cornelio, one of the organization's top pitching prospects, who will join the Nationals on Friday in Chicago. (16:30) James Wood homered for the 10th time, which has him atop the NL. CJ Abrams hit his 7th homer of the year in the bottom of the 4th. (21:40) The Nationals will start a two city road trip tomorrow night at the White Sox before moving to the Mets on Tuesday. (23:45) Tim is joined by Bob Black, the Voice of the Richmond Spiders, to talk about the new AAA Ballpark in Richmond and if one day the Nats could get an affiliate there.

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2026

The Nats were out-slugged 8-6 on Wednesday vs. the visiting Braves. Al & Mark recap another rough start for Zack Littell, as he gave up a quartet of homers in six innings of work. (07:00) Littell's ERA is now at 7.56 in five appearances and he has allowed a staggering 11 homers in 25 innings. (12:30) Further examination of the evaluation process that led to Littell not signing until Spring Training was well underway. (17:25) James Wood homered yet again, and he now is atop the NL in this category. Six of his Wood's homers have been opposite field shot so far this season. (19:30) Daylen Lile & Joey Wiemer also homered on Wednesday evening. The Nats are on pace so far to contend with hitting 200 home runs this season as a team. (30:00) Cade Cavalli will take the mound on Thursday afternoon in the series finale as Washington looks for the split with the Braves.

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2026

The Nats routed the Braves 11-4 on Tuesday night on South Capitol Street. Mark & Al focus on the recent offensive production and are encouraged by many of the results. Washington drew a stunning dozen walks on their way to snapping Atlanta's six game win streak. (07:30) James Wood homered for the 8th time this season, which is tied for the NL lead. Luis Garcia Jr. also had a big night at the plate as he had four hits and knocked in a trio of runs. (12:45) Foster Griffin lasted six innings to help out the beleaguered bullpen. The lefty is 3-0 with 3.38 ERA through 5 starts this season. (21:00) The bullpen did a solid job and Clayton Beeter struck out a pair in the top of the 9th. (25:05) Zack Littell will take the mound on Wednesday night and is looking to bounce back after Friday night's bad outing vs. San Francisco. (26:30) The Mets have lost 12 in a row and the Phillies are also well below .500. Believe it or not, the Nationals are tied for 2nd place in the NL East. (31:10) An update from the Voice of the AA-Harrisburg Senators, Frankie Vernouski. Hear the latest on Seaver King & Cayden Wallace.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2026

The Nats led 3-2 entering the 6th on Monday night, but a series of Washington pitchers allowed five Atlanta runs to put the game out of reach. Mark & Al sort through the 9-4 loss; which saw a lot of sloppy defense by the Nationals. (05:45) Jake Irvin hit Ronald Acuna Jr. twice and the second one came in the top of the 6th. CJ Abrams then was the recipient of retaliation, but he kept his calm and went on to score a run. (16:20) Daylen Lile homered in the 4th to briefly put the Nationals ahead 3-2. The most noteworthy moment of the homer was Cionel Perez catching the fly ball in his hat while standing in the bullpen. (22:00) The tp of the 6th was the pivotal inning of the night and this is when Jake Irvin was lifted after just 68 pitches. Hear how Butera explained the (pre- determined) decision to pull Irvin while going through the Braves lineup for a 3rd time. (34:00) Josiah Gray will be sent for additional testing and he is currently not throwing. Gray has not pitched the Nationals since April of 2024.

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2026

The Nats blanked the Giants 3-0 on Sunday afternoon to avoid getting swept this weekend at home. Mark & Al analyze the surprising pitching effort by PJ Poulin, Miles Mikolas, and Andrew Alvarez. It was a whirlwind Sunday for Alvarez as he traveled from Rochester in the morning, and then earned the win on the mound in D.C. after taking over in the 5th. (05:00) Mikolas was the bulk starter as he took over in the 1st for Poulin and lasted four frames. Mikolas allowed four hits and struck out four in his best outing of the young season. (15:30) Alvarez was demoted back to AAA in the middle of our taping during our discussion on his future with the club. This is the 2nd pitcher this week to get sent back to Rochester after nailing down the final out in a victory (Orlando Ribalta). (25:10) Curtis Mead hit a 2-run homer to go up 3-0 in the 5th. This was a nice bounce back for Mead, who made a pivotal base running mistake in the bottom of the 9th in Saturday's loss. (29:00) The first run of the game came on a convoluted play that resulted in Nasim Nunez coming across to score. (33:00) The home stand continues on Monday night as the Braves come to Navy Yard for four a four game series.

Transcribed - Published: 20 April 2026

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 bottom of the 9th and Jorbit Vivas almost out did him in the 10th. (13:40) James Wood homered again for the 7th time this season, tied for the 2nd most in the National League. (17:00) Cade Cavalli had another disappointing outing as he only lasted four innings despite being given an early four-run lead. Cavalli was charged with three runs allowed after yielding seven San Francisco hits. Cavalli has only tossed 19.2 IP in five starts so far this season. (24:00) Mitchell Parker lasted three innings in relief of Cavalli and gave up three runs in the process. The bullpen the rest of the way did a solid job, including two perfect innings by Richard Lovelady. (26:30) Miles Mikolas will take the mound on Sunday as Washington looks to avoid getting swept.

