Nats Chat

The Nats lost 4-3 to the Mets on Sunday afternoon as the weekend series resulted in a New York sweep.  Mark (From Citi Field) & Al convene after Washington has dropped ten of their past eleven road games within divisional play. (04:00) CJ Abrams was hitless over the weekend after recently finding out that he will be moving to 2B. (06:00) Update on James Wood's oblique injury. (08:00) Abimelec Ortiz homered again and he is now up to five homers this month. (14:00) No hits or walks for Dylan Crews in New York. Crews OPS this season is an underwhelming .641. (22:00) Jake Irvin gave up four runs on Sunday and his ERA is a brutal 5.80.  There is a distinct chance that Irvin is not on the team next season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats couldn't hang on in the 9th and lost 5-4 on Saturday afternoon at the Mets. Mark (From New York) & Al begin with Yovanny Cruz, who inhertied a 4-3 lead in the middle of the 9th.  Cruz was unable to overcome the lead off walk and Francisco Lindor's walk-off single sealed Washington's fate. (12:00) This was a planned bullpen game for the Nats and they immediately rain into trouble. Brad Lord got the start but was only able to record two outs. (14:00) Will Dion stepped up big time as he tossed over four innings out of the 'pen and tied a franchise record with seven strikeouts as a reliever. (21:00) Why didn't Blake Butera call for intentionally walking Francisco Lindor with first base open in the bottom of the 9th?   (24:00) Brady House's 3-run HR off the foul pole puts the Nats ahead 4-2 in the 6th. House's OPS is now at .703. He currently is hitting .182 against righties, but .360 vs. lefties. (27:00) CJ Abrams started again at SS in Saturday's loss.  Mark asked Butera pregame what the timeline is for Abrams to move at 2B. (29:00) Andrew Pinckney was thrown out at home when trying to tag on a Dylan Crews flyout in the top of the 7th.  This came right on the heels of Pinckney's 2-out triple.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost 4-1 on Friday night to the Mets, but the major news of the day came during pregame.  Mark (From New York) & Al dive into the fact that CJ Abrams will soon see time at 2B. Abrams leads all of MLB with 19 errors committed at SS. (05:00) Blake Butera and CJ Abrams seemed to be on different pages in terms of the shift to 2B. (08:00) This announcement comes one month after Abrams started for the National League in the All-Star Game at SS. (12:30) Did the Nationals newfound organizational depth at SS play a role in this decision? (15:00) Does this help or hurt the Nats chances at keeping Abrams long term? (25:00) What are the short-term options at SS? (29:00) Why did Daylen Lile lay down a bunt in the 3rd? Lile however did make a beautiful play defensively in RF. (32:00) Andrew Alvarez gave up a pair of runs as he pitched into the 6th. Alvarez's ERA is at 3.72 after 18 appearances this season. (36:00) Brad Lord will start on Saturday as he transitions back to the rotation as there is a vacant spot.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats avoided the sweep on Thursday afternoon as they shutout the Cubs 7-0. Mark & Al have plenty of flowers to throw at Cade Cavalli as he took a no-hitter into the 7th inning. Cavalli ultimately pitched eight innings and struck out ten along the way.  Cavalli is now up to 151 strikeouts on the season, which is the 7th highest in the NL. (10:00) Blake Butera says he will not stand in the way of a no-hitter unless the pitch count situation is egregious. (14:00) Cavalli is sporting a 3.36 ERA for this season and has improved mightily since he struggled against the Cubs on Opening Day. (17:00) Cavalli has seven consecutive starts that have lasted at least six innings. (22:00) Abimelec Ortiz continues his red-hot stretch as his 3-run homer made it 5-0 Washington.  Ortiz only has 30 at bats this season in the majors, but his OPS is at 1.122. (25:00) Dylan Crews had a RBI single in the bottom of the 4th to begin the scoring. (27:00) The Nationals open a nine game road trip on Friday night as they will go the Mets, Rangers, and Marlins.  Brad Lord will start on Friday in New York as he is taking Miles Mikolas' now vacated spot in the starting rotation. (33:00) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, provides an update from AAA. Hear the latest about Seaver King, Yo Yo Morales, Riley Adams, and Trey Lipscomb. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats were beaten 12-6 by the Cubs on Wednesday night to drop to four games below .500. Al & Tim dig into the defeat that saw Alex Bregman go deep three times against three different relief pitchers. (05:00) Jackson Kent made his MLB debut as he was called up from AAA. Kent struck out six Cubs, but issued five walks as he pitched into the top of the 5th. (08:30) Four relievers were need to pick up the slack, but no one fared that well.  Trevor Williams ate up the final three innings to avoid having to pitch a position player in the top of the 9th. (14:00) Abimelec Ortiz crushed a third deck HR late in the game while pinch-hitting for Andres Chaparro.  Ortiz was inserted into the lineup once Chicago put a righty on the mound. (17:00) Should CJ Abrams be in the leadoff spot instead of Dylan Crews while James Wood is on the IL?  Crews went 0 for 5 on Wednesday night while Abrams was in the cleanup spot. (25:00) Cade Cavalli will start on Thursday afternoon as he has 141 strikeouts so far this season. (27:30) Tim shares his conversation from last month with Miles Mikolas following the benches clearing brawl in Fenway Park.  Mikolas shares insights on what sometimes actually happens in those situations.  Mikolas was officially DFA'd on Wednesday after Kent was called up.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost 8-6 on Tuesday night against the visiting Cubs.  Mark begins by relaying to Al that he saw Miles Mikolas saying goodbye to teammates in the clubhouse following the defeat and likely will be released in the near future. Mikolas pitched the final three innings in Tuesday's loss and his ERA is at 5.82 for the season. Jackson Kent is expected to get called up from AAA and make his MLB debut on Wednesday evening. (07:30) Will Brad Lord get moved back to the starting rotation? (14:00) Jake Irvin struggled as he gave up five runs in just over three innings of work.  Irvin's spot in the rotation is in jeopardy as his ERA is at 5.79 for this season. (21:00) CJ Abrams hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 1st.  Abrams is now up to 29 homers on the year; just one behind James Wood. (24:00) The offense went deep three times off of Chicago starter Shota Imanaga who has a ERA under 4.00 on the season. The other two taters came off the bats of Jacob Young & Dylan Crews. (30:00) Jackson Kent will make his MLB debut on the mound on Wednesday night.  Kent is a lefty who began the season at AA and has a 4.38 ERA at AAA in 13 starts.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats swept the Reds on Sunday afternoon with a 7-1 win in the series finale.  Al & Mark recap the unusual victory that was led by the bullpen for all 27 outs. Brad Lord pitched into the 3rd before handing the ball off to the recently acquired Will Dion. The pitching was good all weekend as Cincinnati only scored six combined runs in the three games. (09:00) Trevor Williams recorded seven outs and has been impressive in his five appearances since being activated off of the IL. (14:00) Andres Chaparro continued his hot stretch with a 2-run double to put this game out of reach in the bottom of the 8th.  Abimelec Ortiz homered to give Washington the lead in the bottom of the 3rd. (19:00) Keibert Ruiz had three hits on Sunday and his OPS this season sits at .762. (25:00) There is a chance that the Nats could call up a AAA starter this week against the Cubs.  The series begins on Tuesday and Chicago is currently in the top NL wildcard spot.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats topped the Reds 8-2 on Saturday night for their second straight win.  Mark & Al begin with the offense getting to Chase Burns this time, unlike when they faced him three months ago. Washington tagged Burns with five runs and knocked him out during their rally in the bottom of the 6th. (07:00) Andres Chaparro pinch-hit for DH Josh Tena with the bases loaded and delivered.  