Nats Chat

For all of those wondering what Mark's next step would be after MASN, here is your answer! Mark tells Al about natsjournal.com and how to subscribe in this quick episode before "Pitchers & Catchers" get going this week. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Just one day after making his first big move as Nationals President of Baseball Operations, Paul Toboni joins the podcast for a wide ranging conversation. Mark & Al begin by asking him about trading MacKenzie Gore to Texas in exchange for five prospects. The discussion then touches upon Free Agency, 1B, building a bullpen, CJ Abrams' future, working with ownership, and more. Stay tuned after the 25 minute interview to hear the hosts give their thoughts on the Gore deal and other observations from interviewing Toboni.(01:00) Gore traded to Texas(08:00) Competitive timeline(14:30) Approach in Free Agency(15:20) 1B Situation(18:35) CJ Abrams' future(20:00) Bullpen construction(22:40) Did you run the Gore trade past ownership?(25:30) Extended post interview reaction from Al & Mark Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim Shovers with a quick reaction to the news that MacKenzie Gore has been traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for 5 prospects. Mark & Al will have a full episode out Saturday morning. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nationals announced on Wednesday that the era of games airing on MASN is over and that the next chapter of local broadcasts will be on the newly formed "Nationals TV". Al & Tim explain what this means and how this will align with some other MLB team's broadcast situation.(06:00) A refresher on the decade plus litigation between the Orioles & Nats over MASN that suddenly ended last year.(12:15) How will the new broadcast compare to its predecessor?(21:15) Alexa Datt has reportedly been hired as the team's new sideline reporter and she comes from the Cardinals broadcast team. Who will replace Bob Carpenter as the play-by-play announcer?(23:00) The Orioles will remain on MASN, but MASN2 will no longer exist. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The new era of Nationals leadership just completed their first time representing the franchise at the annual MLB Winter Meetings. Mark (After returning from Orlando) & Al begin with the results of the Draft, where they were not allowed to end up with a top 10 pick. The Nationals had the ping pong balls bounce their way initially, but due to the leagues rules they will settle for #11 overall.(06:00) Evaluating the chances that MacKenzie Gore and/or CJ Abrams get traded this off-season.(15:00) Parsing through Toboni's recent note to fans that could be interpreted as a heads-up that we are headed towards a new rebuild.(19:10) Handicapping the catcher situation now after the trade with Seattle. Harry Ford is one of the top rated catching prospects and Keibert Ruiz still has many years left on his extension.(27:30) Why did Washington trade away Jose A. Ferrer?(30:15) A check at the new technology that Toboni has added to the infrastructure of the organization.(36:10) Jake Irvin, Riley Adams & Luis Garcia Jr. were among those were tendered by the team to return in 2026.(40:00) Would Abrams move to 2B if he is not traded? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Quick recap of the Nationals trade over the weekend with Seattle by Tim Shovers. Closer Jose. A Ferrer was sent to the Mariners in exchange for catcher Harry Ford & RHP Isaac Lyon. Get up to speed on the first trade executed by Paul Toboni. **Next full episode with Mark & Al will be Friday morning December 12th after the MLB Winter Meetings take place in Orlando, FL. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nationals introduced their new 33-year-old Manager Blake Butera on Monday afternoon to the local media. Mark & Al react to the press conference where Butera was joined on stage by Paul Toboni and fielded questions about becoming the youngest MLB Manager in a half century. (17:00) An early look at Butera's coaching staff, which will include Sean Doolittle.(24:35) Luis Garcia Jr., Jake Irvin, and Riley Adams are among the non-tender candidates as it relates to upcoming Arbitration eligibility.(32:00) Brief commentary on some potential big names that will be floated this off-season in trade rumors.(35:10) Tim is joined by WTOP & Sirius XM's Ben Raby for a review of the Netflix documentary "Who Killed the Expos?". Ben grew up an Expos fan in Canada and is an avid 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.

Tim Shovers provides a short recap of Paul Toboni's Conference Call on Tuesday to address the hiring of Blake Butera as new manager. Butera and his wife welcomed a child the same day he accepted the job and his intro press conference is expected to be held later this month in D.C. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Nationals hired the youngest Manager in over 50 years. Mark & Al discuss the news that Washington will soon name 33-year-old Blake Butera as the team's next skipper. The surprising hire comes from the Rays organization and his only previous managerial experience was in Low-A. Butera was drafted in the 35th Round out of Boston College but became a minor league manager at age 25.(14:10) A look at some of the other candidates in the interview process.(22:00) Going over Butera's resume in MLB, who was Tampa Bay's Director of Player Development in 2025. (29:15) Who will be on Butera's Coaching Staff? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim Shovers with a quick reminder about the end of season Podcast Party. This Friday night, October 10th, at 7pm at Walter's Sports Bar in Navy Yard. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nationals began a new era on Wednesday morning as Paul Toboni was officially introduced as the new President of Baseball Operations. Mark & Al react to Toboni's first time meeting with the D.C. media in the press room at the ballpark. Toboni was joined on the podium by three members of ownership in Mark Lerner, Ed Cohen, and Robert Tanenbaum.(07:00) Spending by ownership was brought up multiple times during the press conference. (15:35) Toboni's answer on if he will hire a General Manager beneath him. Mike DeBartolo was in attendance at the press conference.(21:20) Toboni's response about the young talent within the franchise.(24:00) Discussion on the managerial situation and what Toboni had to say about interim skipper Miguel Cairo.(36:45) How should Toboni handle the current staff within the Front Office?(39:05) NATS CHAT PODCAST PARTY ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 10TH AT 7PM AT WALTER'S. FIRST BEER ON THE HOUSE! