News Nationals Team Notes

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals Suddenly Hot Bats Head to San Diego

WTOP

Fresh off almost stealing a series from the juggernaut Dodgers before the bullpen imploded, the Nats’ hot bats take on the Padres

The Nationals were 12 outs away from beating the Dodgers and securing their first series win since May, but the Dodgers' lineup did what the Dodgers' lineup does and scored a whole lot of runs, putting 11 on the board in the 6th and 7th innings combined. Michael Soroka continued his streak of dominating for 5 innings and then falling off a cliff, finishing the afternoon with 5 1⁄3 innings pitched, 10 strikeouts, and 3 runs allowed. Nathaniel Lowe also stayed hot with his 3rd home run in 2 days, raising his OPS over the last 15 games to .918.

The Nats continue their west coast road trip with a 3-game set in San Diego against the Padres, who are coming off a series win against the Royals. Sitting at 42-35 on the year, they trail the Dodgers for first place in the NL West by 5 games and the Giants by 1.5, so every game is of vital importance to them right now to make sure they keep up in the divisional race.

Underperforming Lineup, Crippled Pitching Staff​

The Padres' lineup is filled with star names such as Fernando Tatis Jr, Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill, as well as nice redemption stories such as Gavin Sheets having a nice turnaround year. Despite this, the Padres' offense has been one of the weaker ones in baseball this year, with their .695 team OPS ranking 22nd in baseball. Still, they’re not an offense you want to mess around and give free runs to, as the top 3 of their order all have a wRC+ over 130, as well as multiple other hitters down the lineup that are above league average.

The Padres' rotation has been absolutely devastated with injuries in 2025, with Michael King, Yu Darvish, and Joe Musgrove all on the IL currently missing time. Thanks in part to minor leaguers coming up and doing their job as well as their fantastic bullpen, they’ve still managed to put up a 3.58 team ERA, 8th in baseball. The key for the Padres is getting to the bullpen with a lead, as after that, it is usually smooth sailing against that formidable group. The Nationals bats will need to do damage early in games to maximize their chances of winning.

Team Stats

Team OPS: .695 (12th in NL, 22nd in MLB)

Team OPS Leader: Manny Machado (.865)

Team HR Leader: Fernando Tatis Jr. (14)

Team ERA: 3.58 (3rd in NL, 8th in MLB)

Team ERA Leader: Randy Vasquez (3.60)

Game One - Monday 9:40 EDT​

WSH: Mitchell Parker (4-8) - 80.1 IP, 4.59 ERA, 1.32 WHIP

We finally saw some shades of April Mitchell Parker again in his last start vs the Rockies, where he went 6 innings, allowed just 1 run, and struck out 8 hitters. This came after maybe his worst start of the year vs the Marlins, where he gave up 6 runs and couldn’t escape the 4th inning. So, which version of Parker will we get tonight? Let’s hope it’s the Rockies one, and I have faith it will be.

SD: Stephen Kolek (3-2) - 52.2 IP, 3.59 ERA, 1.29 WHIP

Kolek joined the Padres rotation in May to help out after all their starters' arms fell off, and he’s done his job admirably. In his last start versus the Dodgers, he went 6 1⁄3 innings, allowing 3 runs versus a very strong Dodgers lineup. Kolek has shown the ability to take over a game and dominate this season, pitching a complete game shutout versus the Rockies in his 2nd career start.

Game Two - Tuesday 9:40 EDT​

WSH: Trevor Williams (3-8) - 74.2 IP, 5.54 ERA, 1.45 WHIP

While still not pitching great, Williams has at least kept the team in the ballgame in his last three starts, going around 5 innings and allowing 2 runs in all of them. His last start versus the Rockies was his best one since his 6 scoreless in Seattle, going 5 1⁄3 innings, allowing 2 runs, and striking out 6. The Nationals may need even more than that versus the Padres, as the fewer innings the Nats bullpen pitches, the better.

SD: TBD

As is the case usually with teams with strong bullpens and lots of hurt starters, the Padres will be going with a bullpen game on Tuesday, with Ryan Bergert being the listed probable starter according to Fangraphs. Bergert started the year as a reliever for the Padres before transitioning to a short starter role for the Padres, tasked with giving them 5 innings and turning it over to the bullpen. He’s done this job well, such as how he went 4 2⁄3 scoreless against the Dodgers in his last start.

Game Three - Wednesday 4:10 EDT​

WSH: MacKenzie Gore (3-7) - 93 IP, 3.19 ERA, 1.19 WHIP

The Padres will get their first look at the new and improved version of MacKenzie Gore, who is having the best year of his 4 year career in 2025. He struggled in his last, going 5 2⁄3 innings and allowing 5 runs (although his fielders didn’t exactly help him), but has still pitched excellently lately, with a 2.68 ERA in his last 7 starts. Hopefully, he’s pitching this game to either secure a sweep or a series win for the Nats.

SD: TBD

While the Padres have not announced it yet, this game will likely be started by Nick Pivetta, their free agent acquisition, who is having a solid season to the tune of a 3.64 ERA. He struggled in his last start versus the Royals, going 4 2⁄3 innings and allowing 4 runs, and he’ll look to turn around his fortunes against a Nats lineup that was extremely cold on the month but is suddenly heating up.

Will The Nats Fortune Finally Turn?

The last series win for the Nationals came in Arizona versus the Diamondbacks on May 31st. Since then, it’s been as bumpy a road as the team has traveled in franchise history. Playing against a team better than them in record and talent again in the San Diego Padres, they need to show some grit and finally steal a series to show there is still some life in this club.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...on-nationals-suddenly-hot-bats-head-san-diego

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs San Diego Padres Game Thread

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals continue their west coast trip in San Diego

Last night was a comprehensive victory for the Nationals. Despite a bullpen scare late, the Nats were comfortable 10-6 winners. Now they look to take the series in San Diego. It would be their first series win of the month. They need to make up for lost time and get going.

The lineup tonight only has one change from the one that put up double digits a night ago. It is a forced change, as Riley Adams will start for the injured Keibert Ruiz, who is on the IL after being hit by a foul ball yesterday. Trevor Williams will take the mound for the Nats.

eighty. pic.twitter.com/TqD2ABREpm

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 24, 2025​

The Padres will make a couple alterations to the bottom of their lineup. Xander Bogaerts will get off his feet playing DH tonight. Sure handed veteran Jose Iglesias will take his place at shortstop. Martin Maldonado will get the catching duties. Ryan Bergert will start, but it should be a bullpen game.

Tuesday night at the ballpark. pic.twitter.com/yXtDJ8jtpK

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 24, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: PETCO Park

Time: 9:40 PM EST

TV: MASN 2 and MLB Network (out of market)

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

The Nats have been playing better baseball on this west coast trip. Now it is time to reap the rewards and get a series win. They will have an opportunity to do that tonight against the Padres. Comment down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...ton-nationals-vs-san-diego-padres-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs San Diego Padres Game Thread

David Frerker-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nats look to win their first series of the month in San Diego

After losing last night, the Nationals are now 5-17 in June. They are playing better recently, but the results still are not good enough. Getting a series win today would be a huge step in the right direction. They have not won a series in June, so getting one here would be big.

With the series on the line, the Nats will have their ace MacKenzie Gore on the mound. He had a rough start last time out, so Gore will be looking to bounce back against his old club. The only change to the lineup will be the inclusion of Alex Call. He will play left field while James Wood DH’s. Despite having a day game after a night game, Riley Adams will start again at catcher.

eighty one. pic.twitter.com/cny50JeMB3

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 25, 2025​

With Xander Bogaerts being a late scratch, there is some movement in the Padres lineup. Jose Iglesias will play shortstop again. Tyler Wade will play second base while Gavin Sheets will get the start at DH. Bryce Johnson will replace Sheets in left field. Former Nationals draft pick Nick Pivetta will get the start for the Padres.

Xander Bogaerts has been scratched from today’s lineup with left shoulder soreness. Here's our updated lineup: https://t.co/agUBNhphEr pic.twitter.com/6zUwBpPnUA

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 25, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: PETCO Park

Time: 4:10 PM EST

TV: MASN 2

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

This game marks the halfway point of the MLB season. It has been a disappointing one for the Nats so far despite great performances from Wood, Abrams and Gore. Hopefully today can be a jumping off point and the second half will be better than the first. Comment down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...ton-nationals-vs-san-diego-padres-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals MacKenzie Gore is the best 3-8 pitcher in baseball

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

MacKenzie Gore has pitched like an ace for the Washington Nationals, but the team is not winning much when he pitches

After years of anticipation, MacKenzie Gore has finally turned into the ace Nationals fans knew he had the talent to become. He is second in baseball in strikeouts, top 10 in innings pitched and has a sparkling 3.09 ERA in 17 starts. However, Gore’s dominance is not translating into wins for the Nationals.

