Nats Chat

The Nats beat the Braves 5-1 on Wednesday to give them their 65th victory of the season, with 17 games remaining. Al & Mark convene after the Nationals finish the successful season series against Atlanta, winning eight out of thirteen meetings.(04:00) Jake Irvin took a no-hitter into the 6th inning and only allowed one run during the evening. Irvin faced the Braves four times this season and only gave three earned runs in those match-ups. Irvin has thrown over 172 innings this season and might flirt with 190 frames tossed by the end of the season.(19:00) CJ Abrams slugged his 20th homer of the season to become the fifth player in franchise history to join the 20/20 plateau. The offense had a big night as they collected eleven hits off of Atlanta starter Max Fried.(27:45) Keibert Ruiz's RBI single gave Kyle Finnegan the final batch of insurance runs. Ruiz's OPS is at .983 for this month and he is aiming to end his long season on a high note.(30:30) Jose Tena was moved to 2B and Ildemaro Vargas took over at 3B. Tena produced at the plate and this was an indication that Washington will need to be flexible with his possible defensive future.(36:00) High-A Wilmington's season is over and that likely includes Jarlin Susana. Susana had more strikeouts than innings pitched this season, 157 Ks in 103.2 IP. What are the chances he could be in the majors in late 2025? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 clobbered and shutout 12-0 on Tuesday night vs. visiting Atlanta. Mark & Al have an ugly evening to recap as the Braves are desperately vying for Wild Card contention this week in the two game series. (04:00) MacKenzie Gore was awful and allowed seven runs in under four innings on the mound. This start was a setback for the young lefty, who was coming off of three consecutive solid outings. The hosts look big picture at the situation moving forward with Gore as confidence in him being the Ace of the future is waning.(15:00) The bullpen had a heavy workload in the loss and Ildemaro Vargas got the call to pitch the 9th inning. Are you in favor a mercy rule to avoid such instances in the future? This is 5th time in the past few years that Vargas has been used in relief.(22:10) Trevor Williams made a rehab start for Harrisburg and will do so again on Sunday. It is the franchise's hope that he is able to return to the majors in the final few weeks and help ease the workload for the young arms. Williams last pitched on May 30th before placed on the IL due to a right flexor strain.(26:15) Jose Tena committed his 8th error in just 24 games while at 3B, but also had a double at the plate This leads to a look at if Brady House will be in the majors by early next season at the hot corner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 on Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh to finish their two city road trip. Mark (From PNC Park) & Al leadoff with CJ Abrams, who returned to the top spot in the order and promptly homered to begin the game. Abrams is up to 19 home runs this season, surpassing last year's total.(07:30) Keibert Ruiz doubled on Sunday and his September is off to a scorching start. Ruiz is coming off a decent August, where his OPS was at .662.(14:00) Andres Chaparro doubled in the 9th and has nine of those in under a month with the team. The negative this series for Chaparro were the six strikeouts he had in the four game set.(21:10) Washington needed Patrick Corbin to throw 100 pitches after the long doubleheader and he delivered upon that request. He also gave up four runs in the 1st inning and seven overall to the Pirates.(28:00) The Nats have 19 games left and need 8 wins to finish with 72 victories, one more than in 2023. Next up is a two game series in Navy Yard against a desperate Braves squad beginning on Tuesday night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 both ends of the day/night twinbill in Pittsburgh to lift their win total to 64, which is just seven fewer than last season. Mark (From PNC Park & Al begin with DJ Herz, who tossed five no hit innings during Game 1 on Saturday afternoon. Mark explains the thinking behind removing Herz after only 87 pitches.(09:00) Dylan Crews filled the box score with a homer, double, walk, two runs scored, two RBIs, and a pair of stolen bases. Crews already has three homers in under two weeks of play. These were Crews' first games in Pittsburgh since the Pirates passed over him in last summer's draft.(11:45) Kyle Finnegan's first save of the afternoon was an adventure that ended with a 6-4-3 double play to preserve the 5-3 win.(15:00) CJ Abrams inexplicably didn't complete the tag in a rundown in the bottom of the 8th of Game 2. This led to the Pirates briefly taking a two run lead before Washington's 9th inning rally.(19:30) The Nats scored four runs in the top of the 9th and batted around on their way to an 8-6 victory. The big hit belonged to Ildemaro Vargas, who's 2-run go ahead single put his team ahead for good. The rally began with Juan Yepez and many young hitters contributed to the late comeback.(27:10) Mitchell Parker struggled right away and was removed in the bottom of the 4th. Parker has not pitched well recently and has admitted that he has been "out of sync".(32:00) Kyle Finnegan is now up to 36 saves and the 40 plateau is very well within reach. Chad Cordero owns the franchise record with 47 saves from the 2005 season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats squandered an early lead and lost 9-4 in Pittsburgh on Thursday night and now are season worst 16 games below .500. Mark (From PNC Park) & Al examine Jake Irvin's disappointing outing that saw him allow six runs in only five innings of work. This is the second straight start that Irvin was done in by the big inning (vs. the Cubs over the weekend) and continues his recent downward trend on the mound. This leads to a discussion on who might get the nod to start on Opening Day.(15:30) The bullpen also didn't pitch well and the low point came in the bottom of the 6th. The Pirates scored three runs in the frame and they came via a passed ball and multiple walks with the bases loaded.(21:00) Nasim Nunez got the start at SS instead of CJ Abrams. Nunez had two hits from the 9th spot in the lineup and the hosts wonder if he is an example of some of the "Rule 5" deficiencies. Nunez has very few plate appearances this season, but is impressively 10 for his last 19.(32:10) Andres Chaparro quickly put Washington up 3-0 with a 3-run HR on Thursday. Chaparro has shown flashes of power at the plate since joining the organization at the Trade Deadline.(34:20) Juan Yepez had a pair of hits his OPS is .796 since getting called up two months ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 Marlins for the first time this season on Wednesday evening. Al & Tim recap the 4-3 loss that ended on a walk-off Miami single by Xavier Edwards in the bottom of the 10th. Washington's bullpen could not hang onto the 3-2 lead they inherited in the 8th inning and they allowed three runs in nearly four innings of work.(08:00) MacKenzie Gore was dominant and took a Perfect Game bid into the 6th. Gore struck out nine Marlins and only issued one walk in the outing. This is Gore's third consecutive solid start after he hit a rough patch over the summer.(14:30) All the Nationals run came in the top of the 8th and the highlight was James Wood's go-ahead RBI double.(18:00) Who is the 2024 team MVP? Luis Garcia Jr.? Jacob Young? Someone else?