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats closed their last place season on a sour note as they were shutout 8-0 on Sunday afternoon by the visiting White Sox. Mark & Al put the 66 win campaign under a wide-angle lens on the heels of their 14th shutout defeat. It should be a more active October than the past few years as they remake the front office and likely will make a change at manager.(13:20) Hear what Dylan Crews said afterwards as he seems to be gearing up for more of a leadership role on the team.(21:15) James Wood went 0 for 3 and struck out in every at-bat. Wood finishes the year w/ 221 strike outs, by far the most in Baseball, but still two shy of Mark Reynolds' record from 2009.(23:45) A wrap-up of just how the bad the Washington relief pitching was this season.(32:00) A thank you to our great listeners as our numbers grew this season on the podcast despite the terrible performance on the field. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats overcame an early four-run deficit to edge the White Sox 6-5 on Saturday afternoon. Mark & Al begin with an ode to Bob Carpenter, who is calling his final Nats games this weekend for MASN. Carpenter was honored prior to the game after 20 years of being the TV voice of the team.(10:00) James Wood hit his 31st homer to take the lead for good in the bottom of the 7th. Wood has four homers this week to end his season on a high note.(15:00) "Mr. September" was at again as Daylen Lile bolstered his NL Rookie of the Year with his 8th home run of the month. Hear how Lile's season stacks up against the other top candidates for the award.(20:10) Josh Bell & CJ Abrams are surprisingly neck and neck for OPS this season (.751/.752).(23:00) Jake Irvin allowed four runs in six inning to close his season. Irvin's rough 2025 ends with a 5.70 ERA and his future in the rotation is in jeopardy.(29:15) Julian Fernandez pitched a perfect top of the 7th and that led to earning his 1st career Big League win. Fernandez was picked up off of waivers in Mid August after he was DFA'd by the Dodgers. Jose A. Ferrer recorded a bumpy save one night after blowing it in the 9th. 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 all the way back from a seven run deficit, but Jose A. Ferrer could not close the door in the 10-9 loss to the White Sox. Mark & Al gather after maybe the craziest game of the season that saw the Nationals hit six homers, but also commit four errors.(06:00) Luis Garcia Jr. hit a trio of homers for the first time in his career. Garcia's third homer of the night briefly put them up 9-8 in the bottom of the 8th. The last time Washington lost when a player hit three homers in a game was in 2013 in Baltimore when Ryan Zimmerman went deep three times.(09:05) Daylen Lile tied the game with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 8th. Lile is having an all-time month as he has five homers and seven triples in September.(13:20) CJ Abrams & Josh Bell each went deep, but both committed errors in the top of the 1st. Abrams is now up to 19 homers; one behind his total last season.(19:30) Cade Cavalli finished his season on a bit of a down note as Chicago tagged him for four unanswered runs in the top of the 1st. Cavalli ended up making ten starts with the Nats after his very long rehab from Tommy John surgery.(24:10) Ferrer's disastrous 9th inning began with a throwing error from the lefty; before have gave up the game deciding 2-run HR to Colson Montgomery.(26:45) When should we expect the formal announcement about Paul Toboni taking over as Head of Baseball Operations? 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 4-3 in Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon, but the major news came from ESPN's Jeff Passan. Mark & Al spend plenty of time reacting to the report that Paul Toboni, Red Sox Asst. GM, will take over as Washington's new head of Baseball Operations. Toboni is 35 years old and has spent the last decade working in the Red Sox Front Office.(21:10) James Wood homered twice to reach the 30 home run milestone. Wood homered as many times this series (three) as he had in the past two months. Wood also did not strike out all series and remains eight Ks behind Mark Reynolds' 2009 record pace.(25:50) Josh Bell hit his 21st homer of the season in the win. It is the 5th year in which Bell surpassed the 20 homer plateau.(30:20) Andrew Alvarez lasted until the bottom of the 5th and did not allow a run. Alvarez was called up on Labor Day and had 2.31 ERA in five starts.(35:30) Jose A. Ferrer notched his 7th Save of the month and his 10th of the season. It was a rough day for the bullpen as they allowed a trio of Braves solo homers. 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 short 3-2 on Tuesday night as the Braves have now won ten games in a row. Al & Tim begin with James Wood's 28th homer of the season, just his 4th since the All-Star Break. Wood did not strikeout and remains eight Ks shy of Mark Reynolds' single season record.(08:00) Luis Garcia Jr. played 1B on Tuesday as it seems like his days at 2B are coming to an end. Daylen Lile was also in the lineup just a few days after exiting Sunday's game early due to a knee contusion.(15:10) The Nationals yet again unsuccessfully attempted a staggered double steal with runners on the corners. This came in the top of the 4th as Washington was unable to increase their one-run lead.(17:30) Brad Lord pitched well, but the two solo homers he allowed led to him taking his 9th loss of the year. Lord's ERA is at 4.12 as is his season is likely over. Could Lord win Nationals Pitcher of the Year this upcoming weekend?(22:30) MacKenzie Gore's season is also over as he was placed on the IL due to an ankle impingement. Gore made the All-Star Game, but his ERA continued to climb in the back half of the year. Gore did set a career high with 185 strikeouts; four more than he had last season.(30:00) Reaction to MLB instituting an ABS challenge system for 2026. ABS stands for "Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System" and would serve as a version of Robo Umps. 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 no match for the Braves in Monday's 11-5 loss. Al & Tim convene after the Nationals pitching staff needed six pitchers just to make it through six innings and combined for nine issued walks.(06:00) MacKenzie Gore was pulled in the top of the 3rd after having already thrown 71 pitches. The Braves lineup fouled off 24 of them and now Gore's ERA is up to 4.17.(09:00) The bullpen really struggled until Shinnosuke Ogasawara stabilzed the final few innings. Jackson Rutledge was the first reliever out of the 'pen, but gave up three runs while only recording one out.