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[Washington Nationals]

Nationals News: Daylen Lile headed to the big leagues

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Another top prospect is joining the Washington Nationals to replace an injured outfielder

The Washington Nationals are making another move in the outfield. Jacob Young tried to recover from his shoulder injury without going on the IL. However, it did not work, and the outfielder will hit the shelf. To replace him, the Nationals are calling up top prospect Daylen Lile.

We have made the following roster moves:

- selected the contract of OF Daylen Lile from Triple-A Rochester
- placed OF Jacob Young on the 10-day IL

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 23, 2025​

While we wish the best for Young, this is an exciting move for the Nats. Lile has been hitting the cover off the ball this season. Across two levels, Lile is hitting .337 with an .892 OPS. He has really stepped up his game following a promotion to Triple-A.

At Rochester, Lile is hitting 361 with a .946 OPS. He has such a smooth, simple swing that is a joy to watch. His pure hitting ability is his calling card.

DAYLEN LILE HITS HIS 1ST TRIPLE-A HOMERUN! pic.twitter.com/hC4U1QVJ0r

— Allsports Roc (@AllsportsRoc) May 10, 2025​

However, this will make the Nats lineup even more left handed, something that is already an issue. I would imagine that Lile, Hassell and Call will share playing time with two of them being in right and center field.

If Josh Bell continues to struggle, you have the option of making one of them a DH as well. It will be interesting to see how long Young is out and what they do when he gets back.

A lot of this will come down to who is performing. The Nationals have so many options in the outfield these days and this shows it. Two of their starting outfielders went down and they just turned to two top prospects, both of whom were performing well.

It goes to show how far this team has come in the last few years. The days of calling up the likes of Jake Alu and Blake Rutherford are done. Now we get exciting up and comers. Congratulations to Daylen Lile on the call up. Based on his Minor League numbers, we could be in for a treat.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/5/23/24435930/nationals-news-daylen-lile-headed-to-big-leagues

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs San Francisco Giants Game Thread

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals look to extend their winning streak to six games

After a thrilling, emotional win over the Braves last night, the Nationals are back in action. They are welcoming the San Francisco Giants to town. The Giants have had an impressive season with a 29-21 record, but the Nats are red hot, winners of their last five games.

After Robert Hassell III debuted last night, the Nationals have another debutant in Daylen Lile. The youngster is hitting 9th and playing right field. Interestingly, the Nationals don’t have a single right handed hitter in the lineup, with seven lefties and two switch hitters. They also have a lefty on the mound, with MacKenzie Gore looking to bounce back from a weird start in Baltimore where he only went 3.2 innings.

fifty one. pic.twitter.com/HVJ7aG0LhU

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 23, 2025​

This Giants lineup may not have any superstars, but they have a lot of quality bats up and down the lineup. Leadoff man Heliot Ramos has been red hot lately. Wilmer Flores also has an impressive 42 RBI’s. Landen Roupp is on the mound for the Giants. He has had a solid season and relies heavily on a big curveball.

Let the road trip begin

️: 3:45 p.m. PT
: Washington, DC
: @NBCSAuthentic
: @KNBR | KSFN#SFGiants | @CocaCola pic.twitter.com/sBWhrMiMzn

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) May 23, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 6:45 PM EST

TV: MASN 2

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

The Nationals are red hot now and their offense has been jumping on teams early. Let’s hope for more of the same tonight, and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...nationals-vs-san-francisco-giants-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Jake Irvin spins a gem as Washington Nationals stay hot

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Jake Irvin delivered his best start of the season and led the Nationals to victory

Jake Irvin delivered one of the best starts of his career this afternoon against the Giants. Besides his electric July 4th outing last year, this was the best start of his career. Irvin went 8 scoreless innings, striking out seven, walking two and allowed just three hits.

Jake Irvin tosses eight scoreless innings! pic.twitter.com/azBxQXzYtN

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 24, 2025​

He did a great job limiting hard contact today. In fact, the Giants didn’t hit any balls over 100 MPH this afternoon. All season, Irvin’s velocity has been a talking point. It has been down over a tick. While he had a little bit more heat early on, even touching 96, Irvin settled in around 92 MPH.

That was more than good enough. Irvin mixed up his four-seamer, sinker, curveball and changeup beautifully. Early in the game, he was getting a lot of outs with the heater. Then he turned to that changeup to get some swings and misses in the middle innings. Later in the game, Irvin was using his curveball to set up his fastball.

He dumped in curveballs early in the count and then sped hitters up, making his 92 look more like 96 MPH. Jake Irvin was pumping strikes and when he wasn’t getting punch outs, he was getting a lot of quick outs. That was on full display in the 7th, when he had a four pitch inning.

In that 8th inning, Irvin began to fatigue a bit, but the crowd got his back and helped push him to the finish line. The crowd was very engaged, especially in those last couple innings, sensing how special of a start this was for Irvin. There was a real pop in the crowd as Irvin got his seventh strikeout to finish his outing and he pumped his fist.

Jake Irvin, Nasty 76mph Curveball.