Transcribed - Published: 19 April 2026

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 Spring Training to sign sometimes? (13:45) Richard Lovelady pitched the 9th right after taking Oscar Ribalta's roster spot. Lovelady walked in a run with the bases loaded for San Francisco's final run. Ribalta notched the save on Thursday in Pittsburgh and was then demoted to AAA on Friday. (18:05) James Wood crushed an opposite field homer 441 feet late in the contest. Wood is now tied with Abrams for the team lead in homers with six. (22:00) Daylen Lile hit his 1st homer of the year to bring up his OPS to .691. Lile has not yet tripled this season, after having 11 of them in his rookie year. (26:30) The Nationals just went 5-2 on the road trip, but only have one home victory. (28:45) Cade Cavalli will take the mound on Saturday afternoon vs. San Francisco. Cavalli's ERA is 4.60 through four starts this season.

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2026

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 Nationals four-run top of the 5th inning. James Wood's RBI single in the top of the 10th to break the tie was the only RISP to come across the plate. (10:00) CJ Abrams reached base four times for the second straight day. This time he singled, walked twice, and was hit by a pitch in the victory. Abrams OPS is now up to 1.191, the highest in the National League. (13:40) Foster Griffin's outing was going well until he allowed four Pittsburgh runs in the bottom of the 5th. Griffin struck out seven hitters on 89 pitches and is currently sporting a 3.05 ERA through four starts. (16:45) Six relievers were needed to finish out the victory. Colin Beeter blew the save in the 9th, but Oscar Ribalta escaped the 10th inning jam to close it out. (24:00) Reliever Richard Lovelady was recently acquired off of waivers from the Mets. The lefty has been in the majors since 2019 and has a career ERA of 5.25. (27:10) Washington went an impressive 5-2 on the road trip. They open up a seven game home stand on Friday night vs. the Giants; with the Braves coming into D.C. on Monday.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2026

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 1.175, which is the 2nd highest in the sport, only behind Yordan Alvarez. (14:30) Irvin retired 13 of the final 16 batters he faced in the loss. Irvin continues to get roughed up in the 1st inning and has allowed seven runs in that opening frame over the course of four starts. (18:15) Brad Lord took over for Irvin and lasted for three innings on the mound. Lord was the only reliever needed; giving the rest of the bullpen the day off during this endless stretch of games. (24:00) Keibert Ruiz is struggling at the plate and has done a poor job of challenging ABS calls.

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2026

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 offense is averaging 5.8 runs per game through 17 games. (14:30) Miles Mikolas took over for the Opener PJ Poulin and lasted for three plus innings. Mikolas' ERA thus far is an astounding 11.49 in four appearances. (19:00) Mitchell Parker had an excellent outing just hours after being activated to the Washington roster. Parker tossed two shutout innings and struck out five Pirates in the process. (26:30) The Nationals are 8-9 and will try and get to .500 on Wednesday evening. Jake Irvin will take the mound in Pittsburgh.

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2026

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 runs in the bottom of the 6th. Jackson Rutledge had the roughest evening of all relievers as he gave up seven runs in less than two innings of work and was sent back down to AAA after the loss. (17:30) Cole Henry and Ken Waldichuk were each placed on the IL and Waldichuk might be facing Tommy John Surgery, pending a 2nd opinion. (21:40) Abrams' OPS so far is 1.024 on the season and he is in the top 20 of MLB at the moment. (23:00) Jacob Young went deep while hitting 5th in the lineup. (26:10) Miles Mikolas is slated to start on Tuesday night, but we will see how long Blake Butera gives him the ball. (29:30) An update from AAA by Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings.

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2026

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 in the top of the 7th. (14:10) Jacob Young had a single and double in the victory and his OPS is an encouraging .789. (17:30) Zack Littell allowed three runs and all of them came off of solo homers in five innings of work. (22:05) Ken Waldichuk left the mound while holding his pitching arm in pain. Waldichuk had Tommy John surgery previously in October 2023. (27:40) Gus Varland notched the save and it seems like that position is still up for grabs. (30:10) The Nationals move their road trip to Pittsburgh and the first game on Monday will feature Paul Skenes vs. Cade Cavalli.

Transcribed - Published: 13 April 2026

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 just enough to record the final outs. (10:40) The offense collected eight hits, and the biggest was James Wood's 2-run double in the top of the 5th to open the scoring. (14:00) Washington made way too many outs on the bases, five into total, and three of them were due to pick-off throws. (17:45) Tim is joined by the great Scott Jackson from Priority Lexus Sports Radio 94.1 in Virginia Beach. Nats Chat airs every Sunday morning on the station from 9-10AM. Hear about the unique sports market and how the locals feels about Ryan Zimmerman, who attended Kellam High School in Virginia Beach.

Transcribed - Published: 12 April 2026

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 the Nationals scored four runs in the 9th. (11:20) Brady House is showing more plate discipline so far this season. This leads to a conversation about new technology the organization is utilizing with their hitters. (17:15) Jake Irvin had a mixed outing where he allowed three runs in the bottom of the 1st after inheriting a 2-0 lead. Irvin then settled down and lasted five frames, with five strikeouts along the way. (23:00) A strong night for the bullpen as four relievers each tossed a scoreless inning vs. the Brewers. Clayton Better took over in the bottom of the 9th after being given a four run lead.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2026