(13:45) Both James Wood & Daylen Lile were out of the lineup in the series opener. Lile suffered a left knee contusion in Sunday's victory in New York. CJ Abrams did return after jamming shoulder on Saturday, but served as the DH as opposed to taking the field.(15:45) Nasim Nuñez & Dylan Crews each homered in the loss. Nuñez played at SS and now has four homers in September since getting called up from AAA.(19:00) Jacob Young made another excellent catch on a sliding attempt that survived a few bobbles. This was Young 3rd fantastic grab in the past two days.(23:50) Josiah Gray's season is over after his three minor league rehab starts. Gray will not take the mound this weekend vs. the White Sox as some had hoped in his recovery from "Tommy John" Surgery.(27:00) Brad Ciolek , the National Director of Amateur Scouting, is leaving for a role with the Tigers. 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 weekend series in Queens as they held off the Mets 3-2 on Sunday afternoon. Before we get to Mark & Al's analysis, Executive Producer Tim Shovers comes on to deliver an annual end of season message. If you would like to donate to the podcast, visit natschatpodcast.com and click on Merch to get directed to our Donation page.(04:30) Daylen Lile exited the game early after crashing into the side wall on a sliding catch in the bottom of the 3rd. Mark was at the game in New York and relays what he saw and learned afterwards.(11:10) Nasim Nuñez hit his 3rd homer of the month to put the Nats ahead 3-0. Nasim got the start after CJ Abrams jammed his throwing shoulder in Saturday's 11th inning.(14:30) Jacob Young made possibly the catch of the season in CF in the bottom of the 5th.(20:00) Jake Irvin & Mitchell Parker have been awful this year, but on Sunday they teamed up for the entirety of the game. Irvin exited in the top of the 6th and Parker got out of the jam. The lefty was making his first career relief appearance and turned that into the longest save in team history as he almost lasted four innings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats handed the Mets a crucial defeat on Saturday afternoon in Queens. Mark (From NYC) & Al meet after the Nationals blew an early 3-0 lead, but Daylen Lile's exciting 2-run Inside-the-Park-Home run put them ahead for good 5-3.(05:00) It looked initially that Lile's big hit would be a triple as he is one away from setting a franchise record. Lile's OPS is now ahead of James Wood (.814 vs. .807).(08:45) CJ Abrams made a brutal TOOTBLAN in the top of the 11th just before Lile's homer. Abrams was then mysteriously replaced in the field in the bottom of the 11th.(13:10) Cade Cavalli had another good outing as he tossed five shutout innings. Cavalli has only had one bad stat since getting called up from AAA in early August.(17:30) Jose A. Ferrer took over in the 8th and could not protect the 3-run lead. New York scored a pair off the lefty in the 8th and then Juan Soto's 9th inning single sent the game to extra innings.(25:00) Reaction to the expansive story from the Washington Post on the current ownership situation with the Nats. (37:30) Brief mention of recent comments by Ted Leonsis. 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 their 5th straight on Friday night as they were beaten by the Mets 12-6. Mark (From NYC) & Al gather after Washington guaranteed itself of having more losses this season than the previous two years.(04:30) The pattern of sloppy defense continued on Friday as the outfield combined for three errors; two of which were on Dylan Crews.(07:15) James Wood struck out two more times and committed a fielding error himself. Wood is now up to 212 Ks on the year; 21 more than AL leader Riley Greene.(09:20) Daylen Lile tripled for the 11th time this season and 7th time in September. Lile is now tied with Denard Span for the most triples in Nationals history since 2005.(14:20) Andrew Alvarez's fourth outing was his worst so far as he gave up six runs in less than four innings of work. The Mets lineup was the hardest test yet for the young lefty.(23:30) Mitchell Parker is being moved to the bullpen for the rest of the season. This is not much of a surprise as his ERA is now up to 5.85 and this will be the first time he will take the mound as a reliever.(26:45) Josiah Gray pitched on Friday for AAA-Rochester as he struck out a pair, issued three walks, in just under 3 innings. Will he pitch next weekend in Washington against the White Sox?(30:00) Another update on a potential candidate for the vacant GM position, this one being Eddie Romero, the Assistant GM for the Red Sox. 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 9-4 on Wednesday and dropped all four games this week against the Braves. Mark & Al evaluate the team's tired legs as they have shown recent signs of fatigue. It has been a busy stretch for the team as they have played 14 games in the past 13 days.(07:30) James Wood had a RBI double and a single on his 23rd birthday. Wood did strikeout for the 210th time this season, extending his own franchise record.(13:10) Brad Lord had a shutout through five innings, but it all came apart in the top of the 6th. Lord was charged with two runs in the four run 6th and his ERA is now up to 4.18.(25:00) Sauryn Lao is a recently acquired right hander who was called up to replace Orlando Ribalta. Lao gave up a pair of runs in his two innings on the mound.(30:15) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, gives an update from AAA as they are in their final week of the season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tuesday was a long one on South Capitol Street and neither game went the home team's way. Al & Tim convene following a day/night doubleheader where the Braves won 6-3 in the afternoon and then took the evening session 5-0 in extras.(05:45) James Wood struck out four times in the Game 1 loss. Wood sat out Game 2 and is now up to 209 strikeouts this season, 23 more than Riley Greene who leads the American League.(10:30) Daylen Lile tripled for the 10th time while only having played in 82 games. Lile set a franchise record for a rookie in this category and Denard Span has the most in a season with 11 since the franchise relocated to D.C. in 2005.(15:00) Jake Irvin had a typical 2025 start as he allowed six runs and his ERA is up to 5.76.(16:45) MacKenzie Gore lasted into the top of the 6th and didn't allow a run in his outing. Gore dropped his ERA to exactly 4.00 and our new mantra is for him is "Gore Under 4".(21:45) The series finale is on Wednesday and Thursday will be the team's first day off in two weeks. 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 pounded 11-3 by the Braves on Monday night in Navy Yard. Mark & Al begin with Daylen Lile yet again impressing as he homered and lifted his OPS to .816, just six points behind James Wood. Lile has the highest OPS of any NL Rookie with 300+ at-bats.