(21:45) Dylan Crews drew a pair of walks while hitting leadoff and meanwhile CJ Abrams went hit-less from the 7th spot in the order. Abrams has been really scuffling lately and it seems like Crews might be new leadoff man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats started their road trip on the right note with a 6-2 victory in Miami on Tuesday night. Mark & Al open with Keibert Ruiz, who was a triple shy of the cycle in the win. Ruiz hit his 13th homer of the season in the top of the 6th to give Washington a four run lead.(12:00) Jacob Young reached base four times and he has raised his OPS by 54 points in less than a month.(19:15) Joey Gallo slugged a 3-run HR to put the Nationals on top 4-0. It was Gallo's first time going deep since June 3rd and was only his 6th of the season.(25:00) Patrick Corbin continued to pitch well for the 3rd consecutive outing and struck out 8 Marlins in the process. Will Corbin extend his career into 2025?(35:15) Cade Cavalli threw off a mound on Tuesday in Miami but it sounds like he likely won't return to the mound this season. The hope seems to be that he will be ready for Spring Training and his only appearance in the majors thus far came in August of 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 blown out on Sunday afternoon 14-1 by the Cubs to complete the three game sweep. Al & Mark discuss the poor defense, that saw three more errors (two by Jose Tena). The Nationals have 61 wins and need 11 more to improve on their win total from last season and there are 25 games remaining.(07:00) Washington was charged with three errors and it easily could have been five. Davey Martinez expressed his displeasure at the poor team defense afterwards.(14:10) Mitchell Parker committed his fifth error of the season and only has had a dozen defensive opportunities. Why is he so bad at fielding the position thus far?(25:00) Darren Baker, son of Dusty, singled on the first pitch he saw in his MLB debut in the bottom of the 9th. Baker was drafted in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft and was hitting .285 this year for Rochester.(34:05) Derek Law is expected to be activated and join the bullpen in Miami on Tuesday. The Nationals are oddly enough off on Monday's Labor Day Holiday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 5-3 on Saturday afternoon against the Cubs to conclude August at 61-75 overall. Mark & Al recap DJ Herz's outing against his former organization, who traded him to the Nationals last summer in exchange for Jeimer Candelario. Herz was outstanding in the opening four frames, but the wheels came off in the top of 5th, where he allowed four Chicago runs.(09:00) Drew Millas committed a crucial error in the top of the 7th in a rare start behind the plate. Millas did well offensively however as he came through with a pair of singles.(12:10) Dylan Crews best play of the game came in the top of the 8th when he threw out Seiya Suzuki at the plate. Crews meanwhile with the bat came away with a just single in the loss.(17:45) Jose Tena continued his surge at the plate with a trio of singles, but was one of the two Nationals who made an out on the bases in the bottom of the 6th. Tena was called up three weeks ago and is hitting .305 in that span.(30:00) Jacob Young didn't have the best game with his glove, but did appropriately double in the final game of the month. His OPS was .769, much higher than July's .540(31:20) Washington is calling up infielder Darren Baker from Rochester. Baker is Dusty's son and is best known for JT Snow saving from a home plate collision in the middle of the 2002 World Series.(38:00) An update from AA courtesy of Terry Byrom, the Voice of the Harrisburg Senators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats rally fell short in their 7-6 loss to the visiting Cubs on Friday evening. Al hosts solo and begins with Dylan Crews, who hit his 2nd career HR in the bottom of the 3rd. Crews struck out in the bottom of the 9th for the final out; stranding two runners.(07:00) CJ Abrams was moved down in the lineup to the 7th spot and responded with an 0 for 3 night with a walk. Hear Davey Martinez's pregame explanation as to why he dropped Abrams in order.(14:20) Jake Irvin had a disastrous top of the 2nd where he allowed all seven Chicago runs. Irvin had a bad August as his ERA for the month was 6.61 and for comparison in June his ERA was 2.31.(22:00) Al answers a listener email wondering about the future of ownership. Will the stadium get a corporate title sponsor in the near future? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 Yankees 5-2 on Wednesday night to take the series in D.C. Mark & Al chronicle the first career HR for Dylan Crews and it came in just his third game. Crews would later add a double to stuff the box score and serve as stark reminder to fans that brighter days are ahead. Crews hit leadoff and is expected to do so when Washington is facing a lefty starter.(09:30) James Wood had a pair of hits but more impressively stole three bases on Wednesday night. Wood has 11 stolen bags since being called up in early July.(16:00) MacKenzie Gore had a second straight solid start as he only allowed two runs in six innings of work. One important note though is that Gore didn't toss a clean inning in the outing.(19:15) Kyle Finnegan had an adventurous top of the 9th but did record his 34th save of the season. Finnegan is in 2nd place in the NL for saves, but it will be difficult to overtake the Cardinals' Ryan Helsley (40).(24:00) The Nationals had a series of bad base running on one play in the bottom of the 8th that you have to see or hear to believe. Why do they continually make so man mistakes on the base paths?(32:10) CJ Abrams was given a day off to reset prior to this weekend vs. the Cubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 Yankees 4-2 on Tuesday night behind Patrick Corbin's six shutout innings. Mark & Al wonder if this is Corbin's most impressive appearance since Game 7 of the World Series. Oddly enough, the pitcher that notably never entered that Game 7 (Gerrit Cole), was the losing pitcher in this affair.(5:00) Dylan Crews singled off of Cole for his first career hit and then later added another single, stolen base, and run scored. Crews was slotted lower in the lineup (7th) due to facing a right-handed starter.(13:20) Andres Chaparro and Jose Tena went back-to-back off Cole to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead. It was the first career HR for Chaparro and it came against the organization that signed him in 2015.(17:00) Corbin struck out six including Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. Will Corbin get a job somewhere next year after an outing after this?(22:20) The defense turned one of their best double plays of the season (6-4-3) and it was crucial for Jose A. Ferrer to emerge out of the top of the 7th unscathed.(25:45) Kyle Finnegan had a bit of drama along the way but he did notch his 33rd save of the season, which is 2nd most in the National League. The hosts look ahead toward his looming Arbitration this off-season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dylan Crews debuted in front nearly 33K fans but the Nats lost 5-2 on Monday night in D.C. against the AL leading Yankees. Mark & Al evaluate Crews' evening as he went 0 for 3 but did a draw walk in defeat. Mark also explains the best he can as to why Davey Martinez did not hold a postgame press conference.(10:00) Aaron Judge stole the stole... with his glove. Judge made two excellent plays n the field and one of them resulted in a double play at the expense of James Wood.(16:30) Jacob Young homered for the third time this season while hitting 9th. Young has played so well defensively, that he forced Washington to put Crews in RF, which was unexpected in Spring Training.