7th K pic.twitter.com/DgKEOW1ASU

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 24, 2025​

The Nationals offense did not do anything spectacular, but they did enough to win the game. Their efforts were spearheaded by James Wood in the bottom of the first inning. After an Amed Rosario double, Wood smacked a Kyle Harrison slurve into the right field bullpen for his 13th home run of the game.

James Wood hit this ball out CRAZY fast pic.twitter.com/FKnA4nTU56

— MLB (@MLB) May 24, 2025​

After hitting a lot of his April home runs the other way, we have been seeing more pull side homers from Wood lately. In his first full season, James Wood is now hitting .284 with a .923 OPS. It is truly remarkable what we are seeing from this 22 year old phenom.

After that, the offense was quiet for a while. They got hits here and there, but never managed to get anyone home. That was until the bottom of the 7th when the bottom of the lineup put together a rally.

Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile hit back to back singles with one out. Then Robert Hassell hit a tapper just far enough to get Garcia in from third. It was not pretty, but it was a vital insurance run.

Daylen Lile really impressed me this afternoon. While he only got one hit, he looked so comfortable at the plate. He has such a simple, smooth swing and he has yet to look fooled at the MLB level. Lile also made a nice catch to end the game. He got a late read, but used his speed to make a great diving catch.

NATS WIN. NATS WIN. NATS WIN 3-0.

What a catch by Daylen Lile to seal the W

JAKE IRVIN MASTERCLASS pic.twitter.com/U9vFkTnPvh

— DC Rising (@DC__Rising) May 24, 2025​

Kyle Finnegan had shoulder soreness, so Jorge Lopez got the ninth and looked very good. His stuff looks much improved from his tough April and he is beginning to become a reliable high leverage arm again.

The Washington Nationals have now won six of their last seven and seven of their last nine games. Today, it was their pitching that got it done, shutting out the Giants. Other games it has been the offense. It is nice to see this team win in a variety of ways. They will have the chance to win another series tomorrow as Michael Soroka takes on Robbie Ray. This Nationals team is fun, and today was just another example of that.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/5/24/24436619/jake-irvin-spins-gem-washington-nationals-hot

 

[Washington Nationals]

Rebuilding the Right Way? How the Nationals Rebuild Compares to the Cubs and Orioles Rebuilds

Washington Nationals players celebrate after a game against the San Francisco Giants at Nationals Park.

The Nationals are navigating a full-scale rebuild just years removed from their 2019 World Series triumph

After defying the odds and winning the World Series in 2019, the Washington Nationals have started a dreadful process for fans: a rebuild. Top-notch talent such as Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, and Juan Soto were all traded within just three years of their World Series championship. Even though Washington gathered many young and exciting prospects, the rebuild has been stressful for Washington fans. However, with the recent call-up of Robert Hassell III, it feels like a great time to compare Washington’s rebuild to other long but successful rebuilds in recent history.

Rebuilds such as the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles have shown recent success, but they have turned successful through different avenues. Baltimore bottomed out for consecutive seasons, but Chicago slowly retooled when trading away aging talent.

Some fans would say Washington is in a great spot with young stars like CJ Abrams, James Wood, and MacKenzie Gore, while also possessing the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. However, some fans are disappointed because of the lack of spending money and urgency in speeding up the rebuild.

This article will compare timelines and strategies these teams took and how they compare the what Washington is currently doing.

WASHINGTONS TIMELINE ​

Washington’s rebuild started in July of 2021 when stars Max Scherzer and Trea Turner were dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a prospect package headlined by Keibert Ruiz and Josiah Gray. Both Ruiz and Gray have futures with Washington, as Gray was an All-Star in 2023 and Ruiz is quietly having a great season in 2025.

Juan Soto would be dealt with in 2022 in arguably one of the biggest trades in MLB history. Washington would receive a spectacular prospect haul, which included James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell III, and Jarlin Susana. Abrams and Gore have been with the big league team since being traded, but Wood, Hassell, and Susana have patiently been developing in the minors, with Wood becoming one of the young, bright stars in the MLB.

How does the Washington Nationals rebuild compare in terms of timeline and strategies to the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs?

WASHINGTON VS CHICAGO​

The Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016, writing their names in the history books. With young talent scattered across the board, this team felt like a dynasty in the making. However, with injury and controversy, Chicago would ultimately never make it back to the World Series with the core they had. Kris Bryant, Jake Arrieta, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, and Wilson Contreras were all let go or traded within six years, similar to the star core for Washington. However, Chicago never bottomed out like Washington, never winning fewer than seventy-one games (other than 2020).

Chicago is a big market and spends like one. Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki, and Shota Imanaga are the top players they have acquired either in trade or through free agency. With already one of the top farm systems in baseball, they have littered their young talent in their veteran-filled lineup, such as Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Washington shipped all of their top talent away, receiving much-needed prospective talent. However, Chicago stayed competitive and showed their willingness to win at whatever cost, and their approach could be seen as the best blueprint to a rebuild while giving fans competitive baseball in the process. Chicago is currently 31-21 and has a great chance of winning the National League Central and potentially winning their first playoff game since 2018.