(05:45) Dylan Crews went 0 for 3 and his batting average is now down to .202.(08:00) Mitchell Parker was pushed into the the top of the 6th and ended with a grisly line of allowing six runs off of ten hits.(15:45) Jarlin Susana recently had surgery on his right lat after going on the IL in early September.(19:00) More updates on the team's search for a new President of Baseball Operations. 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 rubber match in Sunday afternoon's 4-3 win over the Pirates. Mark & Al note that the Nationals are 9-4 to start September and need only one more victory to avoid a 100 loss season.(04:35) Daylen Lile was the offensive hero as his 8th inning RBI double put Washington ahead for good. Lile reached base four times and his OPS is now up to .796 on the season.(09:00) CJ Abrams made his 20th error of the season, the 2nd most of any short stop in Baseball.(17:45) Cade Cavalli struggled in the opening inning as he immediately fell behind 3-0. Cavalli adjusted from there and didn't give up any more runs.(20:35) The bullpen got the job done with four scoreless innings, but the choice of Clayton Better instead of Jose A. Ferrer was curious.(28:15) The Braves come to D.C. on Monday for four games in the next three days. 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 Saturday afternoon to the visiting Pirates. Al & Mark convene after the offense was only able to muster one run in the defeat.(06:00) Dylan Crews had multiple instances of aggressive and heads up base running in the bottom of the 6th. His play that inning is emblematic of the kind of player Crews wants to be.(13:10) Andrew Alvarez was superb on Saturday as he tossed six shutout innings in his third Big League start.(22:40) Washington's 1-0 lead evaporated in the top of the 8th and the Pirates off score four runs in that frame off of Cole Henry and PJ Poulin.(28:05) Josiah Gray threw just shy of two innings for AA-Harrisburg on Saturday. Will he make it to Washington in 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 opened the homestand with a 6-5 victory over Pittsburgh despite an early three run deficit. Mark & Al begin with the defensive exploits by James Wood in the top of the 9th as his perfect throw nailed the tying run at the plate. It was an up and down evening for Wood as he doubled twice, but also struck out twice, thus setting a single season franchise record with 200Ks.(10:15) Brady House & Dylan Crews each went deep in the victory. Crews is now at nine homers on the season.(15:00) Brad Lord had a decent outing as only gave up three runs in six innings of work. Lord's ERA is now at 4.21 for the year.(18:30) Jose A. Ferrer struggled in the 9th as he almost blew the 6-3 lead. This was after he entered the game with a light show to signify that the closer was coming on the mound.(25:05) Interesting details on Brad Haas, who was officially announced as the new Special Assistant to the Orioles GM. Haas just left the Nationals role as their Director of Scouting. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats had to settle for a series split in Miami after dropping Thursday night's finale 5-0. Al & Tim gather after Washington was shutout for the 12th time this season to conclude their otherwise winning road trip.(04:00) MacKenzie Gore returned from the 15-Day IL to toss five innings in the loss. Gore allowed two runs in the first inning and struck out four Marlins in the outing.(08:05) CJ Abrams had a throwing error and it was his 18th of the season. Abrams has the 3rd most errors in Baseball and his defense is called into question. Abrams did however steal his 30th base of the season, reaching the milestone for the 3rd straight year.(11:20) James Wood had the day off and the offense was quite anemic in his absence. RIley Adams was back behind the plate and hit 3rd in the lineup.(14:30) Response to a report by the Washington Post's Barry Svrluga about the latest phase in the GM search.(23:45) Terry Byrom, the long time voice of the AA-Harrisburg Senators, is calling his final game on Sunday. We replay an interview that Tim held with Terry back in late May of 2023 when James Wood was still in AA. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats led 3-0 entering the bottom of the 6th, but an ensuing comedy of errors tilted the evening in the Marlins direction for an 8-3 loss on Wednesday. Mark (From Miami) & Al though begin with the very encouraging news that MacKenzie Gore not only is coming off the IL, but will take the mound on Thursday night in South Florida.(08:00) Jake Irvin tossed five scoreless innings, but it all came apart in the four run bottom of the 6th. The defense made a pair of errors, Miguel Cairo was ejected after a replay didn't go Washington's way, and Jake Irvin was also ejected just after he was removed from the mound.(15:20) The sloppy defense leads to a conversation about what kind of Manager could be in the dugout in 2026.(23:35) James Wood struck out three times and now is up to 198 on the season. It is the 2nd most in franchise history and he is only one behind Adam Dunn's dubious mark from 2010.(24:40) Daylen Lile tripled for the fourth time this road trip and he is stunningly just two behind the team record since moving to D.C. Denard Span, who coincidentally called the game on MASN, has most in Nats history with 11 triples. The most impressive part of all of this is that Lile has basically only played half of a season.(30:00) Seaver King & Jake Bennett are the main organizational names headed to the Arizona Fall League.(33:45) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the AAA-Rochester Red Wings, provides his weekly update on players such as Nick Schnell, Andrew Pinckney, and Phillip Glasser. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats scorching start to September continued on Tuesday night as they held off the Marlins 7-5 for a 4th straight victory. Mark (From South Florida) & Al take note that Washington is now within striking distance of both Atlanta & Miami in the NL East. The Nationals are six wins behind the Marlins with 18 games remaining.(06:30) Josh Bell crushed a 3-run HR in the top of the 1st for his 4th homer in the past three games. Bell is now up to 20 HRs on the season and it is now plausible that he could be back in 2026.(10:10) Daylen Lile also went deep and his past few months are becoming reminiscent of Joey Meneses back in 2022. Lile's OPS is now up .777 and he is just behind CJ Abrams in that category.(14:40) The catching situation continues to have its obstacles as Riley Adams got hit in a tough spot. He was replaced by Jorge Alfaro, who himself suffered a similar fate in the bottom of the 9th. Alfaro stayed in the game, but Andres Chaparro was waiting in the wings as the team's emergency catcher.