Chaparro's 2-run double in the 6th made it 5-2 Nationals and he later added a RBI single in the bottom of the 8th. Blake Butera got the better of Reds Manager Terry Francona when he inserted Chaparro right after the call to the bullpen. (15:00) Andrew Alvarez out-pitched Burns and took a shutout into the top of the 6th.  Alvarez ran into trouble and was replaced by Max Kranik, who immediately saw Cincy tie the affair at two. Why didn't they leave Alvarez in the game to handle the jam himself? (25:00) Yovanny Cruz impressed again as he tossed a scoreless top of the 7th. Cruz was part of the package that came from the Yankees for Luis Garcia Jr. (28:00) The Nationals are 4.5 games behind the Philles for the final wildcard spot. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats opened the homestand with a 5-3 victory over the Reds on Friday night.  Tim & Al begin by wondering if the team is still considered part of playoff contention as they trail the Phillies by 5.5 games for the final wildcard spot. (06:00) Cade Cavalli struck out out eight Reds and pitched into the 7th inning.  Cavalli is up to 141 strikeouts for the season and the question will be how many starts does he get down the stretch. He did struggle a bit though as he gave up seven hits and three of them were solo Cincinnati homers. (12:00) Yovanny Cruz rescued Cavalli in the top of the 7th to keep the two run lead intact.  Cruz, who came over as part of the Luis Garcia Jr. trade, has shown high velocity and a lot to like thus far. (17:00) All of the offense came off of a pair of homers hit by Daylen Lile & Harry Ford. Lile has now moved back ahead of Jacob Young in the OPS department (.717 vs. .706). (21:00) Tim points out an aspect to the Curtis Mead trade that has been bothering him during this pivotal stretch. (25:00) Andrew Alvarez will take the mound on Saturday night vs. Chase Burns as Washington looks to lock up the weekend series.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats ended their difficult road trip with a whimper as they fell 7-3 in Philadelphia on Thursday night.  Mark (From Philly) & Al convene after the 1-7 trip that saw the season's fortunes change significantly for the worse.   (03:00) Miles Mikolas reached ten years of MLB service time with the start on Thursday, but allowed twelve hits during the outing. Mikolas is in jeopardy of being DFA'd in the near future just like Zack Littell was on Wednesday. Mikolas' numbers are quite grisly as his ERA sits at 5.89 in 24 appearances. (07:00) Connelly Early has forearm tightness after facing hitters this week in West Palm Beach. (15:00) Quick updates on Josiah Gray & DJ Herz. (16:30) Trevor Williams tossed a scoreless bottom of the 8th and Al poses to Mark the question of whether or not Williams rejoins the rotation. (21:00) Andrew Pinckney homered for the first time since getting called up this week from AAA.  Pinckney showed bouts of power in Rochester as he homered 20 times last season. (25:00) Jacob Young's OPS (.707) is slightly ahead of Daylen Lile (.705). (29:00) Washington was one game over .500 when they began this road trip on Thursday July 30th in Atlanta and they return from Philadelphia one week later at five games under .500.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats ended their seven game losing streak with a hard fought 10-4 victory over the Phillies in extras on Wednesday night.  Mark (From Philly) & Al begin with the very unusual moment in the top of the 11th when Miles Mikolas of all people laid down a RBI single to give the team a 3-run lead. The offense erupted in the 11th with six runs off the back-end of the Philadelphia bullpen.  Washington lost the DH when Andres Chaparro took over at 1B for Abimelec Ortiz. (07:00) CJ Abrams 2-run triple began the rally in 11th, which led to Mikolas pinch-hitting opportunity. Abrams occupied the leadoff spot on Wednesday as James Wood was recently placed on the IL. (12:00) Brady House homered off a lefty despite usually being far more productive against a right-hander. (17:00) Jake Irvin pitched into the 6th and allowed only a pair of runs in his 2nd start back from the IL. (18:00) Two pitchers who were acquired recently in trades took the mound on Wednesday in Philly. Will Dion came over for Foster Griffin and Yovanny Cruz was part of the package from the Yankees for Luis Garcia Jr. (22:00) Brad Lord is back from the IL and only needed ten pitches to notch the final three outs in the bottom of the 11th. (26:00) Zack Littell was Designated For Assignment in order to make roster space for Lord.  This is a clear suggestion of what the organizational approach will be in the final two months of the season. The veteran struggled in Washington as he had a 4.97 ERA in 23 appearances. (34:00) Joey Wiemer, who had been in Rochester the past few months, was waived by the organization. Wiemer was struggling in AAA as his OPS was only .534. Wiemer had a great start of the season as he homered twice in Wrigley Field in late March.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats' losing steak is now up a to season worst seven games after getting shutout 5-0 in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.  Mark (From Philly) & Al immediately address the sorry state of affairs as just one week ago they were two games above .500 and very much in the wildcard hunt. (06:30) Prior to the game James Wood was placed on the 10-Day IL due to a left oblique strain.  Wood exited Monday's game shortly after he injured his side on a swing in the top of the 6th. (11:00) The offense was 0 for 11 w/ runners in scoring position in the loss and collectively on this road trip they are a stunningly bad 3 for 45. (14:00) Any chance that CJ Abrams becomes the leadoff hitter while Wood is on the IL?  Dylan Crews was first in the order in Tuesday night's defeat. (17:00) Andrew Pinckney had a hectic Tuesday as he spent the morning riding the bus to Scranton with his Rochester teammates and ended it as a member of the Washington Nationals inside the visitor's clubhouse in Philadelphia. Pinckney was available off the bench after arriving in the middle of the 2nd inning and he occupied the roster spot vacated by Wood. (21:00) Carson Palmquist's brief appearance as the Opener did not go well as he allowed one run after just facing four batters.  Palmquist has seen more action in that role, but it is not going well. (23:00) Keep or cut Zack Littell and/or Miles Mikolas for the final two months of the season? (26:00) Putting in perspective how many obstacles are facing the organization right now. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It was a long Monday for the Nationals in Philadelphia as the Trade Deadline elapsed less than an hour before losing 6-3 for a a 6th consecutive defeat.  Mark (From Philly) & Al start with Blake Butera getting ejected for the first time as a major league Manager. It came in the 7th inning after Nasim Nunez made an out on the bases. (06:00) The Nats made a pair of trades on Monday, but certainly of different magnitudes.  All - Star starting pitcher Foster Griffin was sent to Cleveland in exchange for four players and AAA outfielder Christian Franklin was dealt to the Orioles organization.  The Griffin trade on Monday afternoon cemented that the Nationals were ultimately "sellers" at the Trade Deadline. (10:00) Did Washington and Griffin's extension talks get close at all before he was traded away? (14:00) Analyzing the players coming over from the Guardians organization which were three pitchers and one outfielder. The Nationals overall acquired nine pitchers in their four recent trades before the deadline. (22:30) The Nats led 3-0 entering the bottom of the 7th behind the left arm of Andrew Alvarez.  It went south that frame as Tom Cosgrove gave up to Grand Slam to Derek Hill. (28:00) Abimelec Ortiz hit his first career homer right away as he was hitting 2nd in the order.  Ortiz was also called up from Rochester and started at 1B in place of Luis Garcia. Ortiz came over to the organization as part of the package from Texas from MacKenzie Gore. (32:00) Daylen Lile put Washington ahead 3-0 with a 2-run shot in the top of the 2nd. (33:00) James Wood exited the game early due to tightness in his side and he is getting a MRI on Tuesday. (35:00) PJ Poulin was transferred to the 60-Day IL due to a left flexor strain. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost 4-2 on Sunday afternoon in Atlanta for their 5th straight defeat at an inopportune time.  Mark (From ATL) & Al begin the show with real time reaction to the news that Luis Garcia Jr. has been traded to the Yankees. (10:00) Garcia made his MLB debut in 2020 with the Nationals and his career in Washington included multiple position changes. He is headed to the American League now, but Garcia's .560 slugging percentage is the best in all of the National League so far this season. (17:00) Discussion regarding the four pitchers coming over from New York to complete the trade.  Learn a bit more about Jack Cebert, Ben Grable, Yovanny Cruz, and Jake Bird. (21:00) What does the future hold for Garcia Jr. as he is headed to The Bronx? (25:00) The offense only scored 11 runs during the entire series in Atlanta. James Wood struggled mightily as he went for 1 for 13 over the course of the four-game series. (27:30) Andres Chaparro was hit in the head by a pitch and exited early due to dizziness.  Since Garcia Jr. was a late scratch just before the game, Brady House filled in at 1B.  House recently took ground balls at the position, but never played it in a professional game. (32:30) Cade Cavalli gave up a pair of solo homers and lasted six innings.  The Braves scored an unearned run off of Cavalli after a CJ Abrams throwing error in the bottom of the 5th. (40:00) The Trade Deadline arrives at 6pm Eastern on Monday.  Will Foster Griffin be dealt before the Nationals take the field on Monday evening in Philadelphia? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost 8-3 in Atlanta on Saturday for their 4th straight defeat,  Mark (From Truist Park)  & Al update the latest Trade Deadline scenarios as they are now two games below .500 with just one game left before Monday's deadline. (11:00) Martin Perez was a late replacement for Reynaldo Lopez as the Braves starting pitcher.  The news came out an hour before 1st Pitch and it was a switch from a righty to a lefty pitcher.  The Nats ended up not getting their first hit until a Brady House 7th inning double to break up Perez's No-Hit bid. (17:30) Atlanta broke the game wide open in the bottom of the 7th when they scored four runs off Riley Cornelio.  Eddie Yean relieved Cornelio but brought in a run right away with a wild pitch. (20:00) CJ Abrams committed his 18th error of the season and had rough night defensively.  This leads to a wide-angle lens view regarding his future at the shortstop position. (28:00) If the Nats struggle in August, will Washington move on from Miles Mikolas? He allowed four runs off of nine hits on Saturday night and his ERA is now 5.67. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost their 3rd straight on Friday night in Atlanta.  Mark (From Truist Park) & Al recap the 6-2 loss that drops Washington to one game below .500 with just two games remaining before Monday's Trade Deadline. (04:00) Luis Garcia Jr. was removed from the game and that raised plenty of eyebrows as the Deadline looms.  However, Garcia Jr. was pulled due to right knee soreness, not because of any trade. (09:30) Foster Griffin had his worst outing in over two months as he allowed six runs off nine hits.  This was Griffin's final start prior to the Deadline, and that situation remains very much in-flux. (14:45) Griffin's path from Japan in 2025 to the Nationals starting rotation in 2026. (18:00) CJ Abrams slugged his 28th homer of the season and his OPS is up to .930. (20:00) Andres Chaparro fittingly homered to end his month of July.  Chaparro's slugging percentage in the month is a staggering .912.  Any chance some other team could be intrigued to trade for his bat? (24:00) Trevor Williams handled all the bullpen innings himself as he pitched 2.2 IP. Williams has had two encouraging outings since being activated off the IL. (27:00) It feels like these two games are "must-wins" as they would like to avoid being under .500 at the Trade Deadline.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost 5-4 on Thursday night in Atlanta to open their eight game road trip. Mark (From Truist Park) & Al focus on the offense's inability to knock in any runner in scoring position.  Washington went 0 for 9 in such instances and most of their runs came off solo homers. (06:30) Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile teamed up to go deep three times against Braves starter Grant Holmes.  Garcia ultimately fell a single short of the cycle and Lile hit two homers in the loss. Garcia is up to 23 homers, but questions remain about his status for the Trade Deadline. (16:45) Jake Irvin returned from the IL and pitched into the 6th inning. Irvin was charged with five runs off of two homers in his first start in over two months. (22:10) Riley Cornelio only needed nine pitches to retire the side in the bottom of the 8th. (25:00) Mitchell Parker underwent season ending surgery to have an internal brace procedure. (28:00) Sorting through different reports regarding Foster Griffin.  Will he be traded or extended? (34:00) Should the Nats keep Griffin and then make him a qualifying offer in the off-season?  If he were to sign elsewhere as a Free Agent, then they will be offered a compensatory draft pick. (37:00) Griffin is slated to pitch on Friday night in Atlanta as the Nationals are exactly at .500 through 110 games.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats fell 5-2 on Wednesday afternoon to lose the series with the visiting Blue Jays.  Mark & Al convene after the Nationals missed an opportunity to gain ground in the standings while facing a below .500 team.  They conclude their homestand at 3-3 and are headed to a pivotal eight game road trip in Atlanta & Philadelphia. (06:00) Do the win and losses this week affect Paul Toboni's approach at the Trade Deadline? (08:00) Washington only scored one run in the bottom of the 8th and it was a major missed opportunity.  James Wood led-off with a double, Luis Garcia Jr. immediately singled him home, but that was it for the rally. (10:30) Why did Jacob Young lay down a bunt in the top of the 7th? (17:00) Five relievers took the mound on Wednesday after Zack Littell lasted 4.2 IP.  Paxton Schultz allowed three runs in the top of the 8th and was sent down to AAA following the defeat. Jake Irvin is expected to take his roster spot and pitch on Thursday in Atlanta after returning from the IL (shoulder). (21:00) Trevor Williams pitched the final four outs and it was first time he appeared in the majors in over a year.  Williams is expected to be a reliever on the staff this season instead of acting as a starter. (26:00) What are the chances Littell is traded ahead of the deadline?  This would be similar to when Jon Lester was flipped for Lane Thomas in the summer of 2021. Littell's ERA is currently below the 5.00 threshold (4.94). Link to this episode sponsor: https://ccanactionfund.org/2026-ev-raffle/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats beat visiting Toronto 8-6 on Tuesday night to even the series.  Al & Tim dig into Washington tying a franchise mark with six walks drawn in the bottom of the 1st.  It was a nightmare outing for Shane Bieber; who issued three RBI walks along the way. (08:10) Luis Garcia Jr. slugged his 22nd homer of the season off of a lefty. Garcia Jr. is a Free Agent after the 2027 season and therefore he is very much a candidate to be dealt away before this Trade Deadline. (14:30) Dylan Crews followed up Garcia's blast with his own in order to go Back-to-Back in the 4th. Crews has been playing better lately and his OPS is currently at .706. (17:00) Cade Cavalli lasted six innings and earned the win despite not having his "Best stuff" according to Blake Butera.  Cavalli is in the midst of a hot stretch and his ERA is down to 3.55 for the season.  Is Cavalli the team's Ace or is it Foster Griffin? (25:00) Trevor Williams is taking Gus Varland's roster spot and is expected to join the bullpen.  