(25:15) Mitchell Parker only lasted for four innings on 83 pitches. Parker also dropped a routine toss while covering 1B for his fourth error on the season.(29:00) Tanner Rainey tossed a perfect inning to retire Juan Soto, Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton on just four pitches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 Braves 5-1 on Sunday afternoon to clinch a winning record over their division rivals this season (7-4 thus far). Mark (From Cobb County) and Al evaluate the importance of that stat is in terms of measuring where the organization currently sits.(05:00) DJ Herz tossed five scoreless innings and struck out eight. Herz has made seven starts in the majors this year and his ERA is at 3.84.(08:30) Eduardo Salazar recorded five outs out of the bullpen and has not allowed a run in ten appearances this month. Salazar was acquired off the waiver wire in June after Seattle let him go.(12:00) Jacob Young had a pair of hits and scored a run in the victory. The hosts note that in a less competitive year, Young would firmly be in the NL Rookie of the Year race.(20:30) CJ Abrams had an up and down performance on Sunday. Abrams had two RBI singles, but committed an error for the third consecutive day. Abrams seems off in the field and there are growing concerns at where this is headed.(25:00) Drew Millas came through with a pair of hits and will probably stay with the club as the backup catcher this week. The team needs to open a roster spot for Dylan Crews and that likely will be Riley Adams.(28:15) Crews will make his debut on Monday night vs. Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and the New York Yankees. What will the attendance look like? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 early on but lost 4-2 on Saturday night in Atlanta. Mark (From Cobb County, GA) & Al begin with the team's decision to call up Drew Millas instead of Dylan Crews to replace the injured Alex Call this weekend. The organization decided not to alter the date of Crews' debut after Call was placed on the IL due to a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his left foot.(08:30) All the offense came from Jose Tena's first career MLB homer. Tena had a trio of hits and so far is hitting .400 since joining Washington two weeks ago.(11:45) CJ Abrams had another costly error and it occurred in the pivotal bottom of the 6th. Something seems off with Abrams on defense recently.(18:00) Jake Irvin exited the game after 83 pitches and the bullpen did not come through. Irvin gave up a pair of runs in just over five innings of work and Mark notes why he feels Irvin should have been left in the game longer as opposed to bringing in Robert Garcia.(23:20) Jacob Young was picked off on Saturday after making two outs on the bases on Friday night. We have run out of commentary on this team problem that continues on a near daily basis.(26:30) This was the 1,000th game managed by Davey Martinez since he took over before the 2018 season. There has not been any pressure on Davey during the Rebuild, but that is expected to change come next season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Friday was a busy one for the Nationals as it began with news that Dylan Crews will make his MLB debut on Monday night and it ended with the team falling 3-2 in Atlanta. Mark (From Cobb County, GA) & Al evaluate how Alex Call's injury could affect the team's plans this weekend in the outfield.(09:00) Crews will face the Juan Soto and the Yankees in his first game in the majors on Monday night in D.C. Crews began the year with AA-Harrisburg, but has been with AAA-Rochester since June 18th. The timeline of announcing that Crews will debut at home in three days mirrored how the organization handled the James Wood promotion earlier this summer.(18:10) As for the actual game, the Nats lost in gut punch fashion as CJ Abrams' throwing error in the bottom of the 10th led to the Braves narrow victory.(25:00) The Nats ran into more outs on the bases despite getting nine hits off of NL Cy Young front runner Chris Sale. Hear a possible reason why Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. were not in the lineup against the star lefty.(31:20) The biggest bright spot on Friday for Washington was MacKenzie Gore's very good outing vs. the Braves. Gore was pitch efficient and only allowed one run in six innings of work. It was Gore's best start on the mound since all the way back on July 1st vs. the Mets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 Rockies 8-3 on Thursday afternoon to take the series in D.C. Mark & Al have more good James Wood things to discuss as he drove in two runs and lifted his OPS to .837. The NL Rookie of the Year race is already very crowded, but Wood is putting himself in fringe contention.(08:00) Keibert Ruiz's RBI double continued his strong August performance. His OPS this month is at .855, which is significantly better than his season's total (.631).(12:15) Luis Garcia Jr. had a pair of hits and he is making a case as the team's MVP this season. Garcia's average is up to .296 and he is quietly competing for the NL Batting title.(18:25) Juan Yepez's hit a 3-run HR to put the game out of reach in the bottom of the 8th. Yepez is coming off some rest after Joey Gallo was activated onto the roster.(21:00) Patrick Corbin lasted six innings and earned the 100th win of his career. Davey Martinez congratulated the veteran lefty and made sure to note that the World Series title doesn't happen without his contributions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats beat visiting Colorado on Wednesday 6-1 behind Mitchell Parker's superb pitching. Al & Mark examine Parker's outing, where he only needed 83 pitches to make it through seven innings. Parker has been volatile this summer as his results have been all over the map, but this was a nice bounce back start.(09:00) Tanner Rainey finished the victory on the mound after making a rare 9th inning appearance. Rainey's ERA was at 7.77 on June 27th but now is at 5.40 just under two months later.(14:10) James Wood gathered three hits, but was tagged out during a botched double steal in the 5th. Wood has had at least three hits in a game four times since he was called up from Rochester in early July.(22:00) Dylan Crews had four hits on Wednesday in Rochester's win. The hosts compare his situation to the patient approach that worked out with James Wood for the organization.(24:20) Luis Garcia Jr. clubbed a crucial 3-run HR to extend Washington's advantage to 5-0. Garcia leads the team in OPS and is near CJ Abrams for most homers on the team (15 for Garcia/ 18 for Abrams). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 their brief home stand with a 3-1 loss to Colorado, who is in last place in the NL West. Mark & Al have another listless offensive performance to run through as the team returns to 14 games below .500. CJ Abrams homer was the only highlight and Luis Garcia was the lone member of the lineup to come through with multiple hits.(07:30) Joey Gallo is back in Washington after missing over two months due to a hamstring injury. It is unclear how much Gallo will play while guys such as Andres Chaparro and Juan Yepez are on the roster.(16:00) DJ Herz overcame a difficult opening inning to end up with a respectable start. Herz struck out seven hitters and so far this season he has 75 Ks in just over 60 IP.(23:15) Mitchell Parke will take the mound on Wednesday and he is emblematic of how up and down the young arms of the staff have been recently.(30:00) Dylan Crews homered on Tuesday night and it feels like his promotion to the majors could come any day now.