While win/loss record is a highly outdated statistic. Nowadays, most baseball fans realize this. Guys like Jacob Degrom putting up dominant stats while not winning many games shows why the stat is not very useful. However, the fact that MacKenzie Gore is 3-8 on the season is eyebrow raising.

Despite pitcher wins being an outdated metric, this number is actually quite useful when evaluating the Nationals. It shows how awful the teams offense has been when Gore starts. The Nats have scored either zero or one run in five of Gore’s 17 starts this season. Gore can be totally dominant and be stuck with a no decision or loss when that happens.

This is exactly what happened yesterday. Gore had a fabulous start where he gave up one run in six innings. The one run he gave up was also in part due to Riley Adams being unable to block a pitch he had a chance at keeping in front of him.

However, Nick Pivetta was just a little bit better than Gore yesterday. He went 7 scoreless with 10 strikeouts. The Padres bullpen also did their job, which gave Gore the loss. This has been a pattern all year, especially lately.

In his last 7 starts, MacKenzie Gore is 1-4 with a 2.32 ERA. That is just ridiculous misfortune. Only once in those seven starts did Gore really deserve to lose, his Dodgers start where he gave up five earned runs. In his other three losses, Gore allowed a combined four runs in 18 innings.

The only people you can blame for Gore’s win loss record are the players on the Nationals offense. They have not done enough to support their ace. Yes, there are excuses you can point to. Based on where he lines up in the rotation, Gore faces off against a disproportionate number of good pitchers.

Since most aces start on Opening Day, a lot of them are on similar schedules and pitch on the same day a decent amount. Yesterday was one of those days. Paul Skenes, Gore, Logan Webb, Zack Wheeler, Max Fried and Yoshinobu Yamamoto all pitched yesterday.

June 25th MLB Schedule pic.twitter.com/ntdgiMDuIT

— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) June 25, 2025​

However, the fact Gore is 3-8 is still a massive indictment on the Nats offense. He is giving the team every chance to win these games, but they are not coming through. While pitchers these days are not as focused on win/loss record, it still has to be frustrating for Gore. He is a competitive guy who wants to win games. Gore is holding up his end of the bargain, but his teammates are not.

While we are harping on the win/loss record here, I want to make sure to let everyone know how good Gore has really been. His ERA sits at a very good 3.09, but there are some signs it could even be a little bit better.

His FIP sits at 2.91 and his xFIP is at 2.95. He ranks 8th in WAR among pitchers due to his strikeout artistry and his ability to go fairly deep in games. Gore’s strikeouts are at a career high and his walks are at a career low.

One thing I have been particularly encouraged by is the fact he has continued to dominate into June. In the past, Gore tended to hit a wall around Memorial Day. Last year Gore hit a second wind at the end of the year, but that only just got his ERA under 4.

However, he has been strong in June this year. In his five June starts, Gore has a 2.93 ERA. While the strikeouts are slightly down this month, he is allowing less hard contact and walking fewer guys.

Despite the fact he is 3-8, MacKenzie Gore has established himself as an ace. He is getting the job done start after start, rarely having an off night. Gore has had a couple less than stellar starts, but he has always found a way to follow them up with a strong one, something he struggled to do in the past.

It is very cool to see a young pitcher find himself and slowly develop into an ace over the years. Sometimes pitchers either come into the league dominating or just suddenly break out. Gore did neither of those things. Instead, he has steadily gotten better every single year. He is always finding a way to bring something new to the table. Last year he had increased velocity, this year he added a slider to get lefties out.

Who knows what he will bring to the table in the future. Maybe it is the ability to convince his hitters to give him more run support. While we know win/loss record is outdated, it is refreshing for everyone to acknowledge that MacKenzie Gore is a fantastic pitcher despite being 3-8. Even a decade ago, saying something like that could cause a stir. However, we know it is not Gore’s fault the Nats offense can’t hit when he starts. He is doing everything in his power to win games, but his teammates are letting him down.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/6/26/24456545/mackenzie-gore-the-best-3-8-pitcher-in-baseball

 

[Washington Nationals]

Halfway Through 2025, What Are the Washington Nationals Telling Us?

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) and left fielder James Wood (29) celebrate a victory after defeating the Los Angeles Angels 15-9 at Angel Stadium. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

From brutal lows to flashes of promise, here’s what the first half of the Nationals’ season has revealed and what it means for the road ahead.

2025 has been a disappointing season for the Washington Nationals. The rebuild is still going through trials and errors as the Washington Nationals try to determine the future of the team. Fans and media are losing faith in manager Dave Martinez and Mike Rizzo in creating a competitive team. However, Washington has shown flashes of becoming a special team in the future, with players turning into stars right before our eyes.

In this article, I want to dive into statements that we have learned about the Washington Nationals this year and what they could do to turn these things around.

WHEN IT’S BAD, IT’S BRUTAL​

After a decent start to the season and sitting around .500, an eleven-game losing streak has derailed any momentum Washington had. The lineup and the rotation have shown through stretches, the talent they truly have, but for most of the season, both have shown how far away Washington is from being competitive for 162. Outside of CJ Abrams and James Wood, the offense has been disappointing, below average in almost every offensive category.

Luis Garcia Jr. has been solid as of late, making up for his horrendous start to the season and defensive regression. Nathaniel Lowe, Keibert Ruiz, and Josh Bell were expected to make big contributions, and they all have sub-.700 OPS.

The pitching staff has been brutal this season. From horrendous starts to the bullpen-blowing close games, fans should be concerned about how far away this rotation is from being great. Washington has yet to spend money on the rotation, and 2026 could be the time to do it.

MacKenzie Gore has dominated this season with a career-high 3.09 ERA; however, the next-best starters in the rotation are Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker, who have ERAs higher than 4.50. Brad Lord, Cole Henry, and Kyle Finnegan have been solid out of the bullpen this season, and the rest of the bullpen has been pitiful. With higher expectations than past seasons, the lows have felt like an all-time low.

THE YOUTH MOVEMENT HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN​

Abrams and Gore have been on the big league squad since being traded to Washington in 2022. James Wood and Dylan Crews made their big league debuts last season. James Wood has taken a leap into one of the best players in baseball, and with Dylan Crews sidelined with injury, Washington has been forced to let the young guns play.

Daylen Lile is currently up with the big league team and has shown flashes of being a solid outfielder. Robert Hassell was given twenty-one games but was sent back down because of his offensive struggles.

Brady House made his debut this season, and it was a long-awaited debut. With the third base position wide open in Washington, fans were begging for the call-up of Brady House. While only playing eleven games, it is too early to give an opinion on House’s play thus far, but Washington is hoping for long-term success from House at third base.

With all of these young, athletic rookies showing flashes of their potential, Washington is still not winning games. This could be a long second half for Washington, but if these young players keep showing their worth, Nationals baseball could be exciting.

WASHINGTON NEEDS TO SPEND IN 2026​

A significant concern for Washington has been the hesitance to spend money during the free agent period. With a struggling rotation, bullpen, and lineup, Washington had an opportunity to fix these issues and hesitated during the off-season. The acquisitions of Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell were “fine” additions and filled a position of need, but they have not turned out well in 2025. Mitchell Parker and Jake Irvin were given an opportunity this season to prove their long-term ability, and they have made Washington question the future of their rotation.

Prospects Jarlin Susana and Travis Sykora have shown great promise, but it is too early to tell when they will be in the majors and when they can truly contribute.

The clock is ticking for Mike Rizzo to make moves and create a competitive team. With questions all around the roster, next season could be make or break for a majority of the team.

There are many different reasons why Washington is in the spot they are right now. I enjoy getting to see the growth of the young stars and seeing prospects contribute in different ways, but there comes a time when you need to improve the roster through different avenues to become great. Just six years removed from winning the World Series, it feels like Washington’s path is a long one back to the glory days.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...2025-what-are-washington-nationals-telling-us

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Washington Nationals bullpen is a disaster again

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

After showing some signs of competence, the Washington Nationals have the worst bullpen in baseball again

In April and early May, the Washington Nationals bullpen was a well documented disaster. Night after night, the likes of Lucas Sims and Colin Poche were blowing games. However, once we got deeper into May, the Nats bullpen was looking alright. Not good, but fine. However, the radioactive meltdowns are back for this Nationals bullpen.

Last night, the Nationals bullpen was looking like it did in April. They managed to allow seven runs in just two innings, turning a 2-1 lead into an 8-2 loss. It was a disaster where many parties have to hold some blame.

After losing the title for a while, the Nationals are officially the worst bullpen in baseball again. Their bullpen ERA now sits at an MLB worst 5.93. The Nats have a couple reliable options, but there are way too many black holes in this bullpen.