Williams hasn't pitched in the majors in over a year as he has been recovering from internal brace surgery. (29:00) Arizona outlasted Pittsburgh on Tuesday night to move one game ahead of both the Nats & Pirates. Zack Littell will take the mound on Wednesday as Washington is two games above .500.  Link to this episode sponsor: https://ccanactionfund.org/2026-ev-raffle/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost 3-2 to Toronto on Monday night to begin the three game series in Navy Yard.  Al & Mark focus on the familiar Blue Jays starting pitcher, Max Scherzer, who was returning from the IL (back).  Scherzer tossed 75 pitches and was pulled in the 3rd inning amid a standing ovation. (12:00) Will Scherzer go into the Hall of Fame with a Nats hat on his plaque? (17:00) The offense struggled against Toronto's stout bullpen. Andres Chaparro's 5th inning solo homer was the only run that the Nats mustered against that unit. (23:30) Eddie Yean served as the Opener and pitched into the top of the 3rd. Yean only needed 11 pitches to get through the first two innings, but then allowed two Blue Jay runs. (25:30) Alvarez took the ball from Yean and then was sent down to AAA following the loss.  Will Jake Irvin take his spot in the rotation? (34:00) The Pirates and Diamondbacks are playing each other this week in Pittsburgh.  The Pirates won 3-2 in extras on Monday night to even Arizona for the final wild card spot.  Washington is just a game back in the standings of these two teams. Link to this episode sponsor: https://ccanactionfund.org/2026-ev-raffle/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats grabbed a rare home series victory after Sunday's 10-7 win over Arizona. Al & Mark have an avalanche of team news to sort through in this edition as Curtis Mead was traded to Boston late on Saturday evening. (06:45) Washington acquired lefty starter Connelly Early from the Red Sox in exchange for Mead.  Early is currently on the 15-Day IL for elbow inflammation, but Paul Toboni laid out an encouraging timeline for his return this season. Early is a rookie with a 3.44 ERA in 17 starts in 2026. (15:30) How does this affect Foster Griffin as the Trade Deadline approaches on Monday August 3rd? (19:40) Projecting the potential starting rotation of the future for the organization after trading for Early. (23:00) CJ Abrams continues his red-hot stretch with a pair of homers in Sunday's win.  Abrams now has 27 homers and leads all of MLB with 82 RBIs. (25:30) James Wood also went deep twice and is up to the 30 homer plateau.  Wood surpassed Juan Soto on Sunday for the highest OPS in all of the NL at .953. (29:00) Brady House was called up from AAA on Sunday morning following Mead being traded away.  House immediately was impactful as he doubled twice and drove in an insurance run while starting at 3B. House had an OPS of .842 while spending two months with Rochester. (32:00) Miles Mikolas only lasted four frames while serving as the true starting pitcher on Sunday. Mikolas allowed three runs and his ERA now sits at 5.65. (34:00) Five relievers were needed in order to preserve the victory.. Matt Krook began the inning with a five-run lead in the top of the 9th, but needed Clayton Beeter to take over for his 10th Save of the season. (38:00) Max Scherzer is returning from the IL on Monday and will take the mound at Nationals Park for the visiting Blue Jays on his 42nd birthday. Scherzer has had a rough season as he has a 10.23 ERA in six starts. (43:00) The Nats trail Arizona by just one game for the final wildcard spot.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

**Late Saturday night the Nats traded Curtis Mead to Boston in exchange for left-handed starting pitcher Connelly Early.  Tim gives a very brief update in the lead-off spot. The Nats moved back above .500 with a 5-3 win over Arizona on Saturday afternoon.  Mark & Al hold a lengthy discussion about the unusual situation the franchise finds itself in with Foster Griffin, who earned his 12th victory of the season. Griffin is a Free Agent at the end of the year and it is still possible that he is dealt before the August 3rd Trade Deadline. Is it possible that the team and Griffin could reach an extension in the middle of the season? (12:00) Griffin pitched into the 7th and allowed three runs along the way.  His ERA now sits at 2.76, the 9th lowest among qualifying NL starting pitchers. (19:00) CJ Abrams drove in three runs as he now leads all of MLB with 79 RBIs. Abrams tied the game in the 3rd with a 2-run double and then later slugged his 25th homer of the season. Abrams' OPS is now up to .924 and the only NL hitters ahead of him are Juan Soto, James Wood, and Pete Crow- Armstrong. (25:00) Daylen Lile's 2-run triple put Washington ahead for good in the bottom of the 3rd.  Dylan Crews hit a few spots ahead of Lile in the lineup and drew three walks in the win.  This follows an encouraging trend as Crews drew five walks on the six game road trip. (28:00) Miles Mikolas will take the mound at some point in Sunday's rubber match. The Nationals currently trail Arizona by two games for the final wild card spot.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats continued to struggle at home in Friday night's 3-2 loss to Arizona.  Mark & Al convene after Washington returned to .500 through 104 games played thus far. (08:00) The only Nationals runs came off of Dylan Crews' 2-run HR in the bottom of the 4th to tie the game.  Crews went deep off of Arizona lefty Eduardo Rodriguez and it reflects his wide disparity in hitting righties vs. lefties this year. (14:40) Carson Palmquist allowed two early Arizona runs before Zack Littell took over in the top of the 2nd.  Palmquist has not pitched particularly well as an Opener and he is likely being used in the role due to being a lefty. (23:00) Orlando Ribalta struck out three Diamondbacks in just over an inning of work.  Ribalta's quietly impressive season continues as his ERA is now down to 3.64. (26:30) The Nats introduced Chris Hacopian, who they drafted number 11 overall a few weeks ago, prior to the game.  Hacopian grew up in Montgomery County (Maryland) and attended Winston Churchill High School before embarking on a college career at Maryland & Texas A&M.  (32:30) Breaking down the financial approach to signing draft picks.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats blanked Colorado 8-0 on Wednesday afternoon for a rare shutout in Coors Field.  Mark (From Denver) & Al convene following another road series win by Washington to finish their West Coast road trip at 4-2. (04:00) Cade Cavalli tossed six shutout frames to drop his ERA to 3.58 for the season. Cavalli struck out eight Rockies and he has the 7th most Ks in the National League (127). (12:10) Eddie Yean & Max Kranik combined to pitch the final three innings in the victory.  This was Yean's first appearance since getting called back up from Rochester. (17:30) The Nationals broke the game wide open with six runs in the top of the 7th.  It was nightmare inning for the Rockies defense as they committed three errors in the frame. (19:00) CJ Abrams gathered four hits to conclude his red hot road trip. Abrams is one of only six NL hitters with an OPS above .900. (22:30) Luis Garcia Jr. homered for the 21st time to put the team up 5-0.  Al points out the unusual contractual quandary that Garcia Jr. is in as he is due to be a Free Agent following the 2027 season. (28:00) Washington welcomes in Arizona on Friday evening to begin their six game home stand. The Diamondbacks are a game and a half ahead of the Nats for the final wild card slot.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats were upended 8-7 by the Rockies on Tuesday night.  Mark (From Coors Field) & Al examine the seesaw affair that was tipped for good by Hunter Goodman's solo homer in the bottom of the 8th. (03:00) Carson Palmquist tossed a scoreless 1st but allowed four runs in the bottom of the 2nd. (05:00) Miles Mikolas immediately inherited a jam and ultimately gave up three runs in almost four innings of work. Mikolas' ERA is now up to 5.60 and his spot in the rotation could be in jeopardy as Jake Irvin rehabs his return. (14:00) Clayton Beeter gave up the decisive homer in the bottom of the 8th.  