News Nationals Team Notes

[Washington Nationals]

Alex Clemmey is the Federal Baseball Washington Nationals prospect of the year

It was a difficult year for the Washington Nationals farm system, much like it was for the MLB team. A lot of the top names in the Nationals system either struggled or got hurt. That made finding a standout prospect a bit tricky, but one name stood out. After all, there is a reason Baseball America gave the Nats farm a C- for the season.

However, left handed pitcher Alex Clemmey was the standout performer in the Nationals system. The combination of Clemmey’s youth, performance, stuff and resilience made him my pick for Washington Nationals prospect of the year. Clemmey just beat out Jake Bennett for the honor in my eyes. While Bennett had a lower ERA, Clemmey threw more than 40 more innings and was one of the youngest pitchers at each of the two levels he pitched in. Baseball America agreed, also making Clemmey the Nats prospect of the year.

Per Instagram, Middletown native and @HendrickenHawks alum Alex Clemmey has been named Baseball America’s Nationals Minor League Player of the Year.

He went 7-5 with a 3.47 ERA in 2025. We could see him in the big leagues soon. @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/kqXrEIsDQp

— Sam Knox (@SamKnoxTV) September 25, 2025

For the season, Clemmey put up impressive numbers. In 116.2 innings, he posted a 3.47 ERA with 136 strikeouts and a .208 batting average against. Clemmey was particularly dominant in High-A, where he made 19 of his 25 starts. In those 19 starts, he posted a 2.47 ERA with 113 strikeouts in 87.1 innings. He did most of that as a 19 year old pitcher.

Clemmey’s first three starts in Double-A were very challenging and inflated his ERA. He learned that he could not get away with as much at the new level. However, the youngster adjusted and it worked. In Clemmey’s last 3 starts of the season, he went 17.2 innings and only allowed four runs. The kid got taught a lesson in Double-A, but he figured out how to adapt.

Alex Clemmey turned in his best start (6.0 IP, H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO) with @HbgSenators last night.

After a leadoff homer in the 2nd inning, he settled in and retired 15 out of the final 16 hitters he faced. pic.twitter.com/Lu2Iwm86Rz

— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) September 4, 2025

Alex Clemmey’s success comes from his stuff and deception. At 6’6 and left handed, Clemmey creates weird angles for hitters. His stuff is hard to pick up. The fastball comes in anywhere from 93-96 MPH, but he can reach back for more if he really needs it. This year, Clemmey is throwing both a four-seamer and a sinker. His two fastballs make him less predictable.

Clemmey’s sweeping slider is also a plus pitch. It has big time movement and can be a big whiff generator for him. Another big development this season has been Clemmey’s changeup. It was not much of a weapon before, but he has gotten more comfortable using it. The changeup is a clear third pitch, but hitters need to pay attention to it now.

Alex Clemmey, LHP, Washington Nationals
After walking the first 2 batters of the game, Clemmey settled in nicely, pitching into the 6th and striking out 5 while allowing just 1 ER.
FB: 95-96 early, 93-94 later(but commanded better)
SW: 82-85
CH: 86-88 pic.twitter.com/IP53pQO7Rr

— Chris Clegg (@ChrisCleggMiLB) June 16, 2025

For Clemmey to take the next step, he needs to throw more strikes. The walks have been Clemmey’s achilles heel. It was the reason the Guardians were willing to move on from him to acquire Lane Thomas. For the season, Clemmey walked 5.63 batters per 9 innings. That is simply too high for a starting pitcher.

If Clemmey’s control stagnates, a move to the bullpen would become necessary. As we have seen with Clayton Beeter, you can have success in the ‘pen with poor control. If the stuff is electric, you can get the job done with scattershot control in short bursts. However, there is still hope for Clemmey as a starter.

His strike throwing actually improved when he got to Double-A. The walk rate went from 6.18 BB/9 to 3.99 BB/9. However, his strikeout rate also went way down after his promotion. Clemmey also had a big home run problem in AA, allowing 8 in 29.1 innings. However, 4 of those came in his first start at the level.

