Nats Chat

The Nats outlasted Tampa Bay 4-3 on Saturday afternoon in Florida.  Al & Tim dig into the team's 40th victory of the season and go over all the elements of adversity that Washington thwarted on their way to a win. (05:00) Jacob Young exited early after slamming into the wall during a crucial catch in the bottom of the 8th.  Young not only made an incredible grab, but also had the presence of mind to toss the ball to his teammate while writhing in pain on the warning track. (10:35) Young leaving the game forced Blake Butera to give up his DH.  James Wood took over in the outfield and in the top of the 9th Jorbit Vivas hit for the newly formed pitcher spot in the lineup. (15:30) CJ Abrams homered for the 16th time this season and his 56 RBIs are the 4th most in MLB. (16:30) Dylan Crews homered for the 4th time this month and the 9th inning solo shot served as a crucial insurance run. (20:20) Cade Cavalli was pulled in the 3rd inning after his start was pushed back a day due to food poisoning.  Cavalli immediately registered a high pitch count before handing the ball off to Mitchell Parker. (23:40) Brad Lord tossed three scoreless innings and his ERA is now down to 2.29.  Could Lord get All-Star consideration next month? (27:00) The Nats look to win another series on Sunday afternoon as Andrew Alvarez toes the rubber. 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 at the Rays on Friday night. Al & Tim discuss Cade Cavalli being a late scratch for the affair due to food poisoning and how he was replaced by Miles Mikolas. Blake Butera after the game said Cavalli should be able to take the mound on Saturday afternoon. (05:30) PJ Poulin served as the Opener and Mikolas took over in the bottom of the 3rd.  Mikolas gave up all five Tampa Bay runs, but his six innings of work kept the bullpen fresh going into the weekend. (11:30) The offense only provided a pair of solo homers from CJ Abrams & Luis Garcia Jr.  Garcia's OPS is now up .758 and he is on pace to hit 20+ homers this season. (18:20) Keibert Ruiz perfectly executed a back pick throw in order to nail Cedric Mullins while taking a lead at 3rd base.  The defense from Ruiz and the team has been better lately. (23:00) The Nationals will wake up on Saturday in a tie for being just one game back of the final NL wildcard slot.   (26:00) Tim spoke with Sean Gibson, Great-Grandson of the Hall of Famer Josh Gibson.  Sean was in town earlier this week to co-host the Negro Leagues Night Panel at Nationals Park on Tuesday evening.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats yet again were unable to complete a sweep for the 6th consecutive opportunity. Mark & Al dive into Wednesday's 6-4 loss at the hands of the visiting Royals that snapped the four game win streak. (07:00) Analysis of Dylan Crews' slide into 2nd base in the 6th and the ensuing review to see whether or not he was out. (12:00) Zack Littell was hit hard as he allowed four homers off of seven hits in five innings of work.  Littell already has given up twenty homers; which tied for the most in the majors. (18:00) Mitchell Parker continues to struggle as he allowed a pair of runs on Wednesday.  Parker has given up an earned run in eight of his past nine outings. (22:00) Washington heads to Florida for three game this weekend at the Rays. The Nats are openly trying to emulate many principles that Tampa Bay has pioneered in the Front Office. Blake Butera worked for a long time in the Rays organization before getting hired as Nationals Manager. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats won their 4th game in a row on Tuesday night.  Mark & Al recap the 6-4 win over Kansas City as the team is currently in sole possession of the NL's 3rd wildcard spot.  The success is starting to become more believable as they have won nine of their past eleven series. (08:30) Curtis Mead broke the tie with a 3-run HR in the bottom of the 7th. Mead is up to eleven homers so far this season which is far by his career high. (14:00) Nasim Nuñez had an incredible all-around game.  He tripled twice, stole a base, scored three runs, and made a great play in the field.  Nuñez leads the NL in stolen bases with 26 so far this season. (24:00) Foster Griffin did not earn the win, but tossed a solid six innings on Tuesday night. Griffin only gave up one run and struck out six Royals as his ERA is now at 3.32. (28:00) Gus Varland recorded his 6th Save of the season, but did give up a 9th inning run. Varland escaped a jam in order to preserve the two-run lead.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats won their 3rd straight on Monday night to move to 3 games over .500 for the first time since.... 