WASHINGTON VS BALTIMORE​

Baltimore fans went through the worst of the worst. After a great stretch of Baltimore baseball from 2012-2016, the team decided enough was enough. From 2018-2021, Baltimore never surpassed sixty wins in a season, destroying what was a great fan base, but promising a bright future. Everything changed in 2022 when former No.1 overall pick Adley Rutschman made his debut. They would win eighty-three games in 2022, and in 2023, they would win 101 games and make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Baltimore created one of the best farm systems in MLB history, creating a lineup of top prospects. Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Adley Rutschman, Colton Cowser, Coby Mayo, and Jordan Westburg are some of the top prospects in Baltimore’s system who have made an impact throughout the past three years. With loads of young talent still in the minor leagues, Baltimore has scouted their way to having one of the best futures in baseball.

While Baltimore has prioritized their offensive star power, they have ignored their pitching staff as a whole. Greyson Rodriguez is a great future piece for Baltimore, but they have ignored the glaring issues with this team, leading them to early playoff exits. They made a big splash in 2024, trading for Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, just to ultimately not resign him after a great season.

This is where Washington and Baltimore have similarities in their rebuild. Washington has prioritized their lineup, and fans are excited for the young trio of James Wood, CJ Abrams, and Dylan Crews. With the lack of urgency within the pitching staff, Washington is seeing games slip away from them due to a lack of talent. MacKenzie Gore has carried the load for Washington since 2022, and nothing has changed.

The lack of pitching in Baltimore has taken a toll in 2025, resulting in regression, as they are 17-34 and dead last in the American League East.

CONCLUSION​

Many teams have rebuilt before this season, and teams will rebuild after this season. There hasn’t been a clear blueprint for successfully turning a franchise around. Within the last six years, Washington has gone from winning a World Series to owning the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. I believe Washington should take some notes from the Chicago Cubs. Washington has the offensive talent to win games and should be taking advantage of their great, young talent being affordable and under team control.

What do you guys think Washington should do? Comment down below!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...how-nationals-rebuild-compare-to-cubs-orioles

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs San Francisco Giants Game Thread

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals look for yet another series win against the Giants

After both teams got shutout wins, we are in for a rubber match between the Nationals and Giants. The Nats have won six out of their last seven and are looking for yet another series win.

The Nationals lineup is similar to yesterday, but a couple regular starters will get days off. Keibert Ruiz will get a rare breather, with Riley Adams taking his place. Luis Garcia Jr. will also get the day off against a left handed pitcher. Nasim Nunez will take his place. Michael Soroka will get the start today. He has been great early in games before hitting a wall in the sixth inning. He will hope to change that.

fifty three. pic.twitter.com/D5wOQASFXT

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

The Giants are only making one change to their lineup. Backup catcher Sam Huff will give Patrick Bailey the day off. Besides that, they are rolling out the same unit that got shutout yesterday. Former Nationals prospect Robbie Ray will take the mound for the Giants. The former Cy Young winner has returned to form this year.

Today’s #SFGiants lineup

️: 10:35 a.m. PT
: Washington, DC
: @NBCSAuthentic
: @KNBR | KSFN#SFGiants | @CocaCola pic.twitter.com/VSkgEgJz8B

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) May 25, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 1:35 PM EST

TV: MASN 2

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

The Nationals are a hot team that are winning in a variety of ways right now. They will look to keep it up today and grab a series win. Getting a win before a west coast trip would be a major positive for this team. Let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...nationals-vs-san-francisco-giants-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Rob Manfred and the MLB needs to own Memorial Day

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals are off this Memorial Day and that makes no sense

There are some sports that go hand and hand with a holiday. For example, the NFL owns Thanksgiving, and the NBA owns Christmas. While the MLB goes all out for July 4th, they are missing an opportunity to own another holiday. Major League Baseball is making no effort to own Memorial Day, and that is quite strange.

At a bare minimum, all 30 teams should be playing on this holiday. Instead there are six teams off, including the Washington Nationals. For a holiday honoring our fallen soldiers, it is odd to have the team from the Nations Capital not playing. The team that has our troops in attendance every game, and who’s fans give them a big round of applause every game. They are not playing.

There are also no National TV games today. Rob Manfred has made a point of trying to grow the game over the last few years, but he is dropping the ball here. This is a day where Manfred should be pulling out all the stops, running an ESPN doubleheader. Instead, he is treating this like just another day of the season which is a shame.

The MLB is about ignorant. Not a single nationally televised game (not counting MLB network) on a national holiday when they have no competition. They should be running at minimum at triple header on FOX or ESPN at 12, 4 and 8. MLB needs to take over these summer holidays pic.twitter.com/UGoHarRzbv

— Eric Sisson (@ESisson7) May 26, 2025​

Memorial Day is a great fit for the MLB. Baseball is America’s National Pastime, and a sport where our hero’s are respected at the ballpark every night. It is also a landmark in the season.

After Memorial Day, we enter the summer grind, and it is not “early” in the season anymore. It is a turning point of the MLB campaign. We are now in it for the long haul, contenders are being established and frauds are being sniffed out. It is time for the boys of summer to play some ball.

It is the perfect way to market the game. However, the MLB has decided to treat it like just another day on the calendar. The Washington Nationals, who always get a matinee game on July 4th are not even playing today. That is just a major oversight by the MLB. Fans are fed up that the MLB is not taking this opportunity to market their game.