Before his promotion, home runs had never been an issue. Clemmey had only allowed 8 homers his entire Minor League career before he got to Harrisburg. That makes me think that this was just a blip on the radar and that Clemmey will go back to limiting the long ball next season.

It is important to remember just how young Clemmey is. Despite being in the same high school class as Travis Sykora, Clemmey is over a year younger than him. He turned 20 on July 18th. This is very important to consider when talking about him.

There is still a lot of runway for improvement here. He was one of, if not the youngest pitcher at each level. 20 year old pitchers are not supposed to be in AA. Clemmey has already made it there and will start next year at the level while still being 20.

At this pace, Clemmey could be in the big leagues as a 21 year old. That is awfully impressive for a former second round pick who was seen as a raw project at the time of the draft.

Mike Rizzo made a lot of mistakes over the past few years, but picking up Clemmey and more for Lane Thomas was a great move. Given Thomas’ playoff heroics last year, I doubt Guardians fans are overly upset about the move right now, but it could become a huge win for the Nats.

If everything comes together for Clemmey, he could be a mid rotation arm or a lights out high leverage relief pitcher. Control is the big difference maker here. However, Clemmey needs to find a way to add the control without losing too much of the deception that makes him special.

Effectively wild is a good way to define Alex Clemmey. If everything goes right here, you could be looking at a Gio Gonzalez style starter, who can frustrate but gets the job done more often than not. It was not the best year for the Nats farm, but seeing Alex Clemmey take big steps in his development is something that should encourage all Nats fans.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...aseball-washington-nationals-prospect-of-year

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals Close Season with Final Series Against Chicago White Sox

When two of the worst teams play each other at the end of the season, it is tough as a fan to get excited. The Washington Nationals and the Chicago White Sox are two of the worst teams in baseball, ranking near the bottom in every statistical category. For both sides, these teams are filled with young talent. However, they are many pieces away from being true contenders.

The Chicago White Sox are coming off a season where they finished with the worst record in MLB history. They improved in 2025, having the potential to win 60 games. Chicago is years away from becoming a true contender, but the rebuild is on the right path. With young stars such as Colson Montgomery and Kyle Teel, this marks the first time since 2021 that the Chicago White Sox have a promising foundation.

With the 2025 season coming to an end, here is the last series preview, and it just so happens to be between the two worst teams in baseball.

Let’s dive into the Chicago White Sox’s 2025 season.

TEAM STATS

OFFENSE

As expected, the offense has been underwhelming once again. Surprisingly, Luis Robert Jr. remains in Chicago after a brutal start to the season, tanking any value he had along with his hefty contract. However, with some mid-season callups, this team is starting to build its foundation. With Colson Montgomery (.800 OPS) and Kyle Teel (.801 OPS) joining the team mid-season, they have provided a jolt, and we saw the Chicago White Sox play competitive baseball in the second half of the season. As a team, however, they rank near the bottom in almost every statistical category. They are batting .232 (27th), scored 621 runs (28th), hit 157 runs (23rd), have an on-base percentage of .301 (27th), and a slugging percentage of .371 (29th).

PITCHING

Along with the offense, this unit disappointed as expected. With a mostly unknown rotation as well as an uninspiring bullpen, this team was doomed before the season even started. However, there are some bright spots within the rotation. Shane Smith made his first All-Star game as a rookie, and Sean Burke has looked solid during stretches of this season. These two could be long-term arms while other prospects are making their way into the big leagues. As a team, they have a 4.25 ERA (21st), allowed 180 home runs (14th), 1.37 WHIP (27th), and teams are batting .248 against them (20th).

GAME ONE – Friday, 6:45 EDT

WAS: RHP Cade Cavalli (3-1) – 9 G, 4.23 ERA, 34 SO, 1.43 WHIP, 98 ERA+

CWS: RHP Yoendrys Gomez (3-3) *CWS Stats* – 11 G (8 GS), 4.46 ERA, 42 SO, 1.25 WHIP, 94 ERA+

Cavalli has thrown in just nine games this season, and after missing the past two and a half years, Cavalli has looked solid. After giving up seven earned runs against the New York Yankees on August 27, Cavalli has strung together four consecutive quality starts. His last start was stellar, throwing five innings and allowing zero runs on five hits in a victory against the New York Mets.