Goodman is now up to 31 homers which is the 3rd most in the majors. (16:10) Eddie Yean has been promoted from AAA and the initial expectation is that his stay in the Big Leagues will much longer this time. (18:30) CJ Abrams homered twice and now is up to 24 homers for the season.  Abrams is tied for the most RBI in the majors with 76 through 102 games. (22:15) Breaking down the failed contact plays that led to missed opportunities for the offense. (28:00) Cade Cavalli will take the mound on Wednesday afternoon as the team sits at .500. Washington is a game and a half behind Pittsburgh (and a slew of other teams) for the final wild card spot. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats are back above .500 after Monday night's 7-3 win in Colorado. Mark (From Coors Field) & Al tip their caps to an unlikely bullpen trio that tossed almost five scoreless innings in the victory.  Riley Cornelio took over for Andrew Alvarez in the 5th, Matt Krook grabbed the baton in the 7th, and Tom Cosgrove notched a very efficient six-out save to close it out. (09:30) Andres Chaparro homered for the third time on the road trip to put Washington up 3-0.  Chaparro later found himself in the middle of a silly brawl after Rockies starter Kyle Freeland took issue with how Chaparro returned to the dugout after flying out. (16:15) Jacob Young went deep to put the Nationals up for good in the top of the 6th. CJ Abrams then homered in the next frame to give Washington some breathing room and a 6-3 lead. (18:00) Curtis Mead recorded three hits and his OPS is up to .870.  How much does he factor into the organization's long-term plans? (26:40) Andrew Alvarez allowed three runs off of six hits in his Monday night start.  Alvarez's ERA is at 4.22 through 14 appearances and his job is in jeopardy when Jake Irvin returns from the IL.  Irvin threw a scoreless rehab start for AA-Harrisburg on Sunday. (30:00) Background on PJ Poulin's injury. (33:00) Trevor Williams gave up three runs in Sunday's rehab start with High-A Wilmington.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats beat the A's 5-2 on Sunday afternoon to capture weekend series in Sacramento.  Al & Tim open with Foster Griffin's 11th victory of the season as he only gave up one run in seven innings of work.  Griffin has not allowed multiple runs in eight consecutive outings and his ERA is now down to 2.68 this season. (07:00) The Trade Deadline is Monday August 3rd at 6PM Eastern. (12:45) Griffin's next start will come over the weekend at home vs. Arizona. (18:00) PJ Poulin was placed on the 15-Day IL due to a left flexor strain; joining Brad Lord on that list.   (24:00) Nasim Nuñez stole a pair of bases amid manufacturing the opening run of the game.  Nuñez comfortably leads the rest of Baseball with 37 stolen bases this season. (26:00) Washington went back-to-back in the top of the 5th to break the game open (Abrams & Crews). (28:00) The Nats look to go above .500 this week in Colorado with a three game series that begins on Monday night.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats were pummeled 15-1 by the Athletics on Saturday night in Sacramento.  Al & Mark dig into offense not showing up just one day after scoring 23 runs.  They were being no-hit by J.T. Ginn until Keibert Ruiz broke up the bid with a single in the top of the 7th. (08:00) The lineup was not identical to Friday night's offensive eruption.  Jose Tena went 0 for 3 as the DH in the 3rd spot in the order, but Andres Chaparro did not play after driving in eight runs in Friday's win.  (12:00) Zack Littell started and it did not go well.  The Nats were immediately down 5-0 and Littell ultimately allowed eight runs in the loss. His ERA currently sits at 5.34 through 20 outings. (18:20) Max Kranik's Nationals debut was a rough one as he gave up five runs in less than an inning of work.  Jorbit Vivas shockingly took the mound for the 2nd straight evening as both games this series have been blowouts. (23:00) The series rubber match will be Sunday afternoon as Foster Griffin is next up in the rotation.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats trampled the Athletics 23-4 on Friday night in Sacramento to open the 2nd Half of the season.  Mark & Al discuss the easy victory that saw Washington return its record to an even .500. (07:00) Andres Chaparro drove in eight runs as part of his two homer evening.  Chaparro only had seven RBIs so far this season until gathering four hits on Friday night. (12:00) Harry Ford homered in his Nationals debut. Ford was called up this week from AAA after fellow catcher Drew Millas was placed on the IL.  Ford came over to the organization after being traded for Jose A. Ferrer in the offseason. (20:45) Daylen Lile went deep in the 9th to give the Nationals 23 runs. (22:00) Curtis Mead doubled three times as part of his four-hit Friday night.  Mead's OPS now is up to an impressive .865. (25:00) Cade Cavalli took the mound on Friday after closing out the 1st Half on Sunday. Cavalli struck out nine over the course of six innings of work. (29:15) Riley Cornelio tossed two shutout innings and struck out five Athletics hitters. (32:00) Robert Hassell III is now in the Pirates organization after being traded this week for cash considerations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats limped their way into the All-Star Break with a 5-3 loss to the visiting Yankees on Sunday afternoon. Mark & Al convene after the New York sweep that put Washington a game below .500 through 97 games. All three losses included the Nationals fumbling away a lead that they took in the 7th inning stretch. (08:00) Any chance the organization "rents" a reliever at the Trade Deadline? (12:00) Analyzing if Dylan Crews could have made the catch when Ben Rice tripled in the go-ahead run in the top of the 8th off of Andrew Alvarez. (17:30) Cade Cavalli returned from suspension and only allowed two runs in six innings of work Cavalli struck out five Yankees and he will enter the All-Star Break with a 3.83 ERA. (21:20) James Wood led off the game yet again with a homer for the 10th time this season.  Wood is now up to 28 homers and last year he did not reach that stage until September 23rd.  Wood is ahead of Juan Soto for the highest OPS in the NL (.985). (27:00) Abimelec Ortiz was called from AAA on Sunday and doubled while hitting in the 3rd spot. Ortiz was sent back down to Rochester after the game because the pitching staff was one man down on Sunday due to the impending pause in the schedule.  Ortiz was one of the players acquired in the MacKenzie Gore trade with Texas. (29:15) James Wood will not participate in Monday's Home Run Derby in Philadelphia.  The Nationals resume play on Friday in Sacramento against the Athletics. Link to this episode sponsor: https://ccanactionfund.org/2026-ev-raffle/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats coughed up another lead on Saturday due to the continued ineptitude of the bullpen. Mark & Al dig into the 4-2 loss to the visiting Yankees that served as the team's 27th blown save this season.  Washington led 2-0 entering the top of the 8th, but three Yankee homers later they trailed by two runs entering the bottom of the frame. (07:00) The Nationals are now back at .500 after dropping these two games vs. New York.  What would the record be with a halfway decent bullpen? (10:30) Blake Butera went with righty relievers this time against the lefty Yankee lineup and it not work out at all.  Orlando Ribalta and Clayton Beeter combined to allow four decisive runs in the 8th. (22:00) PJ Poulin served as the Opener and pitched into the top of the 2nd.  Miles Mikolas then took over and tossed four shutout innings.  Mikolas' appeal has been heard and he will begin his five game suspension on Sunday afternoon. (25:00) The offense slugged a pair of homers off of CY Young candidate Cam Schlittler.  James Wood homered on the first pitch he saw and Curtis Mead also went deep early in the affair.  Wood is now up to 27 homers on the year and nine of them have come in the lead-off spot. (29:00) Sunday is the final game before the All-Star Break and it also will decide which side of .500 the Nats find themselves. Cade Cavalli is expected to take the mound fresh off of serving a five game suspension. (31:00) Foster Griffin was a late addition to the NL Roster on Saturday evening.  