2019. Mark & Al discuss the 7-3 victory that has Washington in a tie for the final wildcard spot through 73 games. (08:15) Dylan Crews blasted a 3-run shot in the bottom of the 5th to put his team ahead by four runs. Crews has a had great homestand with both the bat and glove. (16:30) An early look at the NL voting results thus far for CJ Abrams & James Wood. Abrams leads for shortstops but Wood is in 7th place among outfielders. (23:00) Andrew Alvarez & Brad Lord teamed up for seven innings of work in the victory.  Alvarez struck out five Royals before Lord took over in the top of the 5th. (31:10) Keibert Ruiz used up all of his team's ABS challenges in the top of the 1st. (37:30) An update from the Voice of the AA-Harrisburg Senators, Frankie Vernouski. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats trounced the Mariners 10-1 on Sunday afternoon to take yet another series. Mark & Al wonder out loud if this 37-35 team is actually good as we are now in the middle of June.  Washington is currently just one game behind San Diego for the final NL wildcard spot. (08:45) Seattle starter Emerson Hancock was tagged with six runs off of nine against this potent Nationals offense. The big inning came in the bottom of the 4th when the Nats plated five in the frame to go up 6-1. (10:30) James Wood homered for the 20th time this season and Alfonso Soriano is getting nervous. (16:00) Dylan Crews played well on Sunday as he doubled, knocked in a run, and made a leaping catch against the RF wall. (23:00) Miles Mikolas unexpectedly threw seven shutout innings after taking over for PJ Poulin. Mikolas' ERA is down a bit to 5.29 so far this season. (28:45) The Royals come to town on Monday night for a three game series. Kansas City is in last place in the AL Central and they are tied with the Angels for the worst record in the American League.  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 Saturday's 8-3 victory over the Mariners. Al recaps the win that saw Luis Garcia Jr break the tie with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 5th. (04:00) Blake Butera credited the "Tarp's Off" crowd in RF for their energy.  The official attendance was just over 30,000 on Saturday. (06:30) Daylen Lile had a RBI triple on his Bobblehead Day.  His hometown Louisville defeated the DC Defenders on the other side of South Capitol Street in UFL action on Saturday. (09:00) Cade Cavalli was cruising until he reached the top of the 5th.  He gave up a pair of homers in the frame while not getting a lot help from his defense behind him. Cavalli's outing now sits at 3.98 and he is in 11th place for the lead in NL strikeouts. (12:15) The bullpen tossed four scoreless frames in the victory. PJ Poulin was very effective in his return from AAA and Brad Lord recorded the final six outs. (16:00) Dylan Crews knocked in a run as part of the 3-run bottom of the 1st. (20:00) Ben Raby's award winning feature for WTOP on Alexander Ovechkin passing Wayne Gretzky for most goals scored in NHL history. Ben is a radio veteran and a prominent Nats Chat listener.  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 routed 10-2 on Friday night by visiting Seattle for their 2nd straight loss. Mark & Al note how the M's were able to hold onto their 9-1 entering the bottom of the 8th; unlike the Nationals on Wednesday in San Francisco. (07:00) Zack Littell was very ineffective as he was pulled in the top of the 5th.  Littell allowed five Mariner runs and his ERA is up to 5.32. (11:15) Riley Cornelio came in for long relief and lasted over for over four innings. Cornelio was optioned back to AAA after the loss; just like what happened to him after making his debut vs. the White Sox in April. Mitchell Parker is still on the roster and many suspect that the corresponding move on Saturday will PJ Poulin. (18:45) James Wood slugged his 19th homer of the season which is 3rd most in the NL. Wood has put himself into the fringe of the early MVP discussion. (21:00) Dylan Crews homered in the bottom of the 8th for his 3rd of the season. (25:20) The game did not begin until 8:55pm due to a 2 hour plus rain delay. Al offers how he would prefer weather forecasts be taken into account for logistical purposes. (34:00) A scouting report on Justin Lebron, Alabama Shortstop, by Jim Callis.  Lebron is likely the only possible selection for the Nats at #11 among the players participating in this week's College World 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 were on their way to a sweep of the Giants on Wednesday afternoon before it began to unravel in the 8th. Mark (From San Francisco) & Al react to the gut punch 11-10 loss that concluded on a walk-off Grand Slam.  Washington led 9-1 entering the bottom of the 8th before allowing five runs in each of the final two frames. (07:00) Mitchell Parker was given the ball in the bottom of the 9th and did not retire either batter that he faced.  Parker gave up the Grand Slam to Bryce Eldridge, a native of Vienna, VA.  