Here’s my yearly tweet about this: The first Summer holiday of the season, and there are still too many MLB teams off today. I’ve said this many times… Every team should be playing on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. Embrace the Summer holidays.

— Courtney Finnicum (@courtney883) May 26, 2025​

What makes it even more frustrating is that the MLB has figured out a lot of the hard stuff. The pitch clock was a risk, but it has been a massive success. It is so much more enjoyable to go to a game these days, knowing that it will not be a three plus hour slog. Nowadays, if a game is three hours, that usually means it is a crazy game that is worth your time, like the Nationals 8-7 extra inning win over the Braves I went to.

The pitch clock helped the MLB solve one of their most existential problems. However, they need to be able to do the easy stuff. Putting a spotlight on your game and their stars during summer holidays like Memorial Day should be easy. These players would be so proud to play in the spotlight on such a special day. They would embrace it and show the world why this game is so great.

There should never be another Memorial Day where the Washington Nationals are not playing. It is time for the MLB to own Memorial Day the way the NFL owns Thanksgiving. Memorial Day is the start of summer, and baseball owns the summer. The MLB needs to rise to the occasion.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/5/26/24437634/rob-manfred-mlb-needs-to-own-memorial-day

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Washington Nationals need trade acquisition Nathaniel Lowe to step up

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Nathaniel Lowe started out strong for the Nationals but he has fallen off lately and the Nats need him to heat up

The Nationals biggest move this offseason was trading for Nathaniel Lowe. He was brought in to provide stability to the first base position. Over the past few years, the Nats have struggled to find impact players at that spot. Josh Bell was a solid pickup the first time around, but it has been ugly since then outside of a magical Joey Meneses run.

Lowe was brought in to fix that. He was supposed to be the next Josh Bell or Adam LaRoche, stabilizing the position for the next couple of years. However, after a hot start, Lowe has been lackluster to say the least.

According to both Fangraphs and Baseball Reference, Lowe has been below replacement level. In his Rangers tenure, Lowe had a .791 OPS across four seasons, and was steady as they come. However, this year that mark is down to .681.

Lowe was great early on. In his 16 at bats in March, he put up a 1.225 OPS with two home runs. In April, he was streaky, but had his moments. Lowe put up a .714 OPS with 4 homers and an impressive 19 RBI’s.

However, things have gone off the rails in May. Lowe is hitting .193 with a 545 OPS. That is simply not good enough for a middle of the lineup bat who was expected to stabilize the first base position. Lowe has a lower OPS than Josh Bell in the month of May, who has taken a lot of heat.

But what happened, why is Lowe so ineffective? One potential answer could be selling out for power. Both Lowe and Bell prioritized hitting for power in the offseason. That sounds great on paper, but it comes at a cost. Lowe’s K% and whiff percentage are both up about five percent this season. His 27.5 K% is the highest it has been since 2020. Lowe’s BB% has also fallen from 12.6% last year to just 8.6%

These are all signs of a hitter trying to sell out for power. It is very clear to see that this is just not his game. That 27 home run 2022 season seems like more of an outlier and not something to chase. While he is on pace to well exceed his home run totals from the last couple of years, it has come at a cost.

It is worth noting that Lowe has been bad in May his whole career. His .650 OPS in May is over 100 points lower than any other month. However, I think there is more to it than just that. Right now, we are seeing a player chasing power too much. We are seeing him try to launch pitches that he could just spray. That is why we are seeing him whiff at so many high fastballs. Lowe is simply trying to do too much.

In the beginning of the season, this approach was paying off. We wrote about how he had changed and was tapping into more power. However, pitchers have adjusted to his new approach, and now he has to adjust back. Lowe could use a day off to fine tune his swing and approach.

The Nationals need Nathaniel Lowe if they want their offense to be sustainable. Right now, the offense is over-reliant on Wood and Abrams. Lowe was supposed to be that third guy, but he has not provided that kind of production. He has a negative WAR and a wRC+ of 90, or 10% worse than league average. That is not what the Nationals signed up for.

To make matters worse, Robert Garcia, the reliever the Nationals gave up in the trade is thriving. In 26 outings, Garcia has a 2.45 ERA with 2 saves and 10 holds. That kind of reliable, high leverage arm would be nice in the Nationals bullpen. Garcia also is not a free agent until 2030, while Lowe hits the open market after next season.

If Lowe can get back to being an above average first baseman, this trade will be fine for the Nats, and maybe even a win. After all, an above average everyday player is more valuable than a middle reliever. However, Lowe is playing like a below average player at the moment, and that needs to change.

The Washington Nationals brought in Nathaniel Lowe to be a stabilizing presence and a key cog behind James Wood and CJ Abrams. So far, he has not been up to the task. It is still early, but Lowe needs to prove that this May slump was a mirage, and he needs to prove it fast.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...gton-nationals-need-nathaniel-lowe-to-step-up

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Seattle Mariners Game Thread

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Follow along for some late night Nationals action as the Nats head to the Pacific Northwest

Despite losing two out of three to a strong Giants team, the Nationals are still playing solid baseball. They have one seven of their last 10 and have responded well after their miserable seven game losing streak. Now they hit the road.