(32:30) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, gives an update from AAA. Names discussed include Crews, Brady House, Darren Baker, and Brad Lord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 able to leave Philadelphia with a victory after Sunday's 6-4 triumph. Al & Tim have a mammoth James Wood homer to discuss that served as 9th inning insurance. It was the first time Wood pulled a home run since getting called up from the minors.(10:15) Keibert Ruiz continued his strong August with a game tying homer, his third of the series. Alex Call also went deep as he settles into life as the everyday RFer.(14:20) CJ Abrams was originally slated for a day off, but decided to play in order to end the losing streak. (20:00) Jake Irvin's outing ended on a sour note due to ceding back-back HRs in the bottom of the 6th. Irvin gave up three homers on Sunday and this has become a recent trend for him.(24:05) Jacob Barnes extended his streak of scoreless relief appearances to eight and has been flying under the radar. Kyle Finnegan took over for him in the 9th and notched his 31st save of the season, the 2nd most in the National League.(28:15) Answering a listener email about Dylan Crews' offensive performance this season in Harrisburg and Rochester. When will he be sent to Washington? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats long weekend in Philadelphia continued after their 5-1 loss on Saturday evening. Al & Tim take stark notice that the season continues to decline as they are now 14 games below .500 and there are still six weeks remaining.(09:00) The offense only mustered two hits, but one of them was an Alex Call solo HR. It was another night with no hits for CJ Abrams and he is mired in an 0 for 14 slump.(12:45) MacKenzie Gore's outing was going well as he only had given up one run through five innings of work. That all changed in the bottom of the 6th as the Phillies scored four more runs off of the lefty. Gore has now struggled in nine of his past ten stars and questions persist on how to handle the situation.(21:00) Before the game it was announced that Derek Law is headed to the IL due to a right elbow flexor strain. Law is expressing confidence that he will be back soon, but his absence leaves a rather large void in the current "A Bullpen".(27:00) For the 2nd straight season, the Nationals were delayed by a half hour due to Philadelphia's Wall of Fame Ceremony. Why did they advertise it as a 6:05pm start, when the reality was not until 6:35pm? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trea Turner got the game winning hit against his old team as the Nats lost 3-2 in Philadelphia on Friday night. Al & Mark recap the hectic ninth inning which began by the score of 2-0 with the Phillies leading. Kyle Finnegan pitched the final frame, but was not the beneficiary of good defense behind him.(12:45) Patrick Corbin only gave up a pair of runs, but was relieved in the bottom of the 5th. Corbin's ERA this season is at 5.92, which is not as bad as his ERA in 2022 (6.31).(18:00) CJ Abrams went 0 for 5 while hitting behind lead-off hitter Alex Call in Friday's batting order. Abrams was rightfully an All-Star, but Al points out that his success so far this year is limited to largely April & June.(22:10) Another good game for James Wood as he gathered a trio of hits and reached base four times. However, he was caught stealing for the 6th time in only 12 attempts so far.(30:00) The hosts sift through all the nitty gritty as the team weighs what is next for Dylan Crews. There is an avenue to call him up for the final month or so without taking away his rookie status for 2025. The next home game for Washington is on Tuesday night against Colorado.(34:05) Crucial start for MacKenzie Gore on Saturday evening vs. the potent Philly lineup. There are increasing calls to send Gore to AAA as he has struggled mightily this summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 13-3 on Thursday night in Philadelphia to open up a four game set. Al & Mark run through the grisly box score totals for Mitchell Parker who allowed nine runs in just three plus innings on the mound. The last bad outing for Parker came on July 24th vs. the Padres as part of his up and down season. Weston Wilson of the Phillies tripled off of Parker on his way to hitting for the cycle.(12:30) The Nationals committed three errors in the loss and the final one was the biggest surprise. Just one inning after making an outstanding catch, Jacob Young whiffed on the ball in the outfield in the bottom of the 7th. Mark explains what led to the very out of character mistake by Young.(24:10) Keibert Ruiz was the bulk of the offense as he clubbed a pair of homers in defeat. Ruiz has struggled this season, but is swinging a hot bat in August.(30:00) Hear an explanation of the details involved in the decision of when to call Dylan Crews up to Washington. Will he be in the Big Leagues this month? Learn how the new "PPI" is involved in all of this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 night in Baltimore, but the news of the day came before the game. Mark (From Camden Yards) & Al react to the surprising news that this week the full coaching staff already signed their 2025 contracts. Did anyone see this coming in mid-August?(11:00) This means that Hitting Coach Darnell Coles will be coming back for a 4th season with the organization. The initial fan reaction to this was not positive on social media. How much does Victor Robles' turnaround hurt the defense of Coles staying in the job.(21:00) As for the actual game, the offense did not carry over their success from the previous evening. Alex Call drove in the only run and was the lone member of the lineup with multiple hits (both doubles).(24:15) DJ Herz pitched decently as he only allowed a pair of runs in six innings of work. Herz is making the case as of late to be the team's most reliable starting pitcher right now.(31:20) The Nationals and Orioles split their two game series this week; just like when they met in D.C. in May. The Nats begin a four game series in Philadelphia on Thursday night and will have to immediately face Zack Wheeler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 Orioles 9-3 on Tuesday as Andres Chaparro and James Wood combined for seven hits. Mark (From Baltimore) & Al start with Chaparro, who gathered three doubles in his Big League debut. Chaparro has turned heads in the organization since being acquired just hours before the Trade Deadline. Last week during his brief stay with Rochester, Chaparro homered in four straight games.(08:00) Wood came through with four hits in his first game played in his native state of Maryland. Wood has reached the four hit milestone twice already and his OPS this month is 1.044.(15:00) The offense had fourteen hits overall and three of them came from CJ Abrams. The shortstop is now up to 21 stolen bases this season and trails Jacob Young for the team lead with 27.(20:00) Harold Ramirez was DFA'd before the game to make way for Chaparro's arrival. Ramirez spent two months with Washington after the Rays parted ways with him in June.(27:10) Jake Irvin threw a solid outing as he only allowed a pair of runs in six innings of work. Irvin was in need a of a good start after giving up a combined nine runs in his two previous appearances.(32:00) Chaparro played at 1B on Tuesday, but it is unclear which infield position he projects long term. The hosts name a pair of AL East outfielders to keep your eye on this Winter for the Nationals at 1B.