(17:30) Mitchell Parker had a real solid outing as he pitched into the bottom of the 8th. It is the longest the lefty lasted since all the way back to April 22nd.(23:00) Washington led 7-2 entering the bottom of the 9th and the inning turned into a bit of a circus. Jose A. Ferrer was needed to relieve Cole Henry for the final out as the Marlins unexpectedly brought the tying run to the plate.(27:15) Sorting through reports about the Nationals search for a new Head of Baseball Operations. Carter Hawkins, Cubs GM, is among those who apparently have interviewed for the position. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats hot start to September continued on Monday night in their 15-7 pasting of the Marlins. Mark (From Miami) & Al have four Nationals homers (two by Josh Bell) to sort through as the team has won six of their past seven games.(05:00) Dylan Crews hit his first homer since May 20th, which came just before he landed on the IL all summer. Crews had a big game on Monday night as he had three hits and knocked in four runs.(10:15) Luis Garcia Jr. began the scoring barrage with a solo homer into the empty second deck at LoanDepot Park. This leads to a discussion on if his bat might merit a move to 1B for next season.(16:30) Cade Cavalli the past few years has joined the team in Miami in the clubhouse, but this time he got to take the mound in South Florida. Cavalli lasted five innings and earned the win despite only recording one strikeout.(25:40) Keibert Ruiz is experiencing a re-occurrence of mild headaches after taking a foul ball to the face mask in a recent rehab assignment with AA-Harrisburg. Ruiz will next meet with the team's doctors and it is unlikely for him to return to the field this season.(31:30) MacKenzie Gore will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday and that is a very encouraging sign. The lefty was placed on the 15-Day IL on August 30th due to shoulder inflammation. 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 the Cubs 3-1 entering the 9th inning, but a couple of homers later, they emerged victorious by a score of 6-3 Sunday afternoon in Chicago. Mark (From Wrigley Field) & Tim recap the Nationals 5th win in the past six games to take their second straight series.(03:00) Josh Bell's gave Washington the lead for good with a pinch-hit 3-run home run in the 9th. Bell was given was the day off, but hit for Riley Adams in the 3rd spot in the order. Robert Hassell III began the rally with a solo homer and the Nats ended up scoring five runs in the final frame.(05:45) Daylen Lile singled, tripled, and scored a pair of runs in the win. Lile impressed the Chicago crowd by tripling three times over the weekend and his OPS is now up to .770 in his rookie season.(08:15) Brady House started all weekend at 3B and came through on Sunday with a pair of sacrifice flies. Paul DeJong meanwhile did not play at all in the series.(14:00) Andrew Alvarez lasted just under five innings in his 2nd career start. The lefty made two starts this past week and is expected to take the mound this upcoming Friday vs. Pittsburgh.(17:45) The bullpen came through again and only allowed one run in just over four innings of work. Clayton Beeter recorded the first four outs and he has been a success for Washington since they acquired him in the Amed Rosario trade with the Yankees in late July.(20:30) The Cubs used lefty Drew Pomeranz as an Opener on Sunday in the top of the 1st. Will the Nats give this a shot this month in a different game?(23:10) Josiah Gray made his rehab stint of the season with High-A Wilmington on Sunday. Gray lasted just over an inning and threw 34 pitches for the Blue Rocks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We learned on Saturday morning that Davey Johnson, the Manager of the Nationals when they won their first NL East title in 2012, peacefully passed away the previous day at age 82. Mark (From Wrigley Field) & Al note that some of Johnson's managerial traits were utilized by Miguel Cairo in the Nationals 2-1 afternoon victory over the Cubs.(05:00) Jose A Ferrer continued his brilliant stretch in tossing a perfect bottom of the 8th. Ferrer has struck out 16 batters in his last 15.1 IP. Cole Henry came in behind him to notch his 2nd career save.(12:15) Brad Lord almost lasted six innings in earning the victory in Chicago. Lord bounced back after having three consecutive shaky outings in August.(16:10) Jorge Alfaro was surprisingly hitting 3rd and came through with a RBI single in the top of the 1st. Alfaro was out of the majors for over two years until the Nationals acquired the veteran catcher earlier this week.(18:30) Daylen Lile continued his red hot surge with a solo homer to take the lead for good in the top of the 4th. Lile's OPS is up to .758 this season and he quietly has entered the crowded race for NL Rookie of the Year.(22:05) Mark explains how Davey Johnson took over the Nationals in the summer of 2011 after the stunning resignation of Jim Riggleman. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats three game win streak came to an abrupt halt during Friday afternoon's 11-5 loss to the Cubs. Mark (From Wrigley Field) & Al convene after the Chicago warm wind was flying out towards the lake; leading to four Cubs home runs.(04:45) Jake Irvin gave up two of those homers and allowed seven runs in his brief outing. Irvin's ceded five runs in the bottom of the 1st and his first inning ERA this season is at a woeful 11.17; the worst in Baseball. Why does the team never experiment using an Opener for Irvin?(18:30) Daylen Lile tripled twice while hitting out of the cleanup spot. Lile is only the 6th player in franchise history to pull off the feat and he is hitting 7 for 15 so far in September.(22:05) James Wood struck out twice on Friday and he leads MLB with 190Ks, fourteen more than Detroit's Riley Greene.(24:30) Jarlin Susana has right lat strain, just a few days after landing on the 7-Day IL with AA-Harrisburg.(27:45) Josiah Gray will pitch two innings on Sunday for High-A Wilmington. This will be the first competitive baseball game Gray has pitched in since June 30th, 2024. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats turned an eight game skid into a three game sweep of the visiting Marlins. Al & Mark convene after the Nationals pulled off their 2nd sweep of the season and just like the one in Baltimore back in May, there were major contributions by Nasim Nuñez.(04:00) Nuñez entered the day with zero career MLB homers and shocked everyone by going deep twice on Wednesday afternoon. Nunez got the start at SS and also added a RBI single to round out his career day. Nuñez was a September roster addition after spending the past few months with AAA-Rochester.