The Nationals are running out their extremely lefty heavy lineup with a right hander on the mound. Our lineup will feature seven lefties and two switch hitters, both of whom are better from the left side. This lineup has become one that Davey Martinez has settled on against right handed pitching lately. There has been a lot of chopping and changing to lineups this season, but it seems like Davey has settled on something he likes. Mitchell Parker will be on the bump.

fifty four. pic.twitter.com/NCG9hvpHkC

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 27, 2025​

The Mariners offense has been much improved after a miserable 2024. Cal Raleigh has been the catalyst with his 17 home runs. Around him, they have had a lot of guys chipping in. With a lefty on the mound, the Mariners will do some platooning. Donovan Solano will play first over Rowdy Tellez and Mitch Garver will DH over Jorge Polanco. Rookie Logan Evans will take the mound. He has had a strong start to his MLB career.

Back home for 9. #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/5jixJHxwAp

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 27, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: T-Mobile Park

Time: 9:40 PM EST

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

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

After a day off yesterday, the Nats are ready for action on the other side of the country. In the battle of Washington, let’s hope the boys from DC win!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...ton-nationals-vs-seattle-mariners-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

National Prospects: Brady House knocking on the door for an MLB call up

Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals need a right handed bat and a third baseman. Brady House could be that guy

Brady House had a big weekend in Triple-A. Over three games, the Nationals third ranked prospect went 7-13 with a homer and two doubles. It was a statement of intent for the youngster, proof he is almost ready for the big leagues.

.@Brady_house7 in his last three games

7-for-13 (.538)
2 2B
HR
2 RBI
4 R pic.twitter.com/ePFBKHkJrk

— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) May 27, 2025​

He hit a mammoth 458 foot homer that was 112.4 MPH off the bat. House’s OPS is now up to .833 and his average is .286. The soon to be 22 year old still does not walk a ton and strikes out more than you would like to see. However, his power and hard contact can make up for that.

In Triple-A, House’s average exit velocity is in the 77th percentile. Interestingly, his 90th percentile EV of 108 MPH is in the 94th percentile. Evaluators really like looking at that 90th percentile exit velocity because it shows how hard you hit a ball when you really get a hold of a ball. It is a very good indicator for power potential, so it is nice to see House grading out so well.

There are obviously still holes in House’s offensive game, and there are likely to be growing pains at the MLB level. Chase will always be a part of House’s game, but he will have to limit is as much as he can.

Brady House still has immense upside. There is a world where he can be an Austin Riley style slugger, who chases more than you would like, but has the power to make up for it. However, there is still some downside. If he can’t control the chase or whiffs, he could end up being similar to what Paul DeJong was last season. A guy who hit 24 home runs, but saw his offense suffer greatly from the chase and strikeouts.

Like DeJong, House plays good defense over at third. He is still relatively new to the position, so he can be error prone at times. However, with his arm strength and athleticism, he can make plays that guys like Jose Tena and Amed Rosario simply cannot make. Since he went down, the Nationals have missed Paul DeJong’s defense at third base. House can give the Nats some of that, even if he is not quite as elite as DeJong yet.

One thing that could hasten the arrival of House is the lack of right handed bats. We wrote about this after Dylan Crews went down, and the problem has only intensified with Jacob Young’s IL stint.

There was a game where the Nats had no natural righties in the lineup, and the two switch hitters they had were both better as right handed hitters. Having a lineup that unbalanced will be exposed at some point.

Right now, Jose Tena is a negative WAR player, and while Amed Rosario is hitting, he feels like a more natural platoon partner for Luis Garcia Jr.. Garcia struggles against left handed pitching and Rosario plays better defense at second base rather than third.

With House hot, the lack of right handed bats and the problems the Nats are having at third base, all the signs are pointing towards a Brady House call-up. I have a feeling that they might pull the trigger when they get back from this road trip.

June 3rd feels like a good time for House’s debut. Mike Rizzo has loved calling up his guys right before a home stand lately. He did it with James Wood and Dylan Crews, House could be next in line. Also, Brady House’s 22nd birthday is on June 4th. A call up would be one heck of a birthday present.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...cts-brady-house-knocking-door-for-mlb-call-up

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Seattle Mariners Game Thread

Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals look to get back on track against a quality Mariners squad

Last night was just not the Nationals night. Mitchell Parker got jumped on in the first inning and the Nats offense was non-existent outside of a James Wood solo homer. Now the Nationals have a chance to even up the series and force a rubber match.

Trevor Williams will take the mound for the Nats. He has struggled this season, and with Cade Cavalli’s strong performances in AAA, his rotation spot could be in jeopardy. Williams could really use a strong performance. In an unusual twist, the Nationals are running out the same lineup as last night. There has been a lot of chopping and changing to the lineup this season, so it is weird to see the same nine in the same order. CJ Abrams will lead off and look to get out of his funk.

fifty five. pic.twitter.com/6T4pu52LhT

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 28, 2025​

With a righty on the mound, the Mariners are making some changes to their lineup. Jorge Polanco, Rowdy Tellez and Miles Mastrobuoni will all come into the lineup tonight. George Kirby will make his second start of the season for the Mariners after missing a big chunk of the season with injury.