Yoendrys Gomez has bounced around the league this season, making appearances for three different teams. After spending the past two seasons with the Yankees, Gomez was scooped up by the Los Angeles Dodgers for just three games before making his way to the Windy City. Overall, for the 2025 season, Gomez has a 4.92 ERA in twenty games, eight of them being starts. In his last start, he threw a quality start, throwing 5.1 innings and allowing three runs on six hits in a loss against the San Diego Padres.

GAME TWO – Saturday, 4:05 EDT

WAS: RHP Jake Irvin (9-13) – 32 G, 5.69 ERA, 118 SO, 1.44 WHIP, 72 ERA+

CWS: RHP Sean Burke (4-11) – 27 G (22 GS), 4.29 ERA, 123 SO, 1.47 WHIP, 98 ERA+

Jake Irvin has been the No.2 behind MacKenzie Gore, and he has eaten innings all season long. Even though the production has gone down compared to last season, the ability to stay on the field and throw every fifth day shows signs of a pitcher with a long future in the MLB. He threw well in his last start, throwing 5.1 innings and allowing just two runs on six hits in a win against the New York Mets.

Burke threw for the first time in the majors in 2024, and in just four games, he ended the season 2-0 with a 1.43 ERA. Succeeding in that short time span earned Burke an opportunity to start every fifth day for the Chicago White Sox, and the decision has not backfired. The numbers have regressed, but in twenty-two starts, Burke has a 4.29 ERA and an ERA+ of 98, making his season around average. In his last start, Burke threw a decent game, tossing four innings and allowing two earned runs on six hits in a loss to the San Diego Padres.

GAME THREE – Sunday, 3:05 EDT

WAS: TBD

CWS: RHP Shane Smith (6-8) – 28 G, 3.98 ERA, 137 SO, 1.24 WHIP, 105 ERA+

In just his rookie season, Shane Smith has become a star out of nowhere for the Chicago White Sox. In a season where Chicago didn’t expect much from their starting rotation, they have found a long-term gem. Smith made his first All-Star game this season and has pitched well throughout the entire season. In his last start, he threw five innings and allowed just one run on five hits in a loss against the New York Yankees.

This series serves as a moral boost for both squads as their disappointing seasons are coming to an end. Both teams have a foundation and could be solid in the future; however, there are many changes that need to happen to both squads. Washington has seen some bright spots throughout this long, dreary 2025 season. The off-season is looming ahead, and both teams should be desperate to improve their roster anyway they can.

Hopefully, when next season rolls around, the Washington Nationals can be playing competitive baseball, and with the young talent they have, they are not as far off from success as people may think.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...season-final-series-against-chicago-white-sox

 

[Washington Nationals]

Bob Carpenter says good night to his wife and the Washington Nationals

It was around 9:20 PM when I received a call I had been expecting. The call was from soon to be retiring Nationals broadcaster Bob Carpenter. My heart was racing, eager to get started asking questions. However, Bob gave me a heads up before we got going. His wife Debbie would be calling him at some point. He would have to get off the call because he wanted to talk to her before she went to bed.

So, 15 minutes into our conversation, Bob said it was time to take a pause so he could talk to his wife. About 20 minutes later, he called me back and we resumed our conversation. Honestly, this sort of charm is on brand for the Nationals long time announcer. That wholesome, familial vibe he has on the broadcast comes through even more when you talk to him in person. You can tell a lot about a person from their priorities, and Bob Carpenter has his priorities straight.

Surrounded by Sports

Growing up in St. Louis Carpenter was surrounded by sports. When asked, Carpenter said, “I just grew up in an environment where there was always sports to watch, to listen to on the radio or to play”. Having grown up in a house on the grounds of his parish, there was always something for a young Bob Carpenter to do.