Blake Butera said afterwards that Richard Lovelady was not available, so Parker was the only available lefty option in that moment. (16:00) Blake Butera said it was the worst loss of the season and that this one stings. (20:45) Foster Griffin only allowed one run in six innings before the bullpen fumbled away the lead. Griffin struck out five Giants and his ERA is now down to 3.46 through fourteen starts. (24:00) The offense had a major day despite the loss as they hit two homers, scored ten runs, and collectively stole five bases. Nasim Nuñez swiped his 25th bag of the season; which is the most in all of Baseball. James Wood hit his 18th home run; which is tied for 3rd most in the National League. (28:30) CJ Abrams was given the day off ahead of Thursday's off day. Nuñez took over at SS and Jorbit Vivas got the start at 2B on Wednesday. (31:15) The Nationals open a six game home stand on Friday night.  Seattle is in town for the first three games and then Kansas City takes over the visiting clubhouse on Monday. 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 now two games above .500 after Tuesday night's 6-3 win over the Giants. Mark (From San Francisco) & Al begin with a rarity on this podcast; a wildcard standings update.  Washington is now in a 3-way tie for the final wildcard spot; something that was unfathomable a few months ago. (7:15) Luis Garcia Jr. hit a 2-run HR to continue the team's recent pattern of scoring in the 1st inning. It was the 3rd time on this road trip that the Nationals went up 2-0 right away. (12:00) Wood bolstered his MVP campaign by gathering three hits, scoring two runs, stealing a base, and knocking in a run.  Wood singled in the top of the 1st before Garcia Jr. brought him with a homer. (20:00) Andrew Alvarez escaped jams all night in his four innings of scoreless work.  Brad Lord took over for Alvarez and pitched into the 7th without giving up a run. Lord's ERA is now down to 2.30. (24:30) Nationals go for the sweep on Wednesday afternoon with Foster Griffin on the mound. 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 with a 3-run 9th inning on their way to a 4-3 victory on Monday evening over the Giants.  Mark (From San Francisco) recap the win that returns Washington to being above .500 through 67 games played. (04:30) CJ Abrams' finger prints were all over the top of the 9th as he came up to bat down two runs.  Abrams then came through with a 2-run single, stole second base, and then scored the go-ahead run on Daylen Lile's single. It was a surprise that the Giants did not intentional  walk Abrams when given the initial chance. (14:00) James Wood scored the first run of the game on an awkward yet effective slide into home. Wood stole second base and then came into score on Luis Garcia Jr.'s RBI single. (17:30) An eventful catch and collision between Dylan Crews & Daylen Lile. Both stayed in the game after running into each other in the bottom of the 4th. (20:00 ) Richard Lovelady was the Opener before handing the ball to Miles Mikolas.  The veteran righty almost lasted five innings, but Mitchell Parker did not do a good job in relief of Mikolas. (22:00) Gus Varland notched his 5th save of the season which leads the team. Varland has been in the majors since 2023; yet had another recorded a save until this year.  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 5-1 on Sunday afternoon to return to .500 through 66 games played.  Mark (From Arizona) & Al recap the defeat at the hands of Michael Soroka, who pitched for the Nationals last season before being dealt at the Trade Deadline.  Soroka lasted seven innings; something he never accomplished last year. (06:00) CJ Abrams homered for the 14th time this season in the top of the 2nd. His OPS currently sits at .914 and that is the 7th best in the NL. (10:00) James Wood was moved from the OF to DH before the game. (14:00) Cade Cavalli did not have his best outing as he allowed four runs in just five innings of work.  Cavalli gave up a pair of homers and only recorded two strikeouts in the loss. (19:30) Riley Cornelio was called back up from AAA and tossed a pair of innings on Sunday. Cornelio issued three walks and gave up a run in the afternoon. Cornelio's only previous Big League experience came in late April when the Nats were at the White Sox. (25:00) Eli Willits is being promoted to High-A Wilmington.  Willits was the #1 overall pick last Spring and his OPS this year in Fredericksburg is .918.    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 Diamondbacks 6-1 on Saturday afternoon to move back above .500 through 65 games played. Mark (From Arizona ) & Al start with the offense; that jumped out 2-0 right away for the second straight day. Curtis Mead hit a 2-run HR in the top of the 1st with James Wood on base. (08:45) Dylan Crews homered in the 7th to put Washington ahead 3-1.  