For some reason, Davey Martinez decided to use all of his worst relievers in the 7th inning of a close game. Regular high leverage options Jose A. Ferrer and Cole Henry should have been available. Both threw only 13 pitches the night before and both had two days off before that.

It’s legitimately a nightmare every single night Davey Martinez pulls the starting pitcher and decides which arm to pull out of the bullpen

Costs the Nat a win more than half the time

Up 2-1 in the 7th, need every win we can get and Davey puts in Brzykcy and Salazar…

2-6 now pic.twitter.com/8aDOpliTIk

— (@Krabs_Bets) June 29, 2025​

Yes, Henry hasn’t been as sharp lately and you never know what you will get out of Ferrer, but those guys were clearly the best options. Brad Lord was unavailable, so those two guys should have been used as the bridge to Kyle Finnegan.

Instead Davey Martinez turned to Zach Brzykcy and Eduardo Salazar. Both have struggled all season and last night was no different. Despite having some impressive movement on his fastball, the pitch has not been effective for Brzycky. He has now allowed six homers on the heater after Mike Trout took him yard on one last night.

Salazar almost escaped the inning with the game tied. With guys on first and third, he got his first two hitters out before imploding. He allowed an RBI single to Christian Moore before the light hitting Kevin Newman took him yard. After him, Ryan Loutos came into the game and he struggled because he is not an MLB caliber pitcher.

In the bottom of the 8th, with the game out of reach, Jackson Rutledge came in and continued his recent struggles. Rutledge showed some promise early in the season, but has really been roughed up lately. His season ERA now sits at 6.03 and is at 9.00 in his last 15 outings.

A bullpen with this many liabilities is a recipe for disaster. You can have a weak link or two, but you can’t afford to have four guys you can’t trust. It leads to meltdowns like this and overuse of top guys.

A lot of people have been hoping the return of Derek Law could help this unit out. However, I am pessimistic about him right now. He has been rocked in his rehab starts and his velocity is way down. It also looks like he had a recent setback. After a massive work load last season, he might never be the same again.

His velocity from Rochester the other day vs. where he was at last year...

Cutter: 87.9 (last year: 91.5)
4SFB: 91.8 (last year: 95.1)
Slider: 83.9 (last year: 87.3)

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) June 28, 2025​

We are back at the point where the Nationals need to do some experimentation to fill out the bullpen. Most of the guys in Rochester have not performed well, but one guy who has is lefty Konnor Pilkington. It might be time to give him a shot. Loutos would be an easy 40 man casualty who’s exit would give him a spot.

The options are not great and there will be more meltdowns like last night, but it is clear the Nats bullpen needs change. Relying on guys like Brzykcy and Salazar in tight games is a recipe for failure. With all the other problems the Nats have, they can’t afford to have the April bullpen come back.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/6/29/24458287/washington-nationals-bullpen-disaster-again

 

[Washington Nationals]

James Wood got the Barry Bonds treatment from the Los Angeles Angels

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Despite not being an All-Star finalist, Washington Nationals star James Wood got shown the ultimate sign of respect

The Washington Nationals won a wild 7-4 11 inning affair to get their first series win of the month. There were a lot of crazy storylines, from Drew Millas’ big day to Kyle Finnegan’s heroic 3 inning outing. However, the story of the afternoon was how the Angels did not pitch to superstar James Wood.

After hitting a single in the first and grounding out in the fourth, the Angels decided they had seen enough of James Wood. They would not give him any chances to do any damage. In a wild move, the intentionally walked Wood four straight times. He is the first player to be intentionally walked four times since Barry Bonds.

James Wood’s last 4 plate appearances:

Intentional Walk
Intentional Walk
Intentional Walk
Intentional Walk

First player with 4 IBB in a game since Barry Bonds. pic.twitter.com/IPSEL4tdPW

— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) June 29, 2025​

Wood joined an exclusive club of players who have been intentionally walked four times. The players in that club are Bonds, Roger Maris, Andre Dawson, Manny Ramirez and Gary Templeton. Now Wood is in that great group.

players intentionally walked FOUR times in a game:
andre dawson, barry bonds, roger maris, manny ramirez, gary templeton

+ JAMES WOOD pic.twitter.com/0btkJPd2RD

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 29, 2025​

The crazy thing about this gambit from the Angels is that it worked. They accomplished their intended goal. Of course they did not win the game, but Wood did not score a run. The guys behind him did not make the Angels pay for putting Wood on base.

With this in mind, it will be interesting to see if other teams try this. Wood does not have a whole lot of protection behind him. One way of getting him more protection would be to put leadoff man CJ Abrams behind him. However, that could throw off the dynamic of the lineup.

The one incident like this in Nationals history came back in 2016. In a series against the Cubs, Joe Maddon wanted nothing to do with Bryce Harper. He kept walking over and over again. Cubs pitchers did not want to mess with Bryce.

Seven years ago today Bryce Harper tied an MLB record with six walks in one game. He became the first known player to reach base seven times without recording an at-bat

Bryce looked at 27 pitches without swinging once pic.twitter.com/n33ZNAJrZ4

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 8, 2023​

This episode is a cautionary tale for Wood. Famously, this series ruined Bryce Harper’s 2016 season. After an MVP year in 2015 and a red hot start in 2016, Bryce was thrown off by not being pitched to. His OPS fell from 1.109 to .814 and his average dropped from .330 to .243.

Bryce was thrown off by this craziness by Joe Maddon. Wood needs to avoid letting this happen to him. It seems less likely to happen to him because he is such an even keeled player while Bryce was such an emotional guy on the field.

However, he needs to learn his lesson from those that have gone through this in the past. This should also be a wake up call for Mike Rizzo. The Nats need a big bat in the middle of the lineup to protect Wood. Nathaniel Lowe was brought in to help out with that, but in reality, he is more of a 5 or 6 hitter rather than a 3 or 4 man.

Hopefully teams do not replicate what the Angels did because we want to see Wood hit. Fans are not coming to see him jog to first base. They want to see those tape measure shots. However, it is understandable that opposing managers do not want that to happen. Today, the Angels decided the best course of action was to just walk him.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...barry-bonds-treatment-from-los-angeles-angels

 

[Washington Nationals]

The anatomy of the Washington Nationals epic June swoon

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Nationals had a brutal month of June. I broke down how things went off the rails for Davey Martinez and company

When the month of June started, there was a lot of optimism surrounding the Washington Nationals. They had gone 15-12 in May and were coming off a west coast trip where they won series against the Mariners and Diamondbacks, both quality opponents. Things were looking up for the 28-30 Nationals.

The Optimism is Gone:

Instead of building off this momentum, the Nats had one of their worst months in team history. The optimism in the fanbase has quickly turned into a variety of emotions. There was anger, confusion, but more than anything, there was a realization that the plan was not working.

For me, the defining moment came following the Nationals loss to the Marlins on June 14th. Davey Martinez snapped in his press conference, going on an impassioned rant, where he said the Nationals problems are never on coaching.

So for anyone who missed it, this is what Davey Martinez had to say following the Nationals’ 7th consecutive loss.

Interpret this how you will… #Natitude pic.twitter.com/UZPjqUDARx

— Bennett Lehmann (@DCBerk) June 14, 2025​

This felt like a real turning point and a moment that put a lot of heat on the organization. In the midst of what would become an 11 game losing streak, it felt like every day there was a new national columnist coming out to opine on the state of the Nationals rebuild. Of those pieces, one that really summed up the Nationals struggles well was a June 16th piece by Chelsea Janes.

In that moment where Davey Martinez threw his players under the bus after a seventh straight loss, a lot of people realized that everything is not ok with the Washington Nationals.

The Epic Losing Streak:

While the losing streak started against the Rangers and Mets, the humiliation did not really start until the Nats came home to play the Marlins and Rockies. Sure, the Nats bats were quiet in those first five losses, scoring nine runs in five games. However, they were facing some high level pitching and a Mets team that was the best in baseball at the time.

They were coming home to face the Marlins and Rockies. Surely, the Nats were going to get going and right the ship. They were 30-38 heading into the Marlins series, but hey they were facing two of the worst teams in baseball at home. If they could go 5-2 against this weaker opposition, they would be sitting at 35-40. That would be right in line with what fans would have expected heading into the season.

However, the Nats did not go 5-2, they ended up going 1-6, sending their season into a tailspin. It felt like the Nationals would find new ways to lose every night. Sometimes the offense would get going and score nine runs. However, when the offense performed, the pitching always found a way to blow it. When the good performances from the likes of MacKenzie Gore, the bats would go cold. Then there were nights where the bullpen caused the teams demise.