(35:15) Cade Cavalli has arrived at the team facility in West Palm Beach, FL. Mark weighs in on the chances for him to make a major league start at some point later this season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 unable to complete sweep as they fell 6-4 on Sunday afternoon against Anaheim. Mark & Al though begin with the first ever foul ball to reach to the Nationals Press Box and it was corralled by Mr. Zuckerman. The Shirley Povich Press Box is one of the highest perches in all of Baseball and no foul balls had reached inside that level until this game.(08:00) MacKenzie Gore was bad again and he has not pitched well since July 1st. Given his recent struggles, should his next start in the rotation get skipped? Gore needed 29 pitches in the opening inning and only lasted five frames.(19:00) The bullpen colectively allowed just one run, but issued seven walks in only four innings on the mound. Jordan Weems was the biggest offender as he walked four batters, including one for a run, after returning to the team this weekend.(26:00) Nasim Nunez started every game in this series as CJ Abrams sat out out of the starting lineups due to back spasms. Abrams was a late scratch on Friday night and it will be telling to see if he plays on Tuesday night in Baltimore. His only appearance this weekend was him pinch-running and ultimately scoring the winning run on Saturday night in the bottom of the 10th.(31:10) Jacob Young homered in the bottom of the 8th for the team's first run. It was Young's first homer since June 16th and he has struggled at the plate. What are the chances he is able to improve his hitting? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats went to extra innings for the third straight day on Saturday and emerged with a 5-4 victory over the visiting Angels. Al & Tim begin with James Wood, who homered and doubled in the win. Wood is hitting .344 this month, which is much better than the .245 he sported in July.(08:30) Prior to the game Jose Tena was called up from AAA-Rochester and immediately started at 3B. Tena ended up the hero as his 10th inning hit brought in CJ Abrams for the winning run. Tena was recently acquired in the Lane Thomas trade with Cleveland, where he had limited Big League experience.(11:45) Tena swapped roster spots with Trey Lipscomb, who was sent down to Rochester for the 4th time this season. This comes just one month after it seemed Lipscomb had the 3B for the rest of the season, but he has not performed well at the plate.(14:20) Alex Call had two hits on Saturday and has had five multi-hit games since recently getting called up from Rochester. Call also flashed the leather as he had an outfield assist.(19:00) The bullpen tossed six scoreless innings in relief of Patrick Corbin. Derek Law pitched the 9th and the 10th as Kyle Finnegan was given the night off.(24:00) The Nationals will go for the sweep on Sunday morning. The series finale will start at 11:35AM as part of the new national Roku streaming package. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Friday night was a banner evening for the Nats organization, capped off with a 3-2 win in extras over the visiting Angels. Al & Mark begin by updating you on the highlights that occurred across the team's minor league affiliates on Friday. They then shine a spotlight on Alex Call, who had walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th; his 3rd hit of the day.(08:00) The Nationals past met its future when James Wood had an infield single at the expense of Anthony Rendon. It seemed like Rendon did not realize how much speed Wood has when running down the line.(12:30) Washington benefited from good pitching all night between Mitchell Parker, Jacob Barnes, and Kyle Finnegan. Parker is seriously making a case as the team's best starting pitcher this season and his ERA currently sits at 3.83.(22:00) CJ Abrams was a late scratch and Nasim Nunez filled at SS. Nunez was dealing with cramps late in the game as Mark points out the odd circumstances surrounding his roster status and what that might mean.(24:00) Rendon received a standing ovation from the crowd as it was his first time returning to Navy Yard since the 2019 World Series. Rendon had three singles, but did strikeout in the top of the 10th. Amazingly, the Angels have used more players at 3B since signing Rendon than the Nationals have in that time frame. (30:00) Who was better at 3B at their peak? Rendon or Ryan Zimmerman? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thursday was a long afternoon in Navy Yard that featured a pair of rain delays before the Giants outlasted the Nationals 9-5 in extra innings. Mark & Al parse through the terrible Washington defense late in the game, which was due to more than just the wet field conditions, evidenced by San Francisco not committing any errors on their end.(09:00) James Wood misplayed a ball in the top of the 4th and his defense has been disappointing so far in LF. Why does he look so uncomfortable out there?(14:00) The game was tied at two entering the top of the 9th, before the affair took on an entirely new trajectory. Kyle Finnegan had a really bad inning, that not only saw three Giants runs, but also included him not backing up an errant throw. Mark points out that the weather did affect Finnegan's array of pitches in the outing.(24:00) Lost in the shuffle, Luis Garcia Jr. sent the game into the 10th with a 3-run HR as he was down to his final strike. This homer concluded a wild 9th inning that saw both team plate three runs.(30:00) The Nats host the Angels this weekend and more rain is in the forecast on Friday. The team did not have an off-day this week and are in need of one after using seven relieverson Thursday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 7-4 to the Giants on Wednesday night as the rain mostly held off. Mark & Al though begin with the announcement that the Annual Nats Chat Podcast Party will be at Walter's Sports Bar in Navy Yard on..... Friday October 4th from 6:30-8:30pm.(04:00) Emblematic of the organizational decline in pitching, Jake Irvin did not pitch well for the fourth time in his past six starts. Irvin gave up three homers and he has allowed a startling ten homers in the past month.(17:00) Alex Call was all over on the place on Wednesday while coming through with two hits from the second spot in the order. Call made multiple nice plays in the outfield, but he did hit into a game ending double play with the bases loaded.(23:00) Juan Yepez homered in the loss while slotted third in the batting order. Yepez has been up from AAA for a little over a month and his OPS is .a whopping 903 in that stretch.(30:00) Trey Lipscomb got the start at 3B, but was pinch hit later in the game. Lipscomb is really struggling at the plate and has not a multi hit day since July 12th. Could he be replaced by the newly acquired Jose Tena, who is currently at Rochester? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 knock off the Giants 11-5 on Tuesday evening in Navy Yard. Mark & Al have plenty of praise to shower on James Wood as he homered and scored four times in the victory. Wood already has 23 RBI since getting called up to the majors, which is five more than Nick Senzel had in his time with Washington, despite Senzel having almost one hundred more at-bats than the rookie this season.(11:30) CJ Abrams' 3-run HR gave the Nationals the lead for good at 5-4 in the bottom of the 2nd. You need to watch the highlight of this homer as Abrams somehow hit a pitch above his eyes over the fence.(14:00) Keibert Ruiz doubled and homered on Tuesday night to continue his strong start to August. The hosts discuss how important the final few months of the season are for the catcher.