However, Carpenter got his start in the baseball world due to his older sister Judy. She worked with the Cardinals for over 50 years and her little brother idolizes her. Carpenter said that his sister was a “baseball mentor” to him. He said that Judy helped him get a grasp of the inner workings of a front office, which helped him understand the game at a deeper level. Carpenter told me that he is very proud that he and his sister will have combined for 94 years in the big leagues.

Eventually, he would get a job at the ballpark. However, his young mind was set on bigger and better things. He told me that “during the breaks, I used to go on the ramp in center field where nobody could see me and stand there for 15 or 20 minutes and announce the game out loud to myself and pretend I was Jack Buck”.

Working with his Idols and living the Dream

As fate would have it, Carpenter would be working with his hero 15 years later. On Opening Day of 1984, Carpenter called his first MLB game. The Dodgers were playing the Cardinals and the 31 year old Carpenter was surrounded by legends. As he put it, “It was a beautiful day at Dodgers Stadium, 56,000 people there. Jack Buck is sitting 20 feet to my left and I’ve got Vin Scully sitting on the other side of the wall to my right. I am 31 years old and I am sitting there thinking “what the hell am I doing here with these guys”.

Carpenter actually kept the scorebook from that game and was nice enough to share a picture of it with me. The Cardinals ended up winning the game 11-7. It was the start of what became a long and prosperous career for Bob Carpenter.

If you have followed Bob for long enough, his passion for the scorebook has become a big part of his identity. Carpenter told me this passion for scorekeeping came from his father, who took him to see Cardinals games.

However, as he rose through the ranks, the softball scorebooks he was using just were not getting the job done. He felt like he needed to act and create a better scorebook. Carpenter told me that after a couple months of his first season, he went to Whitey Herzog’s office and asked for a lineup card. From there, he went to his hotel room and laid out the grid that would become the signature Bob Carpenter scorebook.

Bob Carpenter stayed on the broadcast scene for a while after that. He was not just a baseball guy though. One of the things Carpenter said he was most proud of in his career was the fact he “did a lot of sports at the major league level”. In addition to baseball, Carpenter broadcasted two World Cups, NFL games, March Madness games, the Masters and the US Open in Tennis. That is a lot to do in one career!

However, baseball has always been his true love. Throughout the call, Bob was adamant about how intelligent baseball fans are. He told me, “You cannot fool baseball fans. There’s thousands of announcers out there that can call a pretty good football game or basketball game”. Carpenter added that, “Baseball is so different from those other sports because you have these long down times and then you have these bursts of action. In football, something happens every 30 seconds”.

Baseball has always meant something a bit extra to Bob and you can tell that when you talk to him. He loves all the other sports, but he truly honors the game of baseball. That leads us right into his time with the Nats.

The Voice of a New Club

When the Washington Nationals came to DC in 2005, Bob Carpenter was not the play-by-play guy yet. However, he came shortly after in 2006. He had bounced around a lot in the last few years before coming, so he wanted to settle down.

As he put it, “The Nationals gave me an opportunity in 2006 to really sink my teeth into a city, into the city’s team, get to know people in the organization and really see what it was like to work some place other than St. Louis”. It has been an experience that Carpenter has loved, calling it “fantastic”.

In his time with the Nats, he has become a mainstay inside the homes of countless people across the DMV, including my own. However, as you would expect if you have ever listened to him, Bob has a much more grounded perspective. He does not see himself as some sort of hero.

When he talked about the recognition he would receive on the 27th, he said, “Whatever happens on the 27th, whether it lasts half an hour or two minutes, I will be the happiest guy in town. It is so nice of them to recognize me, and it is kind of weird because I am being recognized for doing my job”.

Carpenter quickly pointed out that there are people in DC doing much more important work than he is. That is just the kind of guy Bob is. He is immensely proud of his achievements and does not downplay them to be humble, but he also just has a midwest humility to him as well.