It was a vicious cycle the Nationals could not break out of. They ended up losing 11 games in a row, the second most franchise history. It was an ugly stretch that made the fanbase as angry as I can ever remember. The Nationals fanbase is a forgiving one compared to others, but it became a hornets nest of anger during that losing streak.

Fans have mostly been patient and understanding throughout this rebuild. A recent World Series title will help soften the blow of all the losses. However, fans expected progress this season. They did not expect a championship or even a playoff berth, they just expected progress. Instead we are seeing signs of regression, which is scary for a rebuild that is 4.5 seasons deep now.

Breaking Down the Numbers:

With such a terrible month, it is important to break down why it happened. There is no better way of doing that than looking at the stats. The stats do not paint a pretty picture for the Nats in June.

Offensively, they struggled, especially early in the month. In their first 10 games of the month, the Nationals only managed 18 runs. That is an ugly number which made winning games nearly impossible unless the starting pitcher was masterful.

Overall, the Nats scored 3.92 runs per game in June. A couple big performances late in the month against the Padres and Angels helped bring that number up. The team OPS in June was .685, well below the .733 mark they produced in May.

It seemed like a return to their 2024 ways. They walked and slugged less, but also did not strike out as much. The Nats seem to have abandoned the sell out for power approach we saw earlier in the season. While guys like James Wood and CJ Abrams remained excellent, the Nats did not get enough out of their supporting cast offensively.

The pitching was also a struggle for the Nationals this month. Their team ERA of 4.93 was quite high. However, that number is lower than the 5.27 mark they pitched to in April and not that far off their May ERA of 4.79. Pitching has been a pretty consistent problem for the Nats all season long. The Nats allowed 5.19 runs per game in June.

After showing signs of life, especially in late May, the Nats bullpen struggled again in June. They pitched to a 5.42 ERA on the month. Guys like Cole Henry and Jackson Rutledge hit a bit of a wall this month, especially Rutledge. Brad Lord and Kyle Finnegan were both excellent, pitching to sub-3 ERA’s. Lord was especially good, with a 1.04 ERA in 13 outings this month.

A lot of the trends from months past have continued on the pitching side of things. The rotation lacks a real number 2 starter behind MacKenzie Gore and the bullpen is a bit of a mess. One positive thing about this month was Michael Soroka. While he is not the two starter of the future, he showed he could either be a future mid rotation guy for the Nats or a big time trade piece. He pitched to a 3.49 ERA with impressive underlying numbers in June.

Signs of Hope:

Overall, this has been a pretty pessimistic article. They went 7-19, so there is only so much optimism you can deliver. However, the Nats did show some signs of life in their last west coast trip. After finally snapping their 11 game losing streak thanks to an extra inning walk off homer by James Wood, the Nats showed some life.

JAMES WOOD
GAME OVER
WALK-OFF HOMER pic.twitter.com/wb5SDPFQB3

— MLB (@MLB) June 19, 2025​

A 4-5 road trip does not sound amazing, but the Nats played well against high quality opponents. They dropped 2⁄3 to the Dodgers and Padres before winning their first series of the month against the Angels.

They had a couple off nights during that trip, but they played a much better brand of baseball. The scrappiness that had been missing for a while returned. They were running the bases better and having solid at bats most nights. It looked more like the team we saw in April and May. Not an amazing team, but a respectable squad.

This month probably destroyed any chance the Nats had of being .500, but there is still plenty to play for. Hopefully, the Nats can get hot and get to around 75 wins, which is what I predicted them to have heading into the season.

They are on pace to win fewer games than the past two years where they won 71 games. However, it looks like the worst stretch of the season is now behind them and they are back to playing decent ball. They need to keep it up because regressing in the win column would be simply unacceptable and a major indictment on the Nationals hierarchy.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/6/30/24459197/anatomy-of-washington-nationals-epic-june-swoon

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals Head Home After Solid West Coast Trip To Take On Tigers

MLive.com

After their first series win in almost a month, the Nats look to keep the momentum going against the best team in baseball, the Detroit Tigers

It certainly didn’t come easy, but the Nationals finally ended their consecutive series losses streak of 7 with a 7-4 victory in Anaheim on Sunday. It looked like their bleak streak was going to continue into the month of July, as they trailed 4-3 entering the 9th, but hope was renewed after Daylen Lile doubled and was brought in to tie the game on a Jacob Young single. The bats then came alive in the 11th, with a Drew Millas double and a CJ Abrams triple giving the Nats a 3-run lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

Drew Millas showed out in his first start of the year for the big league club, going 1-3 with the go-ahead double, a walk, a game-saving block on an errant pitch, and catching a runner stealing in the 9th. He deserves more playing time than he has gotten since his callup, and hopefully earned more with his impressive performance Sunday.

Gritty Tigs

The Nats head home after a long west coast trip to take on the best team in the AL and tied with the Dodgers for the best in baseball, the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers were the best underdog story in baseball last year, hanging out around .500 for a few months before exploding down the stretch and making the playoffs before losing in the ALDS to their division rivals, the Cleveland Guardians. This year, they’re juggernauts, with a record of 53-32 and being up 11.5 games in their division in July, reminiscent of a lot of mid-2010s Nationals clubs who ran through middling NL Easts.

The Nationals will thankfully avoid facing Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, as he obliterated the Twins' lineup Sunday night, finishing with a line of 7 innings, 13 strikeouts, 0 runs, and 1 hit allowed. The Nats’ arms will have to go up against the strong Tigers lineup, which is likely to have 3, maybe even 4 representatives at the All-Star Game in Atlanta. They’re led by the 24-year-old Riley Greene, who leads the club in OPS and home runs, but they get contributions from almost every spot in their lineup, from the newcomer Gleyber Torres at second base to the resurging Javier Baez in center field.

Team Stats:

Team OPS: .753 (2nd in AL, 5th in MLB)

Team OPS Leader: Riley Greene (.887)

Team HR Leader: Riley Greene (19)

Team ERA: 3.44 (2nd in AL, 3rd in MLB)

Team ERA Leader: Tarik Skubal (2.15)

Game One - Tuesday 6:45pm EDT​

DET: Jack Flaherty (5-9) - 84.1 IP, 4.80 ERA, 1.23 WHIP

Flaherty’s 2nd stint with the Tigers isn’t going quite as smoothly as the first one did, as his ERA scrapes 5 and isn’t improving, with a 5.26 ERA in his last 7 starts. He had a disaster start against the Rays in his 2nd-to-last start, giving up 8 runs in 2 1⁄3 innings, but bounced back nicely against the Athletics in his last start with 6 innings of 3-run ball. He’ll now match up with a Nats lineup that has been very hot and cold in the last 10 or so games.

WSH: Trevor Williams (3-9) - 79.2 IP, 5.65 ERA, 1.47 WHIP

Death, taxes, and Trevor Williams giving the Nationals 5 innings of mediocre results every 5 days. It was the same story for him in his last start versus the Padres, going 5 innings and allowing 4 runs in a loss. He’s likely gonna need to prove he’s worth more than that if he doesn’t want to get bounced from the rotation when Cade Cavalli arrives later this month.

Game Two - Wednesday 6:45pm EDT​

DET: TBD

While no starter is announced yet, it is likely to be Reese Olson for the Tigers, who will be making his first start since he went on the IL in mid-May. If it turns out Olson isn’t ready, it’ll likely be a bullpen game for the Tigers.

WSH: MacKenzie Gore (3-8) - 99 IP, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP

Gore bounced back from a rough outing in LA with a stellar performance in San Diego, going 6 innings of 1 run ball, still earning the loss somehow because the Nats' bats don’t know they’re still allowed to score when he’s pitching. He now gets a chance against a top 5 offense in the league, in one of his last chances to solidify himself as a 2025 all star.

Game Three - Thursday 6:45pm EDT​

DET: Dietrich Enns (1-0) - 5 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP

The 34-year-old Enns made his first big league appearance in 4 years against the Athletics and showed out, going 5 scoreless innings and allowing just 1 run for the Tigers. Now he gets a chance against the Nationals lineup that has had its struggles against left-handed pitching this season.

WSH: Jake Irvin (6-3) - 99 IP, 4.73 ERA, 1.30 WHIP

It was a rough showing for Irvin in his last start versus the Angels, giving up 8 runs over 4 1⁄3 innings. His ERA over his last 7 starts is 6.05, heavily ballooned by that start in Anaheim, but still a disgustingly bad number. Irvin has flashed dominance in a few starts this season, and hopefully, he can do it again against a top 5 offense in the league in the Tigers.

New Chapter, Or Same Old Story?