Griffin's recognition is well deserved as his ERA is sub 3.00. (33:30) Learn about Chris Hacopian, who the Nats selected at #11 overall from Texas A&M.  Hacopian grew up locally as a diehard Nationals fan before playing at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, MD. (36:00) Checking in on last year's #1 pick Eli Willits.  He is currently in High-A Wilmington and is the 3rd ranked Prospect in the MLB Pipeline.  Willits is still only 18 year old and his stated goal is to be in the Big Leagues by the age of 20.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats suffered a familiar gut punch on Friday night as the Yankes rallied with three runs in the top of the 9th.  Mark & Al examine the 5-3 defeat that was highlighted by a questionable pitching decision by first year Manager Blake Butera. (05:00) Diving into the choice to replace Clayton Better with LHP Matt Krook in the 9th inning. It was only the 15th career appearance for Krook and his career ERA is a astronomical 16.62 with saves. (08:00) Beeter retired the only batter he faced in the 8th after inheriting a jam. His ERA this season is just 2.96 and he has notched seven saves thus far. (12:00) It is a new process in charting pitching matchups and scenarios for the organization. (15:30) Why Krook instead of fellow southpaw PJ Poulin? (22:00) Carson Palmquist was the Opener but stayed on the mound for three innings of work.  Littell then took the baton and struck out five Yankee hitters as he lasted for four innings. (24:30) Keibert Ruiz and James Wood went back-to-back in the bottom of the 7th to take a 3-2 lead.  Wood now has 26 homers on the season and his OPS currently sits at .962. (26:00) Brad Lord has been placed on the 15-Day IL due to left side tightness. Link to this episode sponsor: https://ccanactionfund.org/2026-ev-raffle/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats took care of the Astros 8-2 in Wednesday night's rubber match. Mark & Al open with Foster Griffin's excellent outing where he only allowed one run while striking out nine Houston hitters in seven innings of work.  Griffin's All-Star snub is growing more stark as he will head into the break with 10 wins and a sub 3.00 ERA (2.77). (07:30) The case for signing Griffin to an extension in the middle of the season before he reaches Free Agency. (11:15) Luis Garcia Jr. & CJ Abrams each launched their 20th homer of the season in the win.  Garcia Jr. only had four homers at the end of May, then slugged 11 in June, and already has hit four home runs this month. (16:00) The offense stunningly has three players with 20+ homers and 60+ RBIs (Abrams, Garcia Jr., & Wood). (21:20) Daylen Lile had a RBI double and he has over 20 doubles this season with an OPS at .713.  How to evaluate his season thus far? (24:00) The Nationals host the Yankees this weekend in a three game series. New York is eight games over .500, but is in 2nd place behind Tampa Bay. (28:10) Jake Irvin is on track to make a few rehab starts as he works his back from the IL.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats fell 6-3 on Tuesday night to the visiting Astros.  Al & Mark gather after Washington's 9th inning rally came up short with the bases loaded and Dylan Crews facing Josh Hader. Crews stuck out in a pinch-hit appearance as he stepped in for Keibert Ruiz. (07:00) Nasim Nuñez was caught sealing for just the 4th time on the season, but it came in an inopportune spot to conclude the bottom of the 8th. (14:00) James Wood led off with a homer for the 8th time this season.  Wood has the 2nd OPS in the NL and is now up to 25 home runs on the season. The franchise single-season record was set by Alfonso Soriano in 2006 with 46 homers. (18:30) Andrew Alvarez only gave up four hits, but issued five walks in his outing.  Alvarez pitched into the 6th inning and ultimately allowed five runs while taking the loss. (25:15) Blake Butera apologized pregame for sending Cole Henry out for a 2nd inning of work on Monday night.  Henry has since been optioned to AAA-Rochester. (33:00) A few more pitchers were added to the All-Star Game, but Foster Griffin is not one of them.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats rallied for a hectic 12-11 victory over visiting Houston on Monday evening.  Mark & Al dive into the comeback effort where Washington trailed by five runs in the bottom of the 3rd; yet were ahead by the bottom of the 5th after scoring eleven unanswered runs. (05:30) The Nats hit three homers in the victory.  CJ Abrams' 3-run HR in the bottom of the 3rd tied the game and was part of a five run frame.  Abrams has 19 homers so far on the season. (07:30) Curtis Mead's solo shot put Washington on top in the bottom of the 5th. (10:00) James Wood changed the entire game with his Grand Slam to put his squad ahead 12-6.  Wood is up to 24 homers on the season and his .939 OPS is the 3rd highest in the NL. (14:00) Miles Mikolas' appeal has not yet been ruled on and he took the mound on Monday night.  Mikolas earned the win despite allowing seven runs in his outing.  Mikolas likely will begin his suspension sometime later this week. (19:30) Cade Cavalli's appeal was ruled on and his suspension was trimmed from seven to five games.  Cavalli began his suspension with Monday's game. (24:45) Cole Henry returned to the team and tossed a perfect top of the 7th. He returned for the 8th and the Astros responded with four runs in the inning.  Henry was then replaced by Clayton Beeter.   (34:00) Andrew Alvarez will pitch on Tuesday night vs. Houston as the Nats look to move to three games above .500.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats were beaten 11-5 by the Pirates on Sunday afternoon in the series rubber match.  Al & Mark begin with Cade Cavalli's very brief outing on a very hot day in D.C. Cavalli was dealing with dehydration and dizziness while getting removed in the top of the 3rd.  Pittsburgh scored four runs off of Cavalli via six hits. (10:15) Eddie Yean pitched well in his MLB debut after taking over for Cavalli.  Yean stuck out three Pirates during the stretch of the game where the Nationals battled back to take the lead in the middle innings.  Yan was optioned back to Rochester following the contest in favor of LHP Matt Krook. (14:00) Brad Lord took the mound in the top of the 8th with a 5-4 lead, but allowed five Pirates runs in that frame. A few weeks ago Lord gave up six Phillies runs in a painful top of the 9th. (17:00) Luis Garcia Jr. continued his red-hot summer with his19th homer of the season.  Could Garcia find his way to Philly for the All-Star Game? Garcia has already surpassed his previous career high for homers hit a few years ago. (23:00) Robert Hassell III was designated for assignment in order to make room on the 40-man roster for Yean.  Hassell's OPS was just .593 this season in Rochester and it is clear that the franchise's outfield is filled with depth. (30:00) Checking in on Brady House's situation as his OPS is currently .779 in Rochester.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats were trounced by the Pirates 7-1 on July 4th in Washington D.C. Al & Mark dig into the defeat where the local holiday tradition continued of beginning the game at 11:05AM. (04:30) Cade Cavalli & Miles Mikolas will flip their spots in the rotation as they await for their suspension appeals to be heard.  Cavalli originally was gong to the take the mound on Monday night, but now will pitch in Sunday's rubber match vs. Pittsburgh. (10:00) James Wood hit another lead-off homer; his 23rd of the season. Wood reached the third deck and will get a future red seat in honor of the feat.  Wood's OPS is at .931 and that is the 3rd highest in all of the National League. (15:00) Why did Andres Chaparro pinch-hit for Luis Garcia Jr. w/ runners on the corner in the bottom of the 7th?  The Nats trailed 5-1 at the time and Chaparro ultimately struck out swinging. (20:10) Carson Palmquist flopped as the team's Opener on Saturday. Palmquist was charged with four runs as Zack Littell inherited a major mess in the top of the 2nd. (27:00) Riley Cornelio gave up a pair of runs in two innings of work.  