(12:30) Brady House not only got the start over Paul DeJong at 3B, but he came through with his 3rd HR of the season. The two previous bombs that House hit both came in Milwaukee back in July.(14:05) Jorge Alfaro got the start behind the plate just one day after being acquired from AAA-Nashville. The veteran catcher collected a RBI double in his first Big League at-bat since July 31st, 2023.(17:30) The bullpen yet again stepped up as they did not allow a run in just over four innings of work. PJ Poulin continues to pitch well as he recorded four outs and saw his ERA drop to 1.59.(20:30) Mitchell Parker's outing began on the right foot, but it unraveled in the top of the 5th. Parker gave up four runs that frame and was unable to earn the victory as he could not get the final out in the 5th.(23:25) Luis Garcia Jr. committed his 10th error of the season at 2B and his defense has regressed this season. What is the future for Garcia in the field?(26:00) Danny Haas, who has served as the team's VP of amateur scouting for the past few years, is going back to the Orioles front office. Haas came to Washington from Baltimore previously and his new role with the O's has not yet been announced.(33:40) The attendance was small at Nationals Park on Wednesday (11,190), but not the lowest ever. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Make it two straight victories for the Nats over Miami after Tuesday's 5-2 triumph. Mark & Al discuss Cade Cavalli's successful outing on the heels of getting hit hard at Yankee Stadium last week. Cavalli struck out six Marlins and this was his sixth start since getting called up from AAA last month.(12:00) The bullpen continued their strong run as of late as five arms combined for four scoreless frames. Jackson Rutledge was used to escape an 8th inning jam and Jose A. Ferrer notched his 6th save since taking over the role for Kyle Finnegan.(18:30) James Wood went opposite field for his 27th homer of the season in the bottom of the 4th. Wood surprisingly only has hit three homers since the return from the All-Star Break.(25:15) A lot of housekeeping at the catcher position on Tuesday. Riley Adams got the start and came through with a RBI double. Meanwhile CJ Stubbs was sent back to Rochester just one day after catching Monday's victory because the team signed veteran Jorge Alfaro from the Brewers AAA affiliate in Nashville. Lastly, Keibert Ruiz had a rehab assignment with AA-Harrisburg.(32:05) Josiah Gray threw 30 pitches in a live BP session in West Palm. Will Gray pitch for the Nats by the end of September? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats 8-game losing streak ended on Labor Day as Andrew Alvarez tossed five shutout innings in his MLB debut in Navy Yard. Mark & Al throw plenty of flowers to the lefty who earned the 2-0 victory over Miami. Alvarez was called up from AAA-Rochester and was drafted out of Cal Poly in the 12th Round of the 2021 Draft.(08:45) Alvarez's battery mate was also making his MLB Debut in catcher C.J Stubbs, who was teammates with him as recently as last week in Rochester. Stubbs was promoted after Drew Millas landed on the IL.(14:10) The bullpen stepped up again as four arms combined for four scoreless frames. Clayton Beeter struck out a pair of Marlins and has registered eight Ks in his past five appearances.(18:00) James Wood went 0 for 4 in the leadoff spot and struck out three times. He leads Baseball with 185 strikeouts and continues to approach Mark Reynolds' dubious 2009 record of 223Ks in a single season.(22:10) CJ Abrams committed his 17th error of the season, which equals his total from last year. Is it possible his true role is at 2B instead of SS?(28:05) Nasim Nunez was also called up from AAA as roster sizes increase to 28 in September. Nunez was sent down on June 10th and stole 16 bases in August for the Red Wings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August concluded at Nationals Park with a Rays sweep and an 8th consecutive loss for the home team. Mark & Al spend plenty of time sorting through another awful month and what this means big picture for the organization. If you've taken some time off from the podcast due to the rough state of affairs, this is a good one chance to check back in.(08:00) Jarlin Susana was removed from his AA-Harrisburg outing on Saturday due to right triceps soreness. What does that mean for the righty?(12:10) When will the decision be made on who is in charge of Baseball Operations on a permanent basis?(21:45) Washington has not held a lead since the top of the 3rd on Monday in Yankee Stadium. James Wood struck out three times and will enter September with 182 strikeouts; 12 more than Detroit's Riley Greene.(30:00) Brad Lord has his 3rd straight bad start and only lasted three innings. Lord gave up seven runs including a Grand Slam by Brandon Lowe to make it 6-0 Tampa Bay.(36:15) Andrew Alvarez will make his MLB debut on Monday afternoon vs. Miami on Labor Day. Alvarez has been with AAA-Rochester this season and was Organizational Pitcher of the Year in 2023 while with Wilmington & Harrisburg. 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 not so fun Saturday in Navy Yard as the Nats dropped their 7th consecutive game. Mark & Al react to the 4-1 loss to the visiting Rays that bizarrely saw multiple instances of fans running onto the field during play.(05:30) MacKenzie Gore was placed on the 15-Day IL prior to the game due to left shoulder inflammation. Gore told reporters that he is aiming to return to the mound in mid or late September.(13:40) Another putrid performance by the offense as they only scored one run for the second straight day. James Wood had the lone RBI and his OPS this month is at .738, which is much better than his July.(18:45) WHY IS PAUL DeJONG STILL PLAYING INSTEAD OF BRADY HOUSE?!(22:50) Jake Irvin continued to struggle in the 1st inning, but the team's pitching was outstanding afterwards. Washington retired 24 of their final 25 batters faced despite never really being in the game.(31:15) Who will pitch on Monday vs. Miami instead of Gore? 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 streak was extended to six after Friday night's 4-1 defeat by the visiting Rays. Al & Tim begin with the offense going 0 for 12 w/ RISP and not taking advantage of opportunities to score. The two worst offenders were Riley Adams (0 for 4) & Robert Hassell III (0 for 3).(06:25) Chris Johnson, Assistant Hitting Coach, was surprisingly ejected for barking at the umpire following an early crucial CJ Abrams strikeout to end a rally. (11:15) Drew Millas had season ending surgery (finger) on the same day that the organization announced that Keibert Ruiz will begin a minor league rehab assignment. Ruiz hasn't played since July 5th and has been on the 7-Day IL for a concussion ever since.