The month of June was not kind to the Nationals, but they were able to end it on a positive note and now have a chance to flip the script with some victories against a top-tier contender like the Tigers. If they can, maybe they can start stringing wins together over a few weeks and at least escape the cellar of the NL East.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...ead-home-after-west-coast-trip-take-on-tigers

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Detroit Tigers Game Thread 1/2

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals take on the dangerous Tigers in game one of a double header

After a series win over the Angels, the Nationals got two days off. One was a scheduled off day, the other came because of rain. Now they are ready to start July following a tough June. They will start against the Tigers who have the best record in the American League.

With a left handed opener for Detroit, the Nats are rolling out an interesting lineup. Lefty killers Alex Call and Amed Rosario will start today. Call will be in left field and Rosario will be at second base. This pushes Luis Garcia Jr. and Josh Bell to the bench and James Wood to DH. Drew Millas will get his second straight start behind the plate. Trevor Williams will get the start for the Nats.

eighty five. pic.twitter.com/8aLbwDqEZN

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 2, 2025​

The Tigers have opener Tyler Holton on the mound. While their lineup is not star studded outside of Riley Greene, they are stacked with solid contributors. Guys like Gleyber Torres and Spencer Torkelson have had bounce back years in 2025. While they are missing Kerry Carpenter, this is a solid Tigers lineup.

let’s play two pic.twitter.com/RT2SUPmB4k

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 2, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 1:05 PM EST

TV: MASN 2

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

The Nationals showed signs of life on their recent west coast trip. They need to keep that up here in DC. Their last home stand was disastrous and the home fans deserve better. Time to put on a show. Comment down below and let’s go Nationals!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...n-nationals-vs-detroit-tigers-game-thread-1-2

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Detroit Tigers Game Thread 2/2

Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals look to bounce back from their afternoon drubbing

The first game of the double header was ugly for the Nationals. However, the beauty of a double header is that there is another game to bounce back. The Nats will get the chance to bounce back tonight with their ace on the mound.

The Nats have made a few changes to their lineup. Luis Garcia Jr. will replace Amed Rosario at second base. James Wood will go back to left field, meaning Josh Bell will DH. Brady House will get a breather, with Paul DeJong getting his first start since coming off the IL. Riley Adams will get the start behind the plate and will be tasked with catching Nationals ace MacKenzie Gore.

eighty six. pic.twitter.com/nSQVOfGbHE

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 2, 2025​

The platoon heavy Tigers are also switching some things up. Despite hitting two home runs, Riley Greene will be on the bench. Jahmai Jones will be in left field instead. With Jake Rogers starting game one, Dillon Dingler will be behind the plate for game two. Justyn-Henry Malloy, who just got called up from AAA will DH and leadoff for the Tigers. The resurgent Javier Baez will also be in the lineup. Jack Flaherty will be on the mound.

we go again pic.twitter.com/pr3MRwMEuz

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 2, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 6:45 PM EST

TV: MASN 2

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

With only the White Sox and Rockies having fewer wins than the Nats, they really need to get going. Getting a win and splitting the double header would be a good place to start. Comment down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...n-nationals-vs-detroit-tigers-game-thread-2-2

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Detroit Tigers Game Thread

Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nats look to take the series against the AL best Tigers

After splitting the double header yesterday, the series is up for grabs between the Nationals and the Tigers. Detroit grabbed game one after a big first inning and the Nats took game two following a late inning explosion. Now we are in for a rubber match.

With a lefty on the mound, the Nats are making some tweaks to the lineup. Amed Rosario will play second base instead of Luis Garcia. Paul DeJong will get the start at DH over Josh Bell. For the first time in a while, Daylen Lile will be out of the lineup, with Alex Call playing right field instead. Riley Adams will get the nod behind the plate. Jake Irvin looks to bounce back from a rough outing in Anaheim.

eighty seven. pic.twitter.com/9Rbfr3Eh3L

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 3, 2025​

For the Tigers, journeyman Dietrich Enns will get the start. Enns has appeared in three seasons, but those seasons are 2017, 2021 and 2025. So quite the journey for the southpaw. Star left fielder Riley Greene is back in the lineup after sitting in game two of the double header. Spencer Torkelson will DH while Colt Keith plays first base. Javier Baez, who has played all over the field this year is at his natural shortstop.

rubber match pic.twitter.com/jnB299mwOB

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 3, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 6:45 PM EST

TV: MASN

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

Getting back to back series wins would be a big plus for the Nats. It would help put their miserable June behind them. The Tigers are a tough test but the Nationals are playing better baseball of late. Comment down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/7/3/24461241/washington-nationals-vs-detroit-tigers-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Boston Red Sox Game Thread

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals get an early start on July 4th against the Red Sox

After winning the series against the Tigers, the Nats start their series against the Red Sox early. They are getting underway with an 11:05 start for the 4th of July. Last year we had a great 4th of July game with a Jake Irvin masterclass and a Jesse Winker go ahead home run.

For this 4th of July game, the Nats will mix up their lineup a bit. After missing time with a head injury, Keibert Ruiz is back in the lineup hitting 8th. Daylen Lile is in their over Alex Call and Josh Bell will get the start over Paul DeJong, who hit his first Nationals home run yesterday. Canadian Michael Soroka will get the start on Independence Day.

eighty eight. pic.twitter.com/zT7uH54Wf8

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 4, 2025​

The Red Sox have two of the most highly touted prospects in baseball in their lineup. Roman Anthony will DH while Marcelo Mayer will get the start at third base. Despite not being a big name, Carlos Narvaez has been a revelation for the Sox behind the plate after being traded from the rival Yankees this weekend. Former National Lucas Giolito will get the start this morning.

July 4th baseball up next! pic.twitter.com/BQb8DNumlw

— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 4, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 11:05 AM EST

TV: MASN and MLB Network (out of market)

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

The Nationals have righted the ship a bit of late. A rough June looks to have sunk a lot of the teams preseason goals, but it is still good to see the boys battling. It is always special to play in DC on the 4th of July and this year is no different. Comment down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/7/4/24461570/washington-nationals-vs-boston-red-sox-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals day game woes continue on Independence Day

Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals have been oddly bad in day games, and that starts with their star players

The Washington Nationals came out flat for the 4th of July, losing 11-2 earlier today. While the early start is funky, it is really no surprise that the Nationals struggled with it and their opponents did not. The Nats have struggled in day games all season long.

For the season, the Nationals now have an abysmal 13-25 record in day games. Meanwhile, the Nationals have a much more respectable 24-26 record at night. It has been a noticeable pattern throughout the season. The Nats often look sleepy in day games, especially when they have won the night before.

Frankly, this starts with the Nationals star players who have some pretty significant day vs night splits. The player with the starkest gap between day and night production is James Wood. It is strange because you would assume Wood is amazing anytime anywhere, but that has not totally been the case this year.

Wood’s .734 OPS in day games is not terrible or anything, but it is not up to the standards he has set for himself. A .221 average in day games is downright strange for a player of his talent level. It is especially crazy when you compare it to his night time numbers.

When the sun is gone and the lights are on, Wood is a shining star. He is hitting .344 with a 1.118 OPS in night games. Of Wood’s 23 home runs, 17 have come in night games. A lot of this is probably just noise, but it is worth monitoring. Maybe there is something in Wood’s routine he has to tweak in day games moving forward.

CJ Abrams also has some sizable day vs night splits. They are nowhere near as extreme as Wood’s but they still exist. In day games, Abrams has been solid, hitting .260 with a .765 OPS. However, he has taken his game to another level in night games, with a .308 average and .906 OPS.

With their two best hitters not performing as well in day games, it is no surprise to see a big dip in the Nats overall production when the sun is out. They are hitting .234 with a .673 OPS in the day time. That pails in comparison to their .256 average and .731 OPS in night games. For context, a .731 OPS would put them top 10 in the league while a .673 OPS would place them bottom 5 in baseball.

To make matters even worse, the pitching also regresses in the daytime. The Nationals have a bad but not atrocious 4.89 ERA in night games. Things really unravel during the day, with the staff posting a 5.36 ERA.

With these numbers, it is no surprise that the Nationals are 13-25 in day games. Showing up in these earlier games has to be a point of emphasis for Davey Martinez. There are just too many day games like today where the Nats just fail to show up.

Part of becoming a good team is learning to play well regardless of time and place. With that comes consistency and with consistency comes winning. The Nationals are a highly inconsistent team and this trend could help explain why that could be.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...onals-day-game-woes-continue-independence-day

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Boston Red Sox Game Thread

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals look to bounce back from their Independence Day drubbing

After a disappointing showing on July 4th, the Nats are looking to bounce back just like they did after their 11-2 loss against the Tigers. The Nats have been solid to start July, but have had a couple stinkers like yesterday. However, they have been able to put those behind them.