Cornelio has really struggled when pitching for Washington as his WHIP is up to 2.21 after five appearances. (30:00) It was revealed on Saturday night that both James Wood & CJ Abrams will head to Philadelphia for this month's All-Star Game. Each of them have previously reached the Midsummer classic and Wood was noncommittal when asked about returning to the Home Run Derby. (35:30) Will Foster Griffin be a late addition to the NL roster as other pitchers drop out? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats launched their own fireworks in Friday night's 9-5 win over visiting Pittsburgh.  Mark & Al discuss the Nationals five homer effort in the victory that puts the team at three games above .500 entering July 4th. (05:30) Luis Garcia Jr. homered twice to continue his torrid summer. Garcia is now up to 18 homers this season and he has hit 13 of them within the past month. (10:30) Daylen Lile also went deep twice on Friday evening.  Lile has now lifted his OPS to .730 on the season. (12:30) Jose Tena lived up to the role as the DH in the 3rd spot in the order.  Tena crushed a 430 foot homer to put the Nationals up 4-1 in the bottom of the 3rd. (19:00) Foster Griffin earned his 9th victory of the season after lasting five innings. Griffin only allowed one run and his ERA is down to 2.87. (24:30) Zak Kent tossed a scoreless top of the 8th, but then he gave up four runs on five Pirates doubles in the top of the 9th.  Kent stayed in for the final out, but Riley Cornelio was forced to warm up in the bullpen as the game got tight. (27:00) Reaction to the suspensions handed out to Cade Cavalli & Miles Mikolas this week after the benches clearing incident in Boston on Tuesday evening. (47:00) The Nats & Orioles this week finally made a trade with another for the first time ever. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Major League Baseball suspended four players in relation to Tuesday night's benches clearing at Fenway Park.  Tim provides a quick update to the situation as the Nats next take the field on Friday night vs. Pittsburgh. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats took the series in Boston with a 10-2 thrashing of the Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon. Mark (From Fenway Park) & Al dig into the victory that puts Washington at two games over .500 entering the upcoming homestand. (05:30) The offense scored double digits despite CJ Abrams getting the day off.  Washington jumped out early on Boston starter Payton Tolle, who ended up being charged with six runs allowed. (07:00) James Wood homered for the 22nd time to make it 10-0 in the top of the 7th. Wood broke out of his slump this series by hitting two homers, driving in six runs, and gathering 13 total bases. (10:00) The Nats two other homers came from unlikely hitters as Andres Chaparro & Nasim Nuñez each went deep for the first time this season.  Chapparro's blast came in the 1st and it was well timed as there has been increased scrutiny into his playing time. (16:30) Brad Lord served as Andrew Alvarez's Opener and it worked out just fine.  Lord pitched into the 3rd and then Alvarez took the baton through the 7th.  Alvarez inherited a jam in the 3rd but immediately induced an inning ending double play. (23:30) Paul Toboni & Cade Cavalli each spoke to reporters at length prior to Wednesday's game. This was following the incident on Tuesday night involving Cavalli & Willson Contreras. (36:00) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, gives an update from AAA.  Hear about Yo Yo Morales, Harry Ford, Brady House, and more.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats beat the Red Sox 8-1 on Tuesday night in a game that will be best be remembered for a bench clearing brawl.  Mark (From Fenway Park) & Al hold an extended discussion about what happened in the bottom of the 4th in Boston. Cade Cavalli struck out Willson Contreras and then after some verbal exchanges, both teams ran onto the field.  Contreras was ejected, but not Cavalli. (05:30) Cavalli was every bit the Ace in the win as he struck out 13 Red Sox hitters and lasted seven innings. He will enter July with a 3.69 ERA. (08:00) Parsing through the kerfuffle and what led to it on Tuesday night. (20:30) Miles Mikolas was the only National ejected during the skirmish even though he never played in this game.  Mikolas in the past was teammates with Contreras in St. Louis. (25:00) James Wood had a trio of hits and knocked in a pair of runs. Wood's OPS currently sits at .898. The offense broke the game wide open with seven runs in the late innings. (28:00) Luis Garcia Jr. drove in a staggering 27 runs in June. Garcia Jr. was recently recognized as the NL Player of the week for his stretch of six homers in six games. (30:00) Andres Chaparro was 0 for 2 and his average is just .156.  Why has he been hitting 2nd in the order at times? (35:20) Mitchell Parker is out for the year after spraining his UCL and he will likely need surgery.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost 6-3 on Monday night to the streaking Red Sox.  Mark (From Fenway Park) & Al discuss the team getting a tour inside the Green Monster during the afternoon.  Nats Chat also has now broadcasted in every MLB Ballpark since we launched in 2021. (05:30) James Wood led the game off with his 21st homer of the season. Wood has the 3rd most home runs in the NL; trailing only Kyle Schwarber & Hunter Goodman. (08:45) Boston's winning pitcher was Ranger Suarez, who is performing well after signing a 5-year/ $130 Million deal.  This leads to a Foster Griffin conversation about his future past this season. (15:00) Miles Mikolas gave up a pair of homers in the bottom of the 1st and the Nationals never overcame the deficit. Mikolas then did settle in a bit and lasted seven innings overall; including a stretch of retiring fourteen straight batters. (20:00) Both Mitchell Parker & Richard Lovelady were both sent to the IL on Monday.  The two pitchers called up to take their roster spots are Riley Cornelio & Carson Palmquist. (24:10) Paul Toboni met with reporters prior the game.  Toboni was mostly asked about the team's plans for the Trade Deadline,  Foster Griffin's future, CJ Abrams' situation, and more. (28:00) The potentially tricky situation for Toboni at the August 3rd deadline. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats topped the Orioles 6-4 on Sunday afternoon to bounce back and win the weekend series. Mark (From Camden Yards) & Al throw all the flowers to Luis Garcia Jr., who has been red-hot lately.  Garcia went deep twice, roped a 2-run double, and collected 5 RBIs in the victory.  Washington is now back above .500 after winning both Saturday & Sunday. (05:00) Garcia Jr. stunningly has homered six times in the last six days.  He has hit 10 home runs this month and his OPS in June is an astronomical 1.142. (17:00) Revisiting Blake Butera's decision on Saturday night to lift James Wood late in the game for a Jacob Young defensive substitution.  The game extended intro extras and Young had to bat instead of Wood in a close affair. (23:00) Zack Littell started and lasted five innings in earning the win.  He allowed a pair of runs and he will enter July with a 5.29 ERA. (25:30) Mitchell Parker exited his relief appearance in pain and he possibly suffered an elbow injury. (31:00) The Nats move their road trip to Fenway Park for a series that begins on Monday night. Washington currently trails St. Louis by two games for the final wildcard spot.    Link to this episode sponsor: https://ccanactionfund.org/2026-ev-raffle/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats ended their four game losing streak with a 4-3 win on Saturday night in ten innings. Al recaps the Camden Yards victory over the Orioles that returns the Nationals to .500 in the standings. (04:30) Foster Griffin was fantastic as he only gave up one unearned run in seven innings of work.  Griffin lasted 112 pitches and struck out nine Orioles in his outing. The lefty's ERA is at 2.93 and he is firmly in All-Star Game consideration. (07:30) The bullpen followed its recent routine of blowing a late lead. Justin Lawrence however notched the save in the bottom of the 10th in his first appearance with the team. (15:30) James Wood was curiously lifted late in the game in favor of Jacob Young's glove in the bottom of the 8th.  