(16:00) Mitchell Parker had one of his better outings in awhile. Parker allowed two homers and three runs in just over six innings of work. It is the deepest that Parker has pitched since all the way back on April 22nd.(24:05) Reading a recent email that reminds us just how disappointing this season has been. Send in your thoughts to [email protected](30:15) Weekly update from Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the AAA-Rochester Red Wings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The losing streak is extended to five after the Nats were crushed 11-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. New York hit six homers in the series finale and out-homered Washington 10-2 in the three game series.(06:30) Cade Cavalli fell apart in the bottom of the 3rd as he gave up a trio of homers and seven earned runs in his outing. The Yanks scored nine runs in that frame, which is more than the Nationals scored all series.(11:15) Drew Millas fractured a finger mid-game and Riley Adams had to move from DH to behind the plate. This led to Shinnosuke Ogasawara batting for himself and keeping the bat on his shoulder for three straight pitches.(20:00) Despite Thursday being a day off, the next two starters will be Mitchell Parker & Jake Irvin this weekend vs. Tampa Bay.(26:25) Miguel Cairo was asked point blank if the team has hit "rock bottom". 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 their 4th straight on Tuesday night in New York. Mark & Al have even more instances of poor base running decisions by Washington in their 5-1 defeat. James Wood didn't strike out in the affair, but he was egregiously thrown out at the plate in the top of the 5th inning.(10:20) The coaching staff will likely almost completely turn over after the season. Will that apply to franchise legend/ 1B Coach Gerardo Parra?(15:10) MacKenzie Gore threw 99 pitches and gave up all three runs on a bases clearing double by Giancarlo Stanton in the bottom of the 5th. Gore lasted five frames and his ERA slightly rose to 4.15.(25:00) Cade Cavalli will take the mound on Wednesday afternoon at 1pm as Washington looks to avoid being swept.(27:30) Daylen Lile missed his 3rd straight game due to illness. Lile's absence has been felt during this losing streak, but it is unlikely he will start anyhow on Wednesday against the lefty Max Fried.(28:45) Caleb Lomavita, the catcher drafted in the 2nd round last summer, was promoted to AA-Harrisburg. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The recent three game Nats win streak has morphed into a three game losing streak after Monday night's 10-5 defeat in Yankee Stadium. Al & Mark begin with Jacob Young's eventful evening that saw him get picked off and also hit a 9th inning Grand Slam.(06:15) Young getting picked continues a recent pattern for him. His base running deficiencies are additionally magnified due to his poor bat (.584 OPS). What does his future hold?(14:00) The bad base running continued into the next inning as Josh Bell botched a designed play to bring in CJ Abrams from 3rd with runners on the corners. Why even try it in the first place when only down 2-0? Why do it with Bell?(18:30) Brad Lord allowed six earned runs in just four innings on the mound. It was an uncharacteristic outing for Lord as it was his worst start since mid April vs. Pittsburgh.(23:15) The Yankees have hit 218 homers this season, far more than the Nats' 125 homers. This is reflected in the fact that Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham each surprisingly have 25 taters this year.(28:00) MacKenzie Gore is starting on Tuesday night vs. Luis Gil, who won the AL Rookie of the Year last season. Gore is looking to bounce back as he has pitched poorly in five of his past seven outings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats held another late rally that came up short on Sunday afternoon on Broad Street. Mark (From Philadelphia) & Al note how the team continues to lose when either Jake Irvin or Mitchell Parker take the mound.(05:10) James Wood went 0 for 4 with 3 Ks and hit into a costly double play in the top of the 8th. Wood has astonishingly struck out 35 times this month while only drawing six walks.(11:05) Riley Adams hit 3rd and went 1 for 4 in the 3-2 loss. His OPS for the month of August is .856, much higher than his season's total of .638.(16:45) Jake Irvin was yanked in the bottom of the 3rd after giving up three Phillies runs. He was replaced by Shinnosue Ogasawara as Miguel Cairo showed a short leash for his struggling right-handed starter. Irvin's ERA this month is 9.55 through five starts and his season total sits at 5.40.(21:15) The bullpen is...... good right now?!? The 'pen was unscathed in over five innings of work between five relievers. Konnor Pilkington struck out the side while tossing the bottom of the 7th.(27:00) Washington's top three pitchers take the mound this week at Yankee Stadium. New York is surprisingly in 3rd place in the AL East and are fighting for a playoff spot. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The win streak ends at three as the Nats lost 6-4 on Saturday night in Philly. Mark (From Philadelphia) & Al have another busy top of the 9th to discuss, but this time Washington's rally came up short. There were runners on the corners with one out, but both James Wood & CJ Abrams could not come through.(07:45) James Wood struck only three times in Saturday night's loss. Wood leads MLB with 171Ks and Mark Reynolds record 223 whiffs feels relevant with 33 games remaining.(10:45) Luis Garcia Jr. took grounders at 1B in pregame before getting a trio of hits. Could he switch from 2B to 1B at some point?(16:00) Mitchell Parker's evening started off on the right foot through three innings. The wheels came off in the bottom of the 4th as he gave up five runs in that frame. Parker has allowed 28 earned runs in five outings this month.(25:45) James Wood, CJ Abrams, & Drew Millas teamed up for a great relay play to throw out Alec Bohm out at the plate in the bottom of the 8th. Abrams was the middle man in the encounter and made a perfect throw to the plate in order to beat Bohm home. 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 in a row on Friday night in Philadelphia. Mark (From Philly) & Al speak after the 5-4 victory that saw Washington score a pair of runs in the top of the 9th.(03:30) Dylan Crews had a pair of hits and scored the tying run on a tight play at the plate. The team has a winning record this year with Crews in the lineup at 27-26.