Davey Martinez is rolling with an unchanged lineup this afternoon. Keibert Ruiz will get his second straight start after coming off the IL. Alex Call and Paul DeJong will remain on the bench despite being impactful in the Tigers series. We will probably see them tomorrow against southpaw Garrett Crochet. Speaking of left handers, Mitchell Parker will be on the mound for the Nats.

eighty nine. pic.twitter.com/CvpOnWFo0h

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 5, 2025​

With a lefty on the mound, the Red Sox lineup looks very different. A top two of Nate Eaton and Romy Gonzalez is unconventional to say the least. We are not going to see guys like Marcelo Mayer and Wilyer Abreu with a lefty on the mound. However, left hander Roman Anthony will stay in the lineup and bat third. Walker Buehler, who has really struggled lately will take the ball for the Sox.

Game 2 in D.C. pic.twitter.com/Dfy3EfhYsN

— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 5, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 4:05 PM EST

TV: MASN

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

The Nats need to put their tough loss yesterday behind them and go out and compete today. A series win is still on the table here and extending the series win streak to three would be a big step for this team. Comment down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/7/5/24462137/washington-nationals-vs-boston-red-sox-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Taking a look at notable Washington Nationals prospects

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

It is time to do a stock report of some Washington Nationals top prospects like Seaver King and Travis Sykora

Over the course of the season, I have taken a look at how some notable Nationals prospects are looking. The last time I did this about a month ago, a lot of guys in the system were performing very well. However, it has been a more up and down month for some of the Nats top prospects. I wanted to take a look at the good and the bad.

Stock Up:

1. Travis Sykora, RHP (AA): 11 starts, 44.1 IP, 1.83 ERA, 76 K, 16 BB

It seems like Travis Sykora is always a stock up player for me. That is because he is always performing at a high level. He dominated the lower minors to a comical extent with his dynamic three pitch mix. Sykora only needed six High-A starts before earning a promotion to Double-A.

I know it's only been six starts, but Travis Sykora is too good for High-A.

29.2 IP, 1.21 ERA, 44 K%, 7.5 BB%, .124 OBA

In that span, opponents are 1 for 17 against his splitter with 8 strikeouts and 5 for 45 against his slider with 24 strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/rXSMSIFx2Q

— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) June 25, 2025​

His Double-A debut was shaky, with Sykora running into some issues with his command. However, the swing and miss stuff was still there. He will need to learn to be less chase reliant and pitch in the zone more, but I am confident that he will make the adjustments.

Double-A looks like it could be the first real test for Sykora. I am excited to see how the Nationals top prospect responds to the challenge because I think it will only make him better.

2. Brayan Cortesia, SS (DSL):

Brayan Cortesia was the Nationals most expensive international signing in the 2025 cycle. He signed with the Nats for $1.92 million. An injury in his first Dominican Summer League game put him on the shelf for a while, but he has been on fire since coming back.

DSL is looking a lot better this season. Brayan Cortesia leading the way and batting .485. https://t.co/RsEJh0mOkS

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) July 4, 2025​

Cortesia has only played nine games, but he has dominated in that time. He is 16/33 which is a .485 batting average. Only two of those hits have gone for extra bases, but the 17 year old has plenty of time to grow into power.

When he was signed, he was known for his smooth fielding at shortstop. However, it looks like the bat is also coming along well. Obviously, he is years away from the MLB, but Cortesia is a name to remember in the Nats system.

3. Davian Garcia, RHP (A): 14 G/13 GS, 65 IP, 2.77 ERA, 60 K, 39 BB

Davian Garcia was a sixth round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft for the Washington Nationals and he has been impressive in his first season as a pro. Coming out of Florida Gulf Coast, Garcia was mostly a reliever in college but has been starting in pro ball. After an up and down start, Garcia has really hit his stride lately.

FredNat RHP Davian Garcia is tearing through the competition.

Since May 18th, Garcia has allowed the fewest amount of hits (12) and has the lowest BAA (.118) among all @MiLB pitchers with at least six starts and 30.0 IP.

Washington’s 6th-round pick in 2024 starts again tonight! pic.twitter.com/JcwN6gpdiV

— Jack Smith (@JackSmithPxP) July 2, 2025​

He is not a top 30 prospect in the system according to MLB Pipeline, but Baseball America has Garcia as the Nats 27th ranked prospect. I think Garcia should absolutely be in the Nats top 30 based on his stuff and performance.

Garcia is mostly a fastball-slider guy, but both pitches are above average offerings. The fastball sits in the mid 90’s and can touch 98.

Davian Garcia with 6 Ks in 6.0 innings of work in his third win for the @FXBGNats yesterday pic.twitter.com/k2FTwgCiHV

— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) June 16, 2025​

Being a two pitch guy with some command issues, Garcia might have to move back to the bullpen. However, it is worth finding out if he can start. It is worth noting that while Garcia had walk issues for a lot of the season, he has only walked three guys in his last three starts.

With stuff and performance, Garcia is an up arrow prospect in the Nats system. He is also young for a college guy, not turning 22 until October.

Stock Down:

Unfortunately, there have been more stock down guys than stock up players in the Nats system this month. While there have been some bright spots, a lot of guys have struggled, especially among position players.

1. Seaver King, SS (AA): .252/.297/.357 .654 OPS

Unfortunately for the Nationals, their top 10 pick in the 2024 Draft has not had the kind of season you would hope for. After an up and down first two months in High-A, King was promoted to Double-A about a month ago.

In Harrisburg, King has struggled with the bat. He is hitting .235 with a .604 OPS in 115 AA at bats. A lot of the pre-draft concerns about King’s approach and ground ball heavy batted ball profile have been amplified in pro ball.

King is hitting the ball on the ground over 50% of the time and has a walk rate of just 5%. That is not a combination you want to see, especially for a top 10 pick. With a lot of players drafted behind him now top 100 prospects, King’s development is concerning.

He still has so many athletic tools and was always seen as a bit of a long term project. However, even for a project, you would like to see better results and signs that he is capable of reaching his high ceiling. The Nats made a gamble taking King in the top 10 and so far it is not looking great. There is still time for the 22 year old though.

2. Luke Dickerson, SS (A): .238/.342/.360 .702 OPS

Part of the reason the Nats reached for Seaver King was to save money. With the savings, they gave Luke Dickerson a massive signing bonus in the second round. Dickerson is a prospect I still have a faith in, but he has not had the best time lately. However, I think he will be on the stock up list in no time.

After looking like a future top 50 prospect in May, Dickerson struggled in June. He hit just .176 with a .523 OPS. There was an injury mixed in there which we have to take note of, but it was not a good month for the 19 year old.

There is a good chance that this is an outlier month as Dickerson has looked better the last week or so. His underlying data was excellent earlier this season and unlike so many guys in this system, Dickerson has a strong, patient approach. To me this seems like a youngster facing a bump in the road in his first taste of pro ball rather than something to worry about. However, I have to be fair and say his stock is lower than where it was a month ago.

3. Cayden Wallace, 3B (AA): .207/.271/.333 .604 OPS

After coming over in the Hunter Harvey trade, Cayden Wallace had some buzz entering the season. However, that is pretty much gone after a brutal season in AA. At 23 years old, this was a crossroads season for the former second round pick who was a star at the University of Arkansas.

However, it has not gone well for him. The numbers at the top of the screen tell the story. He does not look like much of a prospect right now and he turns 24 in August. Unfortunately, Cayden Wallace is not much of a factor in the Nationals future anymore.

Others of Note and Final Thoughts:

Some other interesting guys from this month are Robert Cranz, who just got promoted, Alex Clemmey, who has not walked anybody in his last two starts and Jake Bennett, who is slowly getting back to his pre-Tommy John ways.

One interesting trend we have seen this month is that a lot of the Nats pitching prospects are performing pretty well, while it has been tougher sledding for the bats. Over the last couple years, it seems like the pitching development has seen some improvement. However, that same improvement has not come to the hitting development.

This was not the best month for Nats prospects and hopefully better days are ahead in July. The farm system is not bad, but it is probably a below average system thanks to graduations and a shaky 2024 draft. Nailing this upcoming draft is going to be so important for the Nationals future.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/7/5/24462064/taking-look-notable-washington-nationals-prospects

 

[Washington Nationals]

With no GM, what will the Washington Nationals do in the MLB Draft?

SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals fired Mike Rizzo a week before the draft, what happens now?

Just now, the Washington Nationals fired GM Mike Rizzo and Manager Davey Martinez. There are so many wide reaching consequences of this move that we will break down. However, one thing that is an immediate cause for conversation is the draft. The Washington Nationals have the first pick in the draft but do not have a GM.

BREAKING: The Washington Nationals have fired general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 6, 2025​

This makes the timing of the move very awkward. The Nationals still have plenty of information on all these players and their draft room is still in tact, but there is no leader. What will this mean for the draft?