The slumping James Wood was went 0 for 4 w/ a trio of strikeouts. (18:00) The red-hot Luis Garcia Jr. homered again and collected four hits in the win.  Garcia's OPS this month is a jaw dropping 1.045. (27:10) Tim is joined by Doug Foster, a descendant of Rube Foster, who created the Negro Leagues.  Doug recently co-hosted a panel alongside Sean Gibson for Negro Leagues Night at Nationals Park. Link to this episode sponsor: https://ccanactionfund.org/2026-ev-raffle/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost 3-1 on Friday night in Baltimore for their 4th consecutive loss.  Mark (From Camden Yards) & Al recap the defeat that dropped the Nationals to below the .500 mark through 83 games played. (05:20) James Wood threw out a runner at 3rd base and made another highlight worthy catch.  Wood is currently slumping, but he did double on Friday evening. This leads to a discussion on the improved team outfield defense this season. (11:40) Blake Butera has shown that he is willing to sacrifice defense for a shot at scoring runs. Jose Tena found himself in the outfield on Friday and Andres Chaparo took over at 3B. (15:30) Andrew Alvarez was lifted in the 5th as he allowed two earned runs while issuing a trio of walks. Alvarez's ERA is currently at 3.44 after ten outings on the mound. (20:20) Brad Lord bounced back a bit after Tuesday night's meltdown.  He recorded eight outs and only allowed one Baltimore run. (22:00) Updates on Trevor Williams and Jake Irvin. (25:00) Foster Griffin will take the mound on Saturday night.  Link to this episode sponsor: https://ccanactionfund.org/2026-ev-raffle/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The bullpen woes continued on Thursday night as an an early Nationals lead resulted in a 10-5 Phillies victory.  Mark & Al convene after the 3rd straight loss that saw a reliever implode in the top of the 9th every step of the way.  Washington is back to .500 through 82 games played this season. (04:30) Blake Butera agreed with Mark's assessment that some relievers "pitched scared" while on the mound this week. (07:00) Mitchell Parker gave up three runs while only recording one out.  Parker's ERA is now up to 6.39 on the season. (09:30) Bryce Harper homered in the 9th and then motioned to the Tarp's Off crowd after crossing home plate.  Harper was adamant afterwards that it was his ring finger that he used to point to the crowd. (18:00) The bullpen has given up the most homers in all of Baseball.  Will Paul Toboni try to make a trade in July as opposed to wait until the Trade Deadline on August 3rd? (25:00) Cade Cavalli pitched well as he did not give up any runs until the 6th.  Butera afterwards told him that he looked like a #1 pitcher in the outing. (28:00) The offense jumped all over Cy Young candidate Christophe Sanchez as they scored four runs in the bottom of the 1st.  Curtis Mead homered off of Sanchez and ironically those two were traded for each other in the past.  (32:30) CJ Abrams still has a chance to start in next month's All-Star Game, but James Wood will only be able to make it as a reserved.  Abrams and Mookie Betts were the top two vote getting shortstops in Phase 1 of the fan voting. (35:30) Daylen Lile performed while with both the bat and glove on Thursday.  Lile singled, doubled, and made a spectacular catch in LF. (39:00) The Nationals visit the Orioles this weekend for a three game series.  Washington took off two of three against Baltimore last month.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats suffered another gut punch loss from the Phillies despite being an out away from victory.  Al & Mark convene after the Nationals 5-4 loss on Wednesday night puts them at 41-40 overall. Derek Hill hit a 2-run shot off of Richard Lovelady in the top of the 9th to flip the lead. (04:30) What are Paul Toboni's options (if any) in order to improve this bullpen? (06:30) PJ Poulin did his job as he retired all four batters faced. (12:00) Should Orlando Ribalta have intentionally walked Kyle Schwarber in the top of the 9th with first base open?  Schwarber ended up walking anyways. (20:15) Carson Palmquist had a busy Wednesday as he was called up, tossed over three innings, and then demoted back to AAA after the game. (25:30) The offense combined for a trio of homers in the defeat. Luis Garcia Jr. & Curtis Mead each now have hit 13 home runs this season and Jorbit Vivas has gone deep in two straight games.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats were an out away from a pivotal win over the Phillies but instead it all fell apart in the 9th.  Mark & Al gather after the stunning 14-9 loss that saw Philadelphia score eight runs in the top of the 9th. Brad Lord struck out out the first two hitters of the frame, but then ten straight Phillies reached base. (07:15) The staff needed eight pitchers to get through Tuesday night's game. Richard Lovelady began the top of the 8th but was ultimately charged with three runs after inheriting a 5-3 lead. Paxton Schultz took over for Lord in the 9th and was optioned to AAA after the game. (12:45) The bullpen was charged with two blown saves and lead the majors in most homers allowed. (17:30) Zack Littell relieved PJ Poulin after an inning and lasted four frames as the bulk starter. (22:40) The offense jumped out to a 5-0 lead and homered twice in the loss.  Jorbit Vivas shockingly went deep in the bottom of the 8th to take back the lead for the time being and Luis Garcia Jr. had a pinch-hit solo homer in the 9th. (27:00) Nasim Nuñez swiped a pair of bags and now leads MLB with 31 steals.  Nuñez is well on pace to break CJ Abrams Nationals record of 47 stolen bases from a few years ago. (31:30) Miles Mikolas will take the mound as the Nationals trail Phillies by 2.5 games in the standings.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats beat the Phillies 4-1 on Monday night and have guaranteed themselves a winning record at the upcoming midway point of the season. Mark & Al examine the victory that saw a pair of homers from the potent offense. Washington is currently 1.5 games back of Philadelphia for the 2nd wildcard spot. (04:30) Luis Garcia Jr.'s solo homer put Washington ahead 2-1 in the 2nd. Curtis Mead later on hit a 2-run shot to give the Nats some breathing room. (14:00) Dylan Crews began the scoring with a RBI single in the bottom of the 1st. Crews' OPS is now up to .625 after his recent surge. (18:00) Nasim Nuñez made another great defensive play, but he also was charged with an error in a separate sequence.  Nuñez did steal his 29th bag of the season which leads all of the majors. (20:45) Foster Griffin was excellent as he only allowed one run in 7.1 IP. Griffin's ERA is down to 3.15 and he is earning legit All-Star consideration. (27:40) Clayton Beeter notched his 6th save of the season which is tied for the team lead along with Gus Varland. (29:00) DJ Herz's rehab has been halted due to a right flexor muscle strain. Herz has not taken the Big League mound since 2024 and he had Tommy John Surgery in April of 2025.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost a rare series as they came up short on Sunday with a 4-3 defeat at the Rays. Mark & Al begin with Daylen Lile getting caught stealing and how it put a dent in the 9th inning comeback effort. (07:00) CJ Abrams homered every game this series and he now has the 3rd most RBI in all of MLB. (11:00) A check in on the defense through the 1st Half of the season. (16:45) Dylan Crews had a RBI double on Sunday and the extra base hits continue to pile up. (19:45) Nasim Nuñez's OPS is over .900 this month and he was 2 for 3 on Sunday. Nuñez & Witt Jr. are tied with 28 steals which leads all of Baseball. (21:15) Andrew Alvarez only lasted four innings and struck out six Rays. Alvarez is striking out hitters and his ERA currently sits at 3.34. (26:00) Orlando Ribalta gave up the decisive 2-run HR to Johnny DeLuca in the bottom of the 7th.  Washington's bullpen has given up more homers than any other team. (30:00) Philadelphia comes to Navy Yard on Monday for a pivotal four game series. Kyle Schwarber leads all of the majors in homers and Bryce Harper cycled over the weekend.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.