(18:00) Alex Call had a pair of RBI doubles and also drew a walk. Call has produced at the plate since getting promoted from AAA in late jUly.(23:00) MacKenzie Gore had an awful beginning to this game as he immediately allowed four San Francisco runs. Gore has not pitched well in seven of his past eight starts and his trajectory is a growing concern. To his credit though, Gore did last five innings before handing it off to the bullpen.(31:00) The Nats moved up Thursday's game vs. the Giants to 12:05PM from the original 4:05pm start time. There is a lot of rain in the D.C. forecast for the next few days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 to the visiting Giants on Monday night to begin the four game series. Mark & Al point out how the offense has scored less than two runs in 22 of their 62 defeats thus far this season. The Nationals have hit the fewest homers in all of MLB this year, even less than the woeful White Sox.(06:00) CJ Abrams went 0 for 5 in the leadoff spot and his August is off to a slow start. Abrams' OPS was at .857 at the end of June, but it now currently sits at .769.(17:10) Is Hitting Coach Darnell Coles' job on the line in the final few months? We've received many emails and tweets on the topic and this leads to discussion on Victor Robles' recent success in Seattle.(24:00) Patrick Corbin was tagged with the loss as San Francisco quickly took a 4-0 lead vs. the lefty. Corbin's ERA is now up to 5.88 and hopes of it falling below 5.00 seemed to be dashed.(29:25) We shine a spotlight on a pair of pitchers at the Single-A level. Travis Sykora, who recently threw five no-hit innings for the Fred Nats, and also Jarlin Susana of the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 Brewers 4-3 on Sunday afternoon to take the series. Mark & Al have more praise for Luis Garcia Jr. who homered for the second straight day. Garcia Jr. had to fight for the starting 2B job in Spring Training, but at this point seems to be a lock for Opening Day 2025.(10:30) James Wood came through with a 3-run triple to give Washington a 4-0 lead. Wood has only been with team for a month, but already has 20 RBIs. For comparison's sake, Wood has 9 more RBIs this season than Joey Gallo, who has 31 more at-bats than the rookie.(17:00) Mitchell Parker tossed six scoreless innings against a lineup that a few weeks ago scored five runs against him. Parker's ERA is at 4.06 in his rookie season.(23:15) Robert Garcia allowed three runs in the top of the 8th and the bullpen clearly is weakened since the July trades. Could Jackson Rutledge be tried out as a reliever in the final few months?(29:00) The home stand continues on Monday as the San Francisco Giants come to town for four games. Blake Snell is slated to pitch on Wednesday; coming off a No-Hitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats scored four runs right away and rode the momentum towards a 6-4 victory over the Brewers on Saturday afternoon to end their five game losing streak. Al & Mark convene after the weather surprisingly held off and the game was able to played on time and without any delay.(06:00) Luis Garcia Jr. hit third and rewarded Davey Martinez with a big afternoon. Garcia had three hits including a solo homer to give his team a five run lead as he was a triple shy of the cycle. The hosts use this opportunity to praise Garcia for his solid season and reflect on the recent obstacles he overcame within the organization.(12:00) Alex Call was part of the four run opening inning as he came through with a RBI single. Call has been very impressive at the plate in his brief time up at the majors this season.(16:30) DJ Herz earned the win by only allowing one run in five innings of work. Herz has pitched well since he returned from AAA and has exceeded expectations after the organization traded for him last summer.(24:00) Kyle Finnegan recorded the final four outs after taking over for Joan Adon in the 8th. Is the plan to keep Adon in a set-up role for the final few months?(32:00) Josiah Gray was at Nationals Park on Saturday shortly after having season ending surgery. Mark relays what Gray told reporters before the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats lost 8-3 to the Brewers on Friday night to start their ten game home stand. Al hosts solo after the Nationals fifth consecutive defeat, which puts them at a season worst 12 games below .500. Jake Irvin pitched into the 6th and was charged with four runs after giving up six hits. Five relievers were needed to cover the final 10 outs and Jose A. Ferrar gave up a pair of runs in less than an inning of work.(06:00) There was more bad news about Cade Cavalli as he has yet to ramp up in West Palm Beach as was previously scheduled. Cavalli underwent Tommy John surgery 16 months ago, but it seems increasingly unlikely he will pitch in the majors this season.(11:00) The offense did briefly overcome an early 3-0 deficit, but did not score vs. the Brewers bullpen. CJ Abrams homered on the two year anniversary of the Juan Soto trade with the Padres that brought Abrams to D.C.(16:00) Al reads a couple of listener submitted emails that have to do with Darnell Coles' job status as hitting coach and also a check in on the state of the Rebuild.(29:00) Jason Prill, the Voice of the Lynchburg Hillcats, gives us a scouting report on Alex Clemmey and Rafael Ramirez Jr. These were two of the three prospects acquired from the Guardians organization in exchange for Lane Thomas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 5-2 on Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix for their fourth consecutive defeat. Mark (From Arizona) & Al dig into MacKenzie Gore's so-so start where he gave up three runs in just five innings of work. Gore's ERA is at 4.54, which is much higher than the 2.91 ERA that he brought into June.(12:00) Keibert Ruiz exited the game early after getting hit in the groin while behind the plate. Ruiz flew home with the team, which is noteworthy because in 2022 he was unable to travel with his teammates following a similar injury.(17:00) As they have a habit of doing, the offense did their best in late innings as they almost fully trimmed the four run deficit. Luis Garcia Jr. capped a great month with a RBI single and James Wood had a pair of hits in the loss.(20:00) Jacob Young made a fantastic catch after coming off a rare day on the bench. It is time to start promoting Young's candidacy for a Gold Glove Award.(28:00) The Nationals open a ten game home stand on Friday night by hosting the Brewers. As of now Joe Ross is not slated to take the mound, but he will be on full rest by Sunday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats made one final trade in the closing minutes of the trade deadline on Tuesday evening. Mark (From Phoenix) & Al though begin with a player not dealt away, All-Star closer Kyle Finnegan, and react to Mike Rizzo's comments on why the right-hander stayed in Washington. The hosts layout the potential scenarios that are next for Finnegan as he is under team control in 2025.(14:00) Dylan Floro was sent to Arizona in exchange for corner infielder Andres Chaparro as their final move before the deadline. Chaparro is having a strong offensive season in AAA and might project to a future DH. Floro was signed to a one year deal in the off-season and in four months with the Nationals his WHIP was at a solid 1.05.(19:00) There were rumors online that the Nats were vying to trade for Cardinals OFer Dylan Carlson. Any truth to them?(22:00) The Nationals made four trades this month (Harvey, Thomas, Floro, and Winker) and the hosts discuss the best acquisitions made by the organization.