Bob called so many memorable Nationals games, so I had to ask him what some of the most memorable ones were. He pointed to the no-hitters as the ones he will always remember, as well as Stephen Strasburg’s debut.

While that answer was predictable, his answer about the World Series team surprised me. Carpenter did not see the 2019 run coming at all. When I asked him if he saw the World Series coming, Carpenter told me, “In 2019, I don’t think I thought about the World Series until we were on the plane to the World Series”.

He added that, “To be honest with you, I never thought about the World Series at all until we won game 4 against the Cardinals. I was like, “Holy crap we are going to the World Series and I am going to get a ring because you get a ring whether you win the World Series or not”. That caught me off guard and made me chuckle because I figured there would be a moment earlier on when he thought this was a team of destiny.

Wrapping Up

As Carpenter wraps up his career that has lasted over 40 years, he is full of pride. He was very happy and thankful to the organization that he could go out on his own terms. Carpenter is acutely aware that this is not always how it ends. He had been laid off before and has had plenty of friends in the industry that have as well.

He told me that he had “joked about the fact I had done my last game for a network, but didn’t know it was my last game”. This time it truly is Bob Carpenter’s last game. For that, he is very grateful to the Nats organization. He said that going out like this is exactly what he and his wife had dreamed about.

As Bob Carpenter signs off for one last time this weekend, Nationals fans should be eternally grateful. Not only for the broadcaster, but the man. After doing this call, I was struck by Bob’s kindness and thoughtful nature. He is truly a legend in this town. See you later Bob!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...-says-good-night-to-wife-washington-nationals

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Chicago White Sox Game Thread

The Nationals had a dramatic comeback attempt last night. They actually got the lead, but gave it up in the 9th inning, losing 10-9. The Nats could not out-slug their 4 errors last night. Today, they will look to play clean baseball in the penultimate game of the season.

After slugging three homers last night, Luis Garcia Jr. will be playing a sluggers position over at first base. It is something the Nats are experimenting with. Dylan Crews is out of the lineup, which moves Daylen Lile to right field and Josh Bell to DH. Brady House, Nasim Nunez and Jacob Young will come into the lineup. Jorge Alfaro will do the catching for Jake Irvin, who is wrapping up a season to forget.

one hundred sixty one. pic.twitter.com/GixQt4FY55

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 27, 2025

The White Sox are making a couple changes. Last night Edgar Quero caught and Kyle Teel DH’d. This afternoon that will be flipped. Former Nat Derek Hill will be the starter out in center field today. The White Sox are going with an opener today. It will be left hander Tyler Gilbert.

Our Saturday plans pic.twitter.com/Tc9EnRkZLI

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 27, 2025

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 4:05 PM EST

TV: MASN 2

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7
Before the game, there will be a ceremony for Bob Carpenter, who is retiring. We did a great piece on Bob that you guys should check out. He had such a great run calling Nats games and is forever a legend. The team should be inspired by that and try to win for him. Follow along and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...on-nationals-vs-chicago-white-sox-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Chicago White Sox Game Thread

So this is it, the Washington Nationals season ends today. While it has not been the most successful season, it has been a lot of fun getting to cover this season. Even with the lows, there have also been some fun times as well. Now it is time to do it one more time.

Miguel Cairo is putting out a strong lineup to end the season. James Wood will lead off and DH. CJ Abrams is behind him as is usually the case. Dylan Crews will be back in the lineup after a day off yesterday. After playing first base yesterday, Luis Garcia Jr. is back at his natural second base position. Riley Adams will be back behind the plate. Brad Lord will pitch one last time to close out a strong rookie year.

one hundred sixty two. pic.twitter.com/3eqFZDbBa2

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 28, 2025

For the White Sox, old friend Michael A. Taylor will be in the lineup. Today he announced that he will be retiring. So hopefully he gets a warm reception. Otherwise, it is a mostly unchanged lineup for the White Sox. Shane Smith has gone from a Rule 5 pick to a very good starter for the White Sox. He will look to finish his season on a high.