However, with their options due to be decided on this month, it would be awkward to have a lame duck deciding on such a massive pick. Rizzo’s recent track record in the draft has also not been very strong.

"Stunning news on a couple different levels - number one is that the Draft is a week from today and the Nationals have the #1 overall pick."@jonmorosi joins @abbylabar_ & @TheMayorsOffice to react to the Nationals' replacement of GM Mike Rizzo and Manager Dave Martinez. pic.twitter.com/CyU3GxSua6

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 6, 2025​

However, it is still a shocking move that puts major intrigue on the July 13th draft. Does this change the Nationals approach and if it does what players could be impacted?

For me, this could make it more likely that the Nationals take a high schooler. With Mike Rizzo’s seat heating up, it was looking like Kade Anderson was a natural pick. Anderson was a college arm that could make an impact quickly.

However, the Nationals can now afford to take the best player available without concerning themselves with the timeline as much. This could mean that a higher upside, further out player like an Ethan Holliday or even Seth Hernandez could be on the table.

It is crazy that the Nationals are going to make this big of a decision without a leader. However, with Brad Ciolek and Danny Haas, Rizzo’s influence on the draft room was waning. His history of poor moves in the draft made him change up the draft room and become more hands off in the process.

Mike DeBartolo is now the interim GM, but how involved was he in the draft process? His role is Senior Vice President and Assistant GM, but was he more on the pro side or is he involved in the amateur draft process?

There are so many questions and not a lot of time for answers. The race for the number 1 overall pick was already wide open and now it has been thrown into total chaos. Who has final say over this pick and how are they going to decide who they pick down the board. Also who is going to be in charge of negotiating and sorting through the teams bonus pool.

Fire the GM is a slogan, but now we are going to see what the reality looks like. Brad Ciolek, Danny Haas and Mike DeBartolo have some massive decisions to make in the next couple weeks.

The leadership in this franchise has been so untouched for so long and now everything is thrown into flux. It is both a crazy and exciting time to be a Nationals fan. So much is going to happen this month and chaos reigns.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...at-will-washington-nationals-do-the-mlb-draft

 

[Washington Nationals]

Taking a look at the Mike Rizzo era of Washington Nationals baseball

James A. Pittman-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Rizzo has been an ever present for Washington Nationals fans, so I decided to take a look at his tenure

On an early July night, the 16 year tenure of Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo came to an end. After getting swept by the Red Sox, Rizzo got axed alongside Davey Martinez, the manager he had become tied to the hip with in recent years. I wanted to take a look at Rizzo’s tenure and discuss his legacy in DC.

BREAKING: The Washington Nationals have fired general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 6, 2025​

The Rizzo Legacy:

Even if the past half decade was rough, Mike Rizzo will always be a legend in Washington, DC. When he became GM in 2009, the team was a basket case. After the Smiley Gonzalez saga, the team was a joke and the Jim Bowden era was a disaster. They needed a real pro to come in and run the show.

That is exactly what Mike Rizzo did. He came in and showed ownership and the city what competence looked like in the GM position. At this time, Rizzo was more than just competent, he was elite.

He took this young franchise and turned them into a winner quickly. Under his leadership, the team started to turn things around. In 2009, the Nats finished a dismal 59-103. It was a brutal year and the teams second straight 100 loss season.

However, the Nats started showing progress in Rizzo’s second season in 2010. The team was still in last place, but they won 10 more games, improving to 69-93. This season really excited the fans because it was when the teams great new hope Stephen Strasburg debuted. His debut is still one of the greatest moments in team history.

11 years ago, Stephen Strasburg made his highly anticipated debut.

It was electric. pic.twitter.com/rQZqAgPAcE

— MLB Vault (@MLBVault) June 8, 2021​

That upward mobility continued into 2011. Before the season, ownership and Rizzo made a statement of intent when they signed Jayson Werth to a massive 7-year deal. It was a sign that this team wanted to compete sooner rather than later. An emerging young core of Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper was coming, and they needed a veteran to lead them.

That 2011 season was when Nationals fans including a 10 year old me really started to believe. The team went 80-81 and looked on the precipice of something special. Players like Michael Morse, Wilson Ramos, Danny Espinosa, Tyler Clippard and Jordan Zimmermann were really starting to break out.

With a couple big moves and some internal development, this team could be something special. Mike Rizzo knew this and made his big move when he traded for Gio Gonzalez, one of his most underrated moves.

With Gio, Jordan Zimmermann and a returning Stephen Strasburg, the rotation was strong heading into 2012. The lineup was also looking good with Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond, Adam LaRoche and Danny Espinosa. There was also a teenage x-factor on the horizon in Bryce Harper.

That 2012 season was a magic carpet ride for Nats fans. Rizzo’s great work had turned the team into a 98 win ball club. Harper debuted and was a sensation, Stephen Strasburg was back and an ace, the team was the story of DC. It was all because Mike Rizzo had built something special. That Jayson Werth playoff walk off in game 4 of the NLDS brought a noise to the Nationals Park crowd that was so electric and you have to thank Rizzo in part for bringing that kind of joy back to DC.

The Nationals ended up losing that NLDS series in devastating fashion, being a strike away on multiple occasions. It was only the beginning of the playoff heartbreak in the Rizzo era. However, bumpy roads lead to beautiful places.

Jayson Werth • 10/11/2012
Postseason
Walk-Off pic.twitter.com/fZy4ihxe8V

— MLB Dingers (@dailymlbdingers) July 6, 2025​

After a down 2013 season where they went from 98 wins to 86 and no playoffs, Rizzo decided to let Davey Johnson go. To replace him he brought in Matt Williams. While Williams had his struggles in 2015, he brought the team back to the playoffs in ‘14.

The rotation of Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark was the best in the league. All five were fantastic, with three of them finishing top 10 in Cy Young voting. Anthony Rendon also had his breakout season that year.

After falling to the Giants in the NLDS, Rizzo made his greatest move. He signed Max Scherzer to a 7-year $210 million contract. It was seen as a huge risk at the time and a lot of people thought it was going to be a bad contract. However, it turned into one of the best free agent deals ever, with Scherzer winning 2 Cy Young’s and a World Series. He also threw 2 No-Hitters and fired a 20 strikeout game. Mad Max was the greatest Nat ever for me.

Despite a brilliant year from Max and the greatest season in team history by MVP Bryce Harper, the Nats missed the playoffs. Something was off in the clubhouse and that was evident when Jonathan Papelbon choked Harper.

That year got Williams fired and Rizzo decided to hire the charismatic Dusty Baker to get control of the clubhouse. This worked well as Baker led the Nats to back to back playoff appearances. Daniel Murphy also put together some insane seasons in the Dusty era. However, Dusty could not get over the hump so he was fired after back to back NLDS losses.

In came Davey Martinez, the manager that finally got Rizzo over the hump. After an 82-80 2018 and a 19-31 start to ‘19, Rizzo could have easily fired Martinez, but he stuck by him. This ended up paying off as we all know what happened in 2019.

Thanks to great seasons from hero’s like Juan Soto, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Howie Kendrick, Strasburg, Scherzer and so many others, the Nats turned it around. They never stopped believing thanks to Martinez’s eternal positivity and the fact they knew that Mike Rizzo built a winning roster.

After patching up the bullpen at the deadline, the surprise Nats were ready for October. After some Juan Soto heroics and some help from Trent Grisham, the Nationals were ready to overcome their NLDS curse.

To do that, they had to conquer 106 win Dodgers. Like most Nationals NLDS series, it went to 5 games. Unlike their previous NLDS series, they finally got it done this time. After coming back thanks to Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto going back to back off of Clayton Kershaw, the game went to extra innings.

In the 10th, the Nats loaded the bases for Howie Kendrick who hit a grand slam to straight away center. Kendrick, who was acquired for next to nothing by Mike Rizzo had won the Nats the NLDS.

October 9, 2019: Howie Kendrick’s Game 5 10th inning grand slam lifts Nationals over the Dodgers 7-3 and win the NLDS series. pic.twitter.com/ibkGQb13lZ

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) October 9, 2023​

After overwhelming the Cardinals in the NLCS, the Nats had to slay another dragon. The 107 win Astros remain one of the best teams I have ever seen. They had an insanely deep lineup and three hall of famers in the rotation.

However, they could not beat those pesky Nats. The road team won every game of the series. After going up 2-0, the Nats lost all three games at home. However, Stephen Strasburg would dominate in Game 6. In Game 7, things looked bleak until Anthony Rendon and Howie Kendrick saved the day again.

Their clutch homers led the Nats to victory and the team became world champions. It was the culmination of years of great work by Mike Rizzo.