(25:00) As for the game on Tuesday, it was the worst loss in franchise history as they lost 17-0 at the Diamondbacks. Patrick Corbin had another awful outing by allowing eleven runs in only three innings of work.(35:30) Travis Blankenhorn was called from AAA_Rochester to fill an open roster. Blankenhorn briefly played in Washington last season and is likely a place holder until Dylan Crews eventually gets promoted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 busy Monday that began with Lane Thomas getting traded to Cleveland and ended with Kyle Finnegan giving up five runs in the bottom of the 9th in Arizona for a gut punch 9-8 loss. Mark (From Phoenix) & Al start with Finnegan, who imploded on the eve of the Trade Deadline, an outing that ended with Corbin Carroll's walk-off 2-run HR. Any surprise that Davey would risk injury to Finnegan due to trade implications?(15:00) Mitchell Parker bounced back from two rough starts with a decent outing on Monday night. Parker had allowed eleven combined runs in his two previous appearances on the mound.(18:00) Alex Call, recently called up from AAA, homered in the top of the 1st while taking over for Thomas in RF. Harold Ramirez also had a pair of hits, including a RBI double, while hitting third in the new look order.(22:00) Thomas was sent to the Guardians in exchange for three prospects. The headliner in the haul is LHP Alex Clemmey, who was taken in the 2nd round last summer. Mark also then explains why Wood is still playing LF after the trade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul Goldschmidt's solo homer walked off the Nats 4-3 on Sunday afternoon in St. Louis. Mark (From Busch Stadium) & Al start by wondering if Dylan Floro should have returned to the mound with the game tied in the bottom of the 9th. Floro had been in the game since the 7th after escaping a jam set up by Robert Garcia. It was the first homer that Floro allowed all season.(07:00) The Trade Deadline is at 6pm Eastern on Tuesday July 30th. The Nationals have made two trades so far, but a cloud of uncertainty is hanging over the team during this road trip.(14:00) Get to learn more about Tyler Stuart, the AA pitcher that Washington acquired from the Mets in exchange for Jesse Winker.(18:00) DJ Herz struck out eight Cardinals in just five innings of work. Herz has only allowed a pair of runs in each of his past two outings since called back up to the majors.(21:00) Lane Thomas extended his on base streak to 25 games. Thomas is very much on the trade block as questions remain on who should play RF long term.(31:00) CJ Abrams is having an All-Star season, but not a good July. Abrams had a fantastic April & June, but has mightily struggled in both May and this current month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Following a two hour rain delay, the Nats crushed the Cardinals 14-3 on Saturday night. Mark (From St. Louis) & Al begin with the reports that Jesse Winker was traded to the Mets in the middle of the game and as of taping it is unclear what the compensation will be. The Nationals signed Winker in February to a minor league deal after he struggled mightily last season in Milwaukee.(11:00) James Wood had his best game yet at the plate as he doubled twice, had four hits, and reached base five times. Wood had multiple hits that had an exit velocity of over 100 MPH.(14:00) Harold Ramirez replaced Winker in the middle of the game (coincidence says Davey Martinez) and came through with a trio of hits. He is hitting .308 since joining Washington this month.(22:30) Jake Irvin had a second straight decent outing following a few clunkers before the All-Star Break. Irvin did not give up any runs until the bottom of the 6th when he gave up a 2-run HR.(27:00) The Phillies acquired Angels closer Carlos Estevez in exchange for two highly rated prospects. What is the trade market looking like for Kyle Finnegan? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 multiple three run deficits to emerge with a 10-8 extra inning victory on Friday night in St. Louis. Mark (From Busch Stadium) & Al convene after Jacob Young's bases loaded triple in top of the 10th put the Nationals on top for good. It was only the third extra base hit this month for the recently struggling CFer.(09:00) Juan Yepez had a big evening from the cleanup spot against his former team with three hits and a game tying sacrifice fly. Yepez has had a hit in all but one of the 17 games he's played in since getting called up from AAA-Rochester.(16:00) MacKenzie Gore did not pitch well again, but was able to make it through five innings. Gore has had four consecutive poor starts and his ERA has escalated to 4.51.(23:00) Jacob Barnes earned the win after tossing a scoreless 9th inning. Mark points out that Barnes might have an elevated role in the bullpen after the Trade Deadline.(28:00) Kyle Finnegan recorded the final three outs on an evening where there were many trades across the sport. Craig Kimbrel has been struggling as of late for Baltimore, would the Nats and Orioles make a trade in this new era of new Camden Yards ownership? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 wrong side of Dylan Cease's No-Hitter on Thursday afternoon as they were swept and shutout by the Padres 3-0. Al & Tim wonder if this season's offense is the worst one in franchise history. They have not scored a run in 12 out of their 56 losses this year.(11:00) James Wood did not have a good game as he misplayed a ball in the 1st inning that led to all three San Diego runs, committed a throwing error in the 2nd, and struck out three times. Should Wood continue to play LF instead of RF?(14:30) A brief rain delay began just nine minutes after the game began. Patrick Corbin returned after the delay to last seven innings and the hosts wonder if there is any chance he could be traded by next week. Milwaukee Brewers a willing trade partner?(26:00) MacKenzie Gore will start Friday night in St. Louis. This is an important outing for the lefty as he has struggled recently. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats remain win-less in five meetings with the Padres this season as they were crushed 12-3 on Wednesday evening in Navy Yard. Mark & Al recap Mitchell Parker's rough start as he allowed six runs in only three innings of work. Parker has had three bad outings this month and last earned a win over a month ago.(12:00) Jordan Weems allowed five runs in the top of the 4th; when the game became a laugher. Weems is having a bad season and the hosts wonder what his future is with the team. The contest was so out of reach that Ildemaro Vargas pitched in the 9th, but he did make a fantastic catch on a hard hit comebacker.(20:00) Juan Yepez hit a 2-run HR to briefly Washington a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st. Yepez has safely had a hit in all 15 games since being called up from AAA.(23:30) James Wood went 0 for 4 but yet again had the top exit velocities in the game. Wood is hitting balls hard, but the results do not bear that out.(29:00) After the game it was revealed that Josiah Gray had Tommy John Surgery and also an Internal Brace Procedure due to his partially torn UCL. Gray likely won't return to the mound until the final portion of the 2025 season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 blanked 4-0 by the visiting Padres on Tuesday night to end their three game win streak. Mark & Al marvel at how the Nationals have somehow already been shutout 11 times this season. The offense only mustered five hits and did not draw any walks in the loss.(07:00) Jacob Young attempted a bunt early in the game with Trey Lipscomb on 2nd base. The hosts air their grievances over this decision, which is not a rarity for Davey Martinez. Lipscomb doubled in the game, but it was only his fourth extra-base hit of the season.