Battle of the Washingtons round #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/a3hc5ge5lT

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 28, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: T-Mobile Park

Time: 9:40 PM EST

TV: MASN 2

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

Follow along in the comments as the Nationals look to get back to their winning ways. Let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...ton-nationals-vs-seattle-mariners-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Inconsistent Washington Nationals show what they can do at their best

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Nationals are a roller coaster that showed what they can do at the top of their game last night

This Washington Nationals team, like a lot of young teams is inconsistent. Some nights, like the first game of this series, they simply don’t have it and look really bad. However, there are some magical nights like last night that make you believe.

It was a complete performance from the Nats last night. Trevor Williams led a four pitcher shutout with his best start of the season, throwing six scoreless. A trio of young, homegrown relievers finished the job, with three scoreless innings of their own. The pitching staff did not walk anyone last night, a very welcome statistic.

However, it was the offense that stole the show. They epitomize the topsy turvy nature of this team, and their performances in the first two games of this series sum up their season. In game one, the offense did absolutely nothing besides a James Wood home run.

Rookie Logan Evans got through 8 innings on just 88 pitches, and the Mariners got through the game throwing less than 100 pitches. It was the type of performance that makes Nationals fans so upset with Darnell Coles. There were too many uncompetitive at bats, not enough walks, and too many ground balls.

However, as they have done for a lot of the season, the offense flipped the switch. The offense showed how explosive they can be at their best, hitting four homers and scoring nine runs.

After a quick first inning, the barrage started in the second inning with back to back jacks from Luis Garcia Jr. and Josh Bell. After wondering how long the Nationals could persist with Bell, the big man responded with his best game of the season. He had his first multi-hit game of the season, and looked really locked in.

The Nats brought the bats!

Josh Bell goes back-to-back pic.twitter.com/31NBqBBMeI

— MLB (@MLB) May 29, 2025​

In the fourth inning with two outs, Garcia and Bell kickstarted another rally. After a Garcia walk and Bell single, the bottom of the lineup came through. Robert Hassell III ripped an RBI single to score Garcia before Jose Tena drove in two more with a clutch double.

The Nationals were all over Mariners starter George Kirby. With how much Kirby lives in the zone and hates walking people, he might have been a good matchup for the Nats. This Nationals offense is at their worst when they expand and are forced into weak contact. That is not really Kirby’s game with how much he is in the strike zone.

To start the fifth inning, Kirby caught too much of the plate with a first pitch slider and James Wood punished it. For the second straight night, Wood hit a majestic home run in Seattle.

James Wood continues to rake! His 15th homer of the season pic.twitter.com/E0lH6Ztgfu

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 29, 2025​

Wood now has 15 homers on the season and has a .949 OPS. He is doing some special stuff at just 22 years of age. James Wood and Shohei Ohtani are the only players in baseball with a .280+ average, 15+ homers and 8+ steals. I wrote earlier this season that James Wood is a superstar, and he is proving me right.

Here is the full list of players in MLB hitting over .280 with 15+ home runs and 8+ stolen bases.

Shohei Ohtani
James Wood

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) May 29, 2025​

However, there were even more fireworks from the offense later in the game. We saw Robert Hassell III’s first career home run, which was very exciting. As midnight drew near on the east coast, Bobby Barrels uncorked a 416 foot home run deep into the Seattle night.

Robert Hassell III barrels up his first MLB homer for the @Nationals!

416 ft | 104.3 mph for the 8th overall pick from the 2020 Draft pic.twitter.com/KOiWpSfiEm

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 29, 2025​

It was a complete performance from the Nats, who were 9-0 victors. Nights like this make games like the first one in this series so frustrating. We know what this team is capable of, but they need to do it on a more consistent basis. Asking for this kind of effort every night is wildly unrealistic. However, they need to find a B game, where they can win while not being at their best.

With experience, that should come, but there is just so much inconsistency right now. However, it is important to enjoy nights like this where everything comes together for a young team. This is going to be a roller coaster season with a lot of ups and downs, so buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/5/29/24439304/inconsistent-washington-nationals-show-best

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Seattle Mariners Game Thread

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals look for a series win in the Pacific Northwest

After a Mariners blowout win to start the series, the Washington Nationals responded with one of their own, trouncing the M’s 9-0. The power was on full display, with four Nationals hitting homers, including Robert Hassell III, who hit the first home run of his young career.

With a right hander on the mound, the Nats are going to run out the same lineup they have used the past couple games. It is interesting to see Keibert Ruiz remain in the cleanup spot despite his recent struggles. On the mound, strikeout master MacKenzie Gore will look to build off his quality start last time out. Hopefully he gets more run support this time.

fifty six. pic.twitter.com/6gt8Oh3Zz8

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

With a lefty on the mound for the Nats, the Mariners are making some tweaks to their lineup. Dylan Moore and Donovan Solano will re-enter the lineup. Interestingly, Jorge Polanco will stay at DH, despite not facing many lefties this season. Right hander Emerson Hancock will toe the slab in Seattle.