In the 2010’s the Nats were won of the best teams. They went 879-740 in the 2010’s, the fourth best record of the decade. This just shows how great of a job Mike Rizzo did. He was one of baseball’s elite GM’s in the 2010’s. Rizzo made great trade after great trade and had a great feel for the free agent market. In 2019, he was on top of the baseball world.

Where it All Went Wrong:

However, even in 2019, there were some signs that the window was closing. The Nationals had become the oldest team in baseball and their prospect pipeline was drying up. Mike Rizzo was beginning to struggle in the draft and a retool was on the horizon.

In all honesty, 2019 was the Nationals last chance to win it all. Thankfully they did it. However, the 2020’s have not been so kind to Rizzo and the Nats. They have the second most losses of any team in baseball since 2020.

Outside of a marvelous return for Juan Soto, that Rizzo magic has not been there in the 2020’s. Even his great trading ability became hit or miss. While the Soto trade was a masterclass, he did not get enough for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. He was also not finding enough talent on the margins. The combination of Rizzo and Davey Martinez had become stale and in my opinion they had to go.

Since 2012, the Nats have gained the least amount of value from their draft picks. That is just unacceptable from a GM. In an era where analytics have become king, Rizzo has been late to the party.

As we highlighted, Mike Rizzo was a great GM and is a hero in DC. However, all good things come to an end. After selecting Elijah Green and Seaver King with top 10 picks in recent years, could you trust him to get the draft right?

I will always love Mike Rizzo, but all good things have to come to an end. It will be exciting to get a new voice with new ideas in the door. We need an infusion of new ideas. Rizzo has been around so long that a shakeup is probably for the best now. This year proved that the rebuild was stagnating and something had to change. Mark Lerner decided to blow it up.

As we discussed, Mike Rizzo has an overwhelmingly positive legacy. His work in the 2010’s was masterful and it brought a championship back to DC. However, even the best lose their touch sometimes and it felt like the time for change had come in DC.

Thank you Mike Rizzo and good luck with whatever comes next!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...-mike-rizzo-era-washington-nationals-baseball

 

[Washington Nationals]

Federal Baseball Emergency Podcast: Talking Davey and Rizzo Firings, Washington Nationals Draft Ramifications

Watch as we detail our reactions and thoughts on the firings of Davey Martinez and Mike Rizzo, including how we think it will change their strategy on draft day

Timestamps

0:20 Our Reactions to Firings

3:28 Manager Options (Discussed before Miguel Cairo officially accepted job)

5:58 General Manager Options

34:07 First Overall Pick Wishlist

50:43 Our First Overall Pick Predictions

52:13 Where Candidates Would Land In Nationals Farm System

Comment your thoughts down below on the moves made by the organization and if you think they will benefit the club in the long run. Also tell us how you like podcast format and if you’d like to see us do it again in the future.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...lking-davey-rizzo-firings-draft-ramifications

 

[Washington Nationals]

Why the Washington Nationals had to fire GM Mike Rizzo

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Rizzo had a great run in DC but his firing is for the best moving forward

Don’t get it twisted, Mike Rizzo is a Washington Nationals legend. Someday there will probably be a statue of him outside of Nationals Park. However, all good things come to an end. Firing Mike Rizzo was the best move for the long term future of the Washington Nationals.

Rizzo was the architect of the Nationals golden age in the 2010’s. He had an uncanny ability to win a trade and had a run as one of the best executives in baseball. However, by 2025, he was not among the elite anymore, and has not been for a little while. We will go over why that is and how Rizzo failed to adapt to the modern game.

Drafting Failures:

The biggest cause of Rizzo’s demise was his failure to draft and develop players. In the last 10-12 years, his record in the draft has been ugly. Since 2012, the Nationals have been the worst team at drafting and developing hitters.

The Nationals have the No. 1 pick on Sunday.

It’s a monumental draft — one that lets the team improve upon past failures to draft & develop hitters. @EmilyGiam and I looked into the Nats' drafts and why they’ve struggled since 2012.

Here's what we found:https://t.co/FKS3G80Q0c pic.twitter.com/ws7nZ0NTf8

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) July 8, 2025​

This is a shocking graph that shows the extent of the Nationals problems. It is hard to believe that the Nats haven’t even been able to stumble into a productive bat in the draft. Yes, they struck gold with a bat in the IFA market when they got Juan Soto, but that pipeline has dried up in recent years as well.

Since 2012, no Nationals first round pick has had more than 1.4 fWAR with the team. That is an unfathomable number in such a large sample size. There is some context needed here. A lot of these guys are still young and have a lot of baseball ahead of them. Dylan Crews will certainly pass the 1.4 WAR mark. Also guys like Lucas Giolito and Dane Dunning had some success elsewhere. However, even with that context, the list of names is ugly.

Sheesh! pic.twitter.com/2IH51yU5jn

— Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) July 7, 2025​

For each player, there are different reasons why they did not work out in DC. However, it is unacceptable to have this long of a dry spell in the draft. A lot of people were puzzled by the timing of when Rizzo was fired. Firing your GM a week before you have the number one pick seems strange. However, if you were Mark Lerner and saw this list, would you trust Mike Rizzo to make the right pick?

The Washington Post wrote a great long form piece about these issues and had a lot of strong sources. In it, they describe a scattergun approach where the Nationals are just looking for talent rather than looking for a type of player with traits they value and know they can develop.

Behind the Development Curve:

This leads us into the next reason Rizzo had to go. Even if you draft great talents, you have to have the ability to develop them. Development has become so scientific in baseball, but Rizzo has not been a big part of that analytical wave. Was this due to ownership or his old school mentality? I guess we will find out now that he is gone.

By all accounts, the Nationals research and development is lagging behind. Their player development staff is one of the smallest in baseball according to the Washington Post. Some of this absolutely falls on the feet of ownership. If they are unwilling to change that for the next GM, we will be in the same spot.

However, some of this also falls on Rizzo. A lot of teams with notoriously stingy ownership have massive research and development teams. For example, the Rays have a massive analytics staff despite not spending much money. On the radio with Craig Hoffman, Chelsea Janes was talking about how the Rays have analysts who solely focus on evaluating catcher performance and how they can get better at things like framing.

It is tough to imagine 64 year old Mike Rizzo who has a reputation as an old school scout asking ownership for things like that. The Post also mentioned how sources in the club lamented how the voices against change could often be louder than the pro-analytics crowd, especially when it comes to hitter development.

All of this makes it very hard for Nationals draft picks to reach their full potential. In 2025, you need to lean heavily into analytics. We know so much about the game now and not using that information will leave you in the dust.

In 2025, you need detailed plans to develop enough players to make a good roster. The James Wood’s of the world are talented enough to survive player development deficiencies, but there are very few humans built like James Wood on this planet.

Mike Rizzo can still make deals with the best of them, but there is more to being a GM than finding a good trade, especially in 2025. You need to have systems in place to get the most out of the players in your organization. The Rizzo Nats were no longer doing that well enough and it has resulted in them being left behind.

What is Next:

Now that Rizzo is gone, what is next for this organization? Well that really depends on whether ownership is serious about doing what it takes. Being serious is not just throwing money at free agents, it is also spending the money on research and development. We need to foster a culture where the best, most innovative minds want to work for the Washington Nationals.

The next GM hire is going to tell us so much. I really want them to find someone from outside of the organization who is a bright analytical mind. By all accounts, interim GM Mike DeBartolo is a smart guy and more analytically minded than Rizzo. However, making him the long term guy would once again be an example of the Lerner’s just doing the thing that forces them to do as little as possible.

We wrote about some potential candidates for the GM job yesterday. All of these names would be very good options and bring new ideas into the fold. They would bring the Nationals into the 2020’s.

Above all, I just want the Nats to not be behind the curve anymore. By the end of the Rizzo era, the Nationals were not one of the smart teams anymore and that was frustrating. The whole organization felt stuck in the past and the reports that have come out in the last couple days have only confirmed that suspicion.

There are so many smart people that are from this area. Of the three GM candidates we talked about yesterday, all of them have DMV roots. I want the Nationals to be innovators on the cutting edge of baseball. They were not in the later years of the Mike Rizzo era.

A lot of this comes down to the Lerner’s. Does this move show they have awoken from their slumber and are serious about the team again or are they just shuffling chairs on the Titanic. The great thing about actually making this move is that we will find all of this out and get the clarity we need.

Mike Rizzo is a Nationals legend, but it was time for a change. Things have become stale in DC and Rizzo was not adapting to the new game. Now the question is what will the post Mike Rizzo era look like and how will the Lerner’s move forward. The Washington Nationals are a vastly different organization than they were Sunday afternoon when they took on the Red Sox.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/7/8/24463767/why-washington-nationals-had-to-fire-gm-mike-rizzo