(11:00) The only member of the lineup with multiple hits was Juan Yepez. He has gotten a hit in all 14 games he's played in the majors since being called up from AAA.(18:30) DJ Herz returned to the rotation and had a solid outing in defeat. He did not allow a run until the 5th, but then gave up Back-to-back HRs.(26:00) Five bullpen arms were used after the team had Monday off. Derek Law and Jacob Barnes each allowed a run in their appearances. If Kyle Finnegan gets traded next week, will Robert Garcia take over as the closer? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 Reds 5-2 on Sunday afternoon to complete a series sweep and James Wood was the hero at the plate. Mark & Al open with Wood's 3-run HR that broke a 2-2 tie. Wood hit 7th over the weekend after recent scuffles and the round tripper was his first extra base hit in over two weeks.(09:00) The two guys that Wood brought in on the homer were Keibert Ruiz and Ildemaro Vargas. Ruiz singled in the 8th and Vargas followed with successfully laying down a bunt single.(14:00) Jake Irvin bounced back with a strong seven inning outing. Irvin only allowed two runs and struck out seven Reds in the process.(17:00) For the third consecutive day Kyle Finnegan recorded the save, his 28th of the season. Finnegan had a whirlwind week between the late notice on being an All-Star and appearing in every game over the weekend.(24:00) The Trade Deadline is less than ten days away and the Nationals are six games below .500. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 visiting Reds 5-4 on Saturday night for their second straight win. Mark & Al discuss the comeback that was capped by Jacob Young's RBI single in the bottom of the 8th to break the tie. Washington won despite difficult circumstances as the bullpen was needed from the 3rd inning onward.(09:00) Harold Ramirez hit his first homer as a National in the bottom of the 1st. Ramirez had a dozen home runs last season with Tampa Bay.(18:00) James Wood was dropped in the lineup into the 7th spot and responded with an 0 for 4 evening and committed and error. Trey Lipscomb is really struggling himself as he went hit-less on Saturday. His OPS is a very low .540 this season in the majors.(21:00) MacKenzie Gore was bad for the 3rd consecutive outing. Gore only lasted two innings and needed 48 pitches to get out of the opening frame. Is Gore the next Gio Gonzalez in terms of high pitch counts?(30:00) An update on Cade Cavalli and what is next for him in his rehab. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nats started off the post All-Star break portion of the season with an 8-5 victory on Friday night over the visiting Reds. Mark & Al begin with Juan Yepez, who hit his first homer in a Washington uniform. Yepez has had at least one hit in all 11 games since getting called up from AAA-Rochester.(10:00) James Wood singled but did strike out three times in the victory. Wood already has 23 Ks and has gone eight straight games without drawing a walk.(18:00) Patrick Corbin earned the win after only allowing one run in six innings of work. Corbin has five quality starts this season, which is as many as MacKenzie Gore.(22:00) Jose A. Ferrer, fresh off a long stint on the IL, was given mop up duty in the 9th, but could not properly corral the seven run lead. Derek Law relieved him, but Kyle Finnegan was then needed to nail down the final out.(28:00) Josiah Gray will have season ending UCL surgery next week. He will likely now miss the bulk of two seasons and he has not pitched since early April.(38:00) Mike Rizzo met with the media before the game and had interesting comments regarding the possibility of trading Finnegan and Lane Thomas before the July 30th deadline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 9-3 in Milwaukee on Sunday for their final game headed into the All-Star break. Mark (From American Family Field) & Al examine Jake Irvin's second consecutive bad start. Irvin threw a shutout on July 4th, but has not pitched well since being snubbed for the All-Star Game. Irvin only lasted four innings and allowed six earned runs in the process.(13:00) Eduardo Salazar was impressive in his first outing from the Nationals 'Pen. Will he take over Hunter Harvey's spot for the rest of the season?(17:00) Juan Yepez was the only member of the lineup with multiple hits and also swiped a bag. Al poses the question - is Meneses' replacement the next Meneses? Yepez has a ten game hitting streak since coming from AAA-Rochester.(20:00) James Wood had a RBI single in the loss. Wood only has two extra base hits since being called up and they came in the same game, which was a rout of the Cardinals.(25:00) There is expected to be an update this week on Josiah Gray. He has been shutdown ever since experiencing elbow discomfort. If Gray gets Tommy John Surgery, then he might not return to the mound until 2026.(32:00) Tim Shovers recaps the three Nationals Draft picks from Sunday night. Washington selected Wake Forest SS Seaver King at #10 overall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 five run deficit to win 6-5 on Saturday afternoon in Milwaukee. Mark (Live from Wisconsin) & Al have a busy day of news to sort through as a trade was made after the game, but begin with CJ Abrams' Go Ahead 2 run HR in the top of the 9th. It was a no doubt home run and it came when the Nationals were trailing by a run.(08:30) Luis Garcia Jr. came off the bench to homer, single, and score the tying run on Saturday. Garcia has hit four homers in his past nine games; giving him a career high 11 on the season.(19:00) Mitchell Parker had a terrible start as he allowed five runs in less than an inning of work. The bullpen though picked up the slack big time as five pitchers combined to throw over eight scoreless frames.(24:00) Following the victory, Hunter Harvey was traded to Kansas City in exchange for third base prospect Cayden Wallace and the #39 overall pick in this weekend's MLB Dradt. The hosts explain why this move was a very savvy one by Mike Rizzo.(31:00) A look at what the organizational hierarchy is at 3B after the Wallace acquisition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 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 Brewers 5-2 on Friday night in Milwaukee to end their five game losing streak. Mark (Live from Wisconsin) & Al have plenty of offensive positives to sort through as the bats came through with a dozen hits. Jesse Winker was booed by the Brewer fans due to his poor season with them last year, but responded with a homer and a RBI single.(08:00) Juan Yepez singled and doubled in the win and has good numbers through one week with the Nationals. Yepez already has five doubles in just eight games since getting called up.(16:00) CJ Abrams had an up and down evening in the field as he committed an error but also had a spectacular diving catch in the 7th.(19:00) Jackson Rutledge was one out away from qualifying for the victory after getting his first Big League start this season. Mark relays what he saw from the young right-hander in his outing. What's next for Rutledge?(25:00) Four relievers combined for over four innings of work in the triumph. Robert Garcia struck out three Brewers and Kyle Finnegan notched his 24th Save of the season.(30:00) Joan Adon was optioned back to Rochester after only throwing one inning this week.(33:00) Jim Callis, Senior for Writer for MLB Pipeline, gives a quick preview of who Washington might draft at #10 overall on Sunday night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.