Rocking the City Connects tonight #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/iPruVjEwOL

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 29, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: T-Mobile Park

Time: 9:40 PM EST

TV: MASN and FS1

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

A series win on the road against a good Mariners team would be a big statement for the Nats. It would be great to see them pull it off. Comment down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...ton-nationals-vs-seattle-mariners-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

After a rocky start, Jose A Ferrer is becoming a force in the Washington Nationals bullpen

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It was a tough start, but Jose A Ferrer is turning things around and is becoming the guy we know he can be

If you look at Jose A Ferrer’s season numbers, you will not be impressed. He has a 5.59 ERA in 28 appearances. However, when you look under the hood and examine his recent performances, it is easy to see that there is more than what meets the eye.

Despite Ferrer’s sky high ERA, the underlying metrics suggest he has been very unlucky. His FIP sits at 3.04 and his xERA is 3.16. A lot of this comes down to bad batted ball luck. As a sinker baller who relies heavily on ground balls, Ferrer will always be at the mercy of the BABIP gods. If those ground balls are hit to guys and they are making plays, Ferrer will look great. If they are finding holes, the Nationals southpaw will have some problems.

Right now his BABIP sits at a very high .341 mark, well above the .274 number he was at last year. However, it was higher before his most recent run of success where he has been commanding the ball better and relying more on that power sinker.

In Ferrer’s last nine outings after his blowup against the Guardians, he has only allowed one run and five hits in nine innings. Interestingly, he has not been getting the job done with strikeouts, only having five. He has had batters living on the ground with his heavy sinker.

On the season, Ferrer has a 62% ground ball, which ranks in the 98th percentile on Baseball Savant. That has been increasing every time he takes the ball lately. When you see Ferrer these days, it is a heavy dose of his upper 90’s sinker. On the season, Ferrer is throwing his sinker 70% of the time, but in May he has bumped that up to 74%.

That is allowing him to flourish. He is becoming that Zack Britton type of profile. Obviously Ferrer has a ways to go to reach those heights, but there are a lot of similarities there. Both rely heavily on power sinkers from the left side to get ground balls. While his changeup and slider are solid pitches, they take a back seat to that sinker.

The Nationals bullpen has been a lot better lately, and that turnaround has coincided with when Ferrer got back on track. Those meltdowns against Cleveland in early May were the low point for both Ferrer and the unit as a whole. They were becoming a sport wide laughing stock.

However, with Ferrer and Cole Henry pitching well, the Nats now have a bridge to their reliable closer Kyle Finnegan. The Nats also have some other supplemental arms that can do a decent job at times in Jackson Rutledge, Andrew Chafin and sometimes Jorge Lopez. It is not an elite unit by any means, but it has now become the average to slightly below average ‘pen fans were craving for in April. They are not torpedoing the season anymore, which is nice.

I had big expectations for Ferrer entering the season, giving him the dreaded “future closer” label. He made me look really bad early on, and while he still has a ways to go to prove me right, he is showing the things that made me so intrigued. Not many left handers have that kind of power sinker, while also having decent control.

Another under the radar aspect of Ferrer’s game is that he does not walk many guys. He walked a stellar 1.69 batters per nine innings last year and is at 2.48 this year, still much better than average. With that sinker, Ferrer does not allow many homers either. In the 61 innings he has throws since the start of last season, he has only allowed 2 home runs.

So yes, Ferrer will allow his fair share of singles, usually it won’t be enough to hurt him. This season he has gotten unlucky, so teams have been able to string some hits together to start rallies. However, he has gotten that under control.

Despite the slow start, I am still very bullish about Jose A Ferrer. He is going to be a mainstay in this Nationals bullpen for years to come, and should be able to occupy a high leverage role.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...-a-ferrer-becoming-force-in-nationals-bullpen

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Arizona Diamondbacks Game Thread

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nationals look to take the series against the Snakes

Last night was an offensive thriller for the Nats, who scored nine runs for a third straight game. Both James Wood and Josh Bell have homered in all three of those games. Those guys will look to stay hot in the second game of a three game set against the Diamondbacks.

The Nationals are bringing back their no righty lineup, but with a couple tweaks. Hot hitting Luis Garcia Jr. is in the cleanup spot while the struggling Keibert Ruiz is moved down to the six hole. It is really just last night’s lineup, but with Ruiz instead of Riley Adams. Michael Soroka has shown flashes of brilliance since coming off the IL, but he has not had a complete start yet. Hopefully he can change that tonight.

Nats lineup vs. Arizona RHP Pfaadt: pic.twitter.com/KQp1WaYFp3

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) May 31, 2025​

Like the Nats, the Diamondbacks are only making one tweak to their lineup. Randal Grichuk is replacing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in left field tonight. Gurriel is normally a mainstay in the Snakes lineup. Other wise the lineup is unchanged. The dependable Brandon Pfaadt is taking the mound for Arizona.

Saturday night baseball. https://t.co/k9Xjx1tKgF pic.twitter.com/sO02XN1knW

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 31, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: Chase Field

Time: 10:10 PM EST

TV: MASN 2 and FS1

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

Follow along as the Nats look to take yet another series win. The boys are playing great baseball and hopefully they keep it up tonight. Comment down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...nationals-vs-arizona-diamondbacks-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Arizona Diamondbacks Game Thread

Allan Henry-Imagn Images

Follow along as the red hot Nats look to sweep the slumping Snakes

Boy has the Nationals offense has been explosive lately. They scored 10 runs in the first inning last night, including nine before they got an out. That historic onslaught gave the Nats their fourth win a row.