(10:15) Daylen Lile knocked in Crews and then scored via nifty base running for the go-ahead run. Lile's stolen base attempt drew a poor throw by JT Realmuto down the 3rd base line that brought Lile home.(13:30) Riley Adams crushed a 3-run HR in the top of the 1st out of the cleanup spot. Adams' OPS for August is a scorching .884 with two homers.(20:00) Cade Cavalli tossed a quality start that ended on a downer as he gave up a 2-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 6th. Cavalli has made four starts this month and his ERA is at 2.82.(25:00) PJ Poulin retired the final six Phillies batters to earn his first career win. Poulin remarkably was in the Tigers minor league system a few weeks ago and one of the reason Detroits let him go was due to their acquisition of Kyle Finnegan.(31:25) The win streak is in jeopardy on Saturday as the scuffling Mitchell Parker takes the mound.(35:05) A first-hand account of Eli Willits debut on Thursday night with the Low-A FredNats. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats overcame an early 3-0 deficit for a 9-3 victory over the Mets in Thursday's series rubber match. Al & Tim gather after Washington completed a winning home stand against the top two teams in the NL East. It was a costly defeat for New York as they lead Cincinnati by only half a game for the final NL Wildcard spot.(05:30) James Wood had a bad day at the plate until his 3-run HR in the bottom of the 8th to put the game out of reach. Wood struck out three times and has the most Ks in all of Baseball (167).(08:30) Brady House was not only back in the lineup, but he came through with a trio of hits while getting the start at 3B.(12:45) Riley Adams 2-run single gave the Nationals the lead for the first time in the bottom of the 5th. The hosts handicap the latest on the catching situation within the organization.(17:05) The bullpen came through again by combining to toss just over four scoreless frames. Jose A. Ferrer notched his 4th save of the season and is continuing to be a late season bright spot.(22:25) MacKenzie Gore had another poor outing for the 5th time in his past seven starts. Gore gave up a pair of homers, issued four walks, and only lasted 4.1 IP.(28:15) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, gives his weekly 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 held off the Mets 5-4 on Wednesday night as the bullpen stepped up for 3+ frames. Mark & Al open with Miguel Cairo's curious ejection that came within a blink of an eye while he was still in the dugout. Bench Coach Henry Blanco took over skipper duties after Cairo's ejection for the final few innings.(07:00) The offense jumped all over New York's starter Kodai Sega for five runs in as many innings. Drew Millas had a RBI triple and Josh Bell crushed his 16th homer of the season.(12:05) Brad Lord's solid outing fell apart in the top of the 6th as he gave up three Mets runs. Lord earned the win and has Cole Henry to thank for keeping the lead intact by escaping a jam in the pivotal 6th.(16:00) Shinnousuke Ogasawara, Clayton Beeter, and Jose A. Ferrer all pitched scoreless innings to protect the 5-4 lead. Ogasawara has looked encouraging out of the bullpen after not pitching well as a starter.(22:40) Paul DeJong got the start over Brady House again at 3B as House has missed four recent games. House has really struggled against lefties and his overall OPS is only .561.(28:30) Eli Willits is getting promoted to the Low-A FredNats. Willits went to West Palm Beach for a few weeks after being drafted #1 overall this summer. 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 pounded 8-1 on Tuesday night as Jake Irvin was no match for the Mets. Mark & Al contrast that with New York starter David Peterson, who continued his dominance vs. Washington. Peterson didn't allow a run until the 8th, after throwing a complete game shutout against the Nats earlier this summer.(08:45) Andres Chaparro collected two hits while getting the start at 1B. Chaparro was activated on Tuesday after Jose Tena was sent down to AAA-Rochester.(14:00) Jake Irvin had another bad outing by giving up six runs in as many innings. Irvin emerged unscathed from the top of the 1st, but then the Mets clobbered him for five runs in the the 3rd. Irvin's ERA is now up to 5.30, after finishing May with a 3.93 ERA.(23:00) Jackson Rutledge gave up his 14th homer of the season and it is becoming more and more likely that he won't be back with the organization next year.(25:10) An update on Josiah Gray as he has been cleared to face live hitters. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats 9th inning comeback came up short in Sunday's 11-9 loss to the Phillies. Al & Mark open with the performance of Dylan Crews who singled, doubled, and threw out a runner at the plate from RF. The offense collected 13 hits on a day when James Wood & Josh Bell were each given the day off.(12:30) Mitchell Parker was awful again as he was pulled in the 2nd inning after giving up six runs. Parker's ERA has ballooned to 5.83 and the question is whether or not he gets optioned to AAA.(16:45) Jose Tena was sent down after the game and reportedly it will be Andres Chaparro taking his spot. Chaparro was with Washington briefly earlier this season and he could see a lot of playing time at 1B. Paul DeJong made his first start at 1B on Sunday as the team is still searching for a new option after DFA'ing Nathaniel Lowe.(24:00) The Nationals acquired reliever Julian Fernandez and assigned him to Rochester. Fernandez came available after the Dodgers had a roster crunch on their 40-man. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats had one of their best days in awhile in Saturday's 2-0 victory over the visiting Phillies. Mark & Al discuss the young building blocks that contributed to the win; headlined by Cade Cavalli, who tossed seven shutout frames. Miguel Cairo showed trust in the young right-hander by allowing him to pitch the top of the 7th and last 90 pitches.(12:15) Jose A. Ferrer handled the final two frames and needed 24 pitches in order to do it. Ferrer notched his second save after taking over closer duties for the recently traded Kyle Finnegan.(20:45) James Wood's 2-run double in the bottom of the 5th provided the only offensive production of the day. Josh Bell was the lone member of Washington's lineup to have multiple hits in the afternoon.(29:00) Mitchell Parker will take the mound for Sunday's 11:35AM start time in the series finale. Aaron Nola will go for Philadelphia and it will be his first outing since he was placed on the IL in mid-May due to a sprained ankle.(30:45) Mark has more information on Keibert Ruiz fielding grounders at 1B on Friday during pregame warmups. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.