Crews was 1 for his last 17 entering that at bat. (14:45) Nasim Nuñez knocked in a pair of runs and stole his 23rd base of the season. Nuñez is tied for the MLB lead along with Jose Ramirez & Bobby Witt Jr. (17:40) Zack Littell had another good outing as his dismal April is becoming more and more of a distant memory. Littell lasted five innings and his ERA has dropped to 4.76. Has he pitched his way into being on the Nationals in 2027? (25:00) Brad Lord tossed the final two innings and is yet another reliever to have notched a Save this season for the Nationals. (30:00) Cole Henry was optioned to AAA after the win. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats pounded the Diamondbacks 14-1 after hitting five homers on Friday night. Mark & Al open with Luis Garcia Jr. who went deep twice; including a Grand Slam to make the game a rout. Garcia's OPS is .745 with seven homers on the season. (10:00) James Wood homered for the 17th time this year which is tied for 2nd most in the NL. (12:00) Jorbit Vivas ended his RISP woes w/ a pair of hits.  Vivas got the nod at 3B and made a nice defensive play in the win. (17:00) TGIF - Foster Griffin earned the victory by only allowing one run in five innings of work.  Griffin was removed due to back tightness, but Blake Butera did note that the large lead played a role in the decision. (24:45) Updates on injured pitchers DJ Herz & Jake Irvin. (28:00) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, gives a report from AAA. Hear the latest on Yo Yo Morales, Brady House, and Abimelec Ortiz. 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 Wednesday afternoon and it completed a three game sweep for the Marlins.  Mark & Al convene after the Nationals dropped to 1-5 on the season vs. Miami and are now back to one game below .500 overall. (07:00) The offense was little match for Miami starter Max Meyer as he only allowed one run in seven innings of work. The Nationals only scored seven total runs during this series in Navy Yard. (08:30) Dylan Crews drove in the only run with a RBI fielder's choice in the bottom of the 3rd. Crews' OPS is just at .547 through 48 Big League at bats this season. (11:15) Keibert Ruiz started behind the plate and Drew Millas did not play on Wednesday.  Millas exited Tuesday night after lacerating his lip on a slide into 3rd base. (13:30) Nasim Nuñez made a great defensive play off a hard hit ground ball in the top of the 5th.  Nuñez has made many impressive plays in the field so far this season at 2B. (18:00) The bullpen struggled as five relievers combined to allow three runs in just over four innings of work.  Clayton Better gave up the pivotal 2-run single to Joe Mack in the top of the 8th that put the Marlins up 3-1. (23:00) Andrew Alvarez only allowed a solo homer as he pitched into the 5th.  Alvarez's ERA sits at 3.54 through six Major League appearances this season. (26:10) Who are the top pitchers behind Alvarez in the minor league pipeline? (31:30) The Nats finished the home stand at 2-4 and head to Arizona on Friday to begin a six game road trip.  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 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. 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 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. 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 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  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 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.  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 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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  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 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.  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 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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?       Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 [email protected]. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.       Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 Nuñez stole a pair of bags and he leads the majors with 16 stolen bases.  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 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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. 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 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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. 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 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.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.  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 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.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.