Today they are looking for the sweep with Mitchell Parker on the mound. After a fantastic start to the season, Parker has struggled mightily lately. As for the lineup, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Davey Martinez has the same nine as last night. Luis Garcia Jr. will remain in the cleanup spot, with Davey rewarded his hot stretch of hitting.

fifty nine. pic.twitter.com/ymVK7CCz6c

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 1, 2025​

The Diamondbacks are switching things up with a lefty on the mound. Old friend Ildemaro Vargas will make his first appearance of the season, starting at second base. That means Ketel Marte will move to DH. Tim Tawa and Jose Herrera will get their first starts of the series. Loures Gurriel Jr. will also re-join the Snakes lineup. Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes will look to stop the bleeding for the Snakes. He has been pitching well lately, but the Nats have had success against him over the years.

Last one of the homestand.https://t.co/k9Xjx1ui6d pic.twitter.com/lf3EFRulkO

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) June 1, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: Chase Field

Time: 4:10 PM EST

TV: MASN 2

Radio: 106.7 The Fan and DC 87.7

This run since the seven game losing streak has been the best the Nationals have played in years. They finished May with a 15-12 record and look to carry that into June. Finishing off a sweep would be a great way to start the month. Comment down below and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...nationals-vs-arizona-diamondbacks-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Daylen Lile and Robert Hassell III are providing the Washington Nationals a spark

Allan Henry-Imagn Images

Daylen Lile and Robert Hassell III are still getting their feet wet, but their energy is giving the Nationals extra juice

Neither Daylen Lile or Robert Hassell III have put up eye popping numbers in their first tastes of big league action, but they are still providing a lot of value to the team. Their enthusiasm and energy is contagious. Both also have a knack for making their hits count.

Lile and Hassell are both very exciting on the defensive side of the ball. Just in this series against the D-Backs, both have made excellent defensive plays. Lile made an insane play the other night when he robbed Gabriel Moreno of a home run. There have been other occasions where Lile has made dramatic plays. He made a diving catch to close out a win over the Giants as well.

OH MY WHAT A CATCH pic.twitter.com/ZXipWmXIcF

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 31, 2025​

Hassell has looked excellent out in center field, especially with his arm. While Jacob Young is an outstanding defender, and has more range than Hassell, his arm is poor. Hassell has an absolute cannon out in center field and is making it known that you can’t run on him.

Jake Irvin gives up an RBI single, but a beautiful throw from Robert Hassell III saves a run at the plate pic.twitter.com/QqyY6kmFPC

— DC Rising (@DC__Rising) May 31, 2025​

Both of these great plays were in the same game. These guys have brought real excitement with how they play the game. Both are great athletes who bring a lot of well rounded value. Neither has lit the world on fire at the plate, but they have both held their own.

Hassell has had some excellent at bats in his time with the team. The best one was a 10 pitch duel with veteran starter Merrill Kelly. He fouled off some very well executed pitches before finally getting a mistake pitch which he drove right up the middle to get two runs in. It looked like an at bat from a 10 year veteran.

What a professional at bat from Robert Hassell III

On the 10TH (!) pitch of the AB, he drives in 2 runs with a hard hit single. pic.twitter.com/sMjAiCihJq

— DC Rising (@DC__Rising) May 31, 2025​

Hassell still has some holes in his offensive game and doesn’t always make the right reads out in center, but he plays so hard and he is clutch. As he matures, hopefully some walks will come and he will cut down on the strikeouts a little bit. However, he is a live wire and leaves everything on the field.

Daylen Lile has really shown his pure hitting ability last night. In a lot of other parks, Lile would have had two homers last night. The double he hit would have been out in 28/30 ballparks, while his triple would have been gone in 20. Before last night, he had been hitting the ball on the ground too much, but he elevated yesterday. He was not a ground ball heavy hitter in the minors, so hopefully last night is a sign of things to come.

Mike Rizzo will have some interesting decisions to make when Jacob Young and Dylan Crews come back. What will he do with Alex Call? Does Young get to walk back into the lineup even with his subpar production? Which of these two guys will he demote? These are all questions he has to answer, and soon, especially in the case of Young.

Unless Lile really heats up, I can see them sending him down. He has not lit the world alight in the big leagues, even if he has had his moments. Lile has also only played 18 games at the Triple-A level, so I could see the Nats wanting to give him some more seasoning.

In that case, Robert Hassell is likely to see a lot of time in right field until Dylan Crews comes back. When Crews comes back, there is going to have to be a hard decision. The organization loves Jacob Young, but he has not shown a lot this year. His bat has taken a step back and while his defense is still very good, it is not at the all-world level it was last year.

Robert Hassell III and Daylen Lile have given the Nats a real spark in the outfield. The Nationals now have an embarrassment of riches in their outfield. However, all that depth means there is going to have to be some tough decisions.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...-hassell-providing-washington-nationals-spark