Today's starting lineup: pic.twitter.com/uCxTVNIJQc

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 28, 2025

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 3:05 PM EST

TV: MASN 2

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

As we close out the season, the Nats will look to finish it out on a high note. It has not gone according to plan, as the Nats have regressed in the win column. However, the emergence of guys like Lile and Wood have been positives. Now let’s do it one more time. Follow along down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...on-nationals-vs-chicago-white-sox-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals go down with a whimper as Bob Carpenter signs off one last time

In a season that has kicked Nationals fans in the teeth so many times, it is only appropriate that the team closed things out with an 8-0 loss. They could only muster one hit against the 102-loss White Sox. However, this game was still special, but not for the putrid play on the field.

Nationals long time broadcaster Bob Carpenter said ‘see you later’ one last time, as he called his final Nats game. The tributes that came in for Carpenter were fantastic. The Nats put together a tribute that had some heavy hitters such as Joe Buck congratulate Bob on a wonderful career. Carpenter had the chance to work with Joe Buck, as well as his legendary father Jack Buck.

the master, Carpenter pic.twitter.com/WmyFyJ9fRr

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 28, 2025

Throughout the game, there were a lot of great moments for Bob. One thing that I really loved is when the team saluted him after they took the field in the first inning. It was a super cool moment and a classy recognition. Carpenter is a Nationals icon and it is cool to see him be recognized as such.

Classy from the Nationals — the whole team came out of the dugout to tip their cap to Bob Carpenter before first pitch: pic.twitter.com/ULNKaTDyfp

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) September 28, 2025

To the game itself, things were pretty ugly. Darnell Coles’ reign as Nationals hitting coach ended in fitting fashion. The offensive unit only mustered one hit against a last place White Sox team at home. For a while, it looked like White Sox starter Shane Smith could throw a perfect game.

The Nationals only base runner of the game came when Brady House hit a single to the right fielder in the bottom of the 6th. Other than that, nobody reached the entire game for the Nats.

On the pitching side, Brad Lord looked worn down by the long season. His fastball velocity was down 2 ticks this afternoon. It was a very successful rookie season for Lord, but you could tell today that he was out of gas. A few of the Nats younger pitchers that pitched well for most of the season began to run out of gas in September.

Bob Carpenter was not the only one to announce that this was it for him. Former Nat Michael A. Taylor announced his retirement this morning after 10 seasons in the big leagues. Taylor got to go out in the place where it all started for him. Despite never truly grabbing on to a starting gig with the Nats, Taylor was a fan favorite due to his playoff heroics and wholesome personality.

He got a few tributes throughout the game. The Nats crowd was really eager to show their love to the center fielder. Even when he got an RBI groundout to bring home another run for the White Sox, Nats fans showered him with applause.

one last SEE. YOU. TATER, Michael A. pic.twitter.com/q7VQ8RbvZf

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 28, 2025

Despite the loss, it was an emotional day that made me proud to be a Nats fan. Sure, the game was not great and the season was not much better, but hey, there is always next year.

After the game was over, the attention turned to Carpenter once more. An emotional Bob Carpenter got to sign off for one last time. The 42 year veteran of the MLB broadcast game got to go out on his terms, with his wife right by his side. Thank you Bob, you will always be the voice of Nationals baseball to me.

The voice of the Washington Nationals, Bob Carpenter, signs off for the final time. #ThankYouBob pic.twitter.com/nqHoDZOj6y

— Bennett Lehmann (@DCBerk) September 28, 2025

This closed out the 2025 season. With the loss, the Nationals final record is a disappointing 66-96. There will be big changes coming this offseason. We know that Paul Toboni will be the new POBO, but there are still a lot of things up in the air.

Who will be the GM who reports to Toboni? Who will be the manager and what will his staff look like? These are all questions that need to be answered quickly. Hopefully those changes can breathe new life into a franchise that has really struggled since the World Series in 2019. Nationals fans are really hoping that 2026 can be a year where the team finally shows some progression because 2025 certainly was not that year.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...ith-whimper-bob-carpenter-signs-off-last-time