by Andrew Lang
by Andrew Lang
by Andrew Lang
When the Nationals began this series yesterday by getting smacked around in an 11-2 loss, the likelihood of winning a series over the Tigers, who entered the series with the best record in baseball, was not high. The beauty of baseball comes in the fact that what may have happened in one game could be completely flipped in the next.
Continue reading
The Washington Nationals split their day/night doubleheader yesterday, and now go for the series win tonight. After the game, Postgame Freedom Fireworks will be presented by Budweiser beginning approximately 10 minutes after the final out.
Continue readingThe Washington Nationals enter the second half of the 2025 season with a disappointing 37-50 record, sitting in last place in the NL East. Despite the struggles, this rebuilding franchise faces critical decisions about resource allocation as they prepare for upcoming games and the trade deadline approaching on July 31st.
The Nationals’ pitching staff has been historically poor in 2025, ranking 28th in MLB with a 5.09 ERA and allowing 456 runs through 87 games. Their bullpen has been particularly catastrophic, posting the worst ERA in baseball at 6.69 through mid-season. Nine different relievers have logged at least five innings, with seven posting ERAs of 5.87 or worse. This pitching collapse has been the primary driver of their struggles, as they’ve allowed 68 more runs than they’ve scored.
The starting rotation shows promise with MacKenzie Gore leading MLB with 53 strikeouts and Mitchell Parker providing solid innings, but beyond those two, the depth is concerning. Gore’s 3.09 ERA represents the team’s lone bright spot, while veteran additions Trevor Williams and Michael Soroka have struggled with injuries and inconsistency. The rotation lacks the depth necessary to compete in meaningful games.
While the pitching crumbles, the Nationals’ offensive foundation appears more stable. James Wood has emerged as a legitimate star, leading the team with 23 home runs, 67 RBIs, and a .294 batting average. His .395 on-base percentage and .563 slugging percentage suggest he’s developed into the franchise cornerstone many projected. CJ Abrams has been equally impressive, posting a .286 average with 12 home runs and 18 stolen bases while providing solid defense at shortstop.
The lineup ranks 14th in MLB with 388 runs scored, a respectable output that’s been overshadowed by the pitching struggles. Luis García Jr. has contributed a .272 average with 40 RBIs, while the team’s young core continues developing. However,
Dylan Crews’ disappointing .196 batting average in 45 games represented a concern, but then he got things going and days later he injured his oblique. .
As the Nationals prepare for their upcoming homestand against Boston and their second-half schedule featuring series against San Diego and Cincinnati, the team faces crucial decisions about their direction. With the trade deadline looming, MLB odds heavily favor Washington being sellers rather than buyers, given their position 14 games out of first place and virtually eliminated from playoff contention.
The front office must decide whether to prioritize immediate pitching help or continue building the offensive foundation. Several veteran relievers and rental players like Josh Bell and Amed Rosario could be moved to acquire pitching prospects or young arms who can contribute immediately. Kyle Finnegan, despite his struggles, remains the team’s most valuable trade chip among relievers.
The evidence overwhelmingly suggests the Nationals should prioritize pitching in any early-round decisions or trade scenarios. While the offensive core shows promise with Wood, Abrams, and García Jr. forming a solid foundation, the pitching staff’s historically poor performance makes it impossible to evaluate other aspects of the team fairly.
The bullpen’s 6.69 ERA represents a fundamental flaw that undermines any progress made elsewhere. Starting pitching depth beyond Gore and Parker remains questionable, with the team’s 5.09 team ERA ranking among the worst in franchise history. No amount of offensive production can overcome allowing nearly six runs per game.
The Nationals’ prospect pipeline includes promising arms like Travis Sykora and Jarlin Susana, but both 20-year-old pitchers remain at least a year away from contributing. The organization needs immediate pitching help to provide a foundation for their developing hitters to showcase their abilities in competitive games.
With 75 games remaining in the season, the Nationals face a critical juncture. Their offensive foundation appears sustainable, but the pitching crisis threatens to derail the entire rebuilding effort. Whether through trades, callups, or creative roster moves, addressing the pitching shortage must be the organization’s top priority as they navigate the remainder of 2025 and prepare for future success.
The Washington Nationals have a chance tomorrow at an odd feat of losing a series at home to the worst team in baseball, and winning a home series against the best team in baseball in the span of two weeks. After the embarrassment the Nats suffered in the first game of this doubleheader, a good performance in the nightcap was much needed, and they delivered.
Continue reading
The Washington Nationals day/night doubleheader began with a deficit that Trevor Williams and his teammates could not climb out of in the afternoon game. The night game will be counting on MacKenzie Gore to be the team’s ace and get his team a split today.
Continue reading
The Nats followed up a 7-19 month of June with one of their most pathetic performances of the season this afternoon. We knew this Tigers team was good; we knew this would be a challenging series. We knew all of this, and I am still baffled at what we just watched. My mom always said, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” In an effort to follow that advice, I’ll end my intro here and just get right into the game action.
Continue reading
The Washington Nationals put together one of their best wins of 2025 on Sunday prior to their return from a 10-day west coast trip. Getting back home to Washington, D.C. in time to open the July calendar will be met tonight with threats of rain. The boys of summer from the Nation’s Capital need to get on a long winning streak to right their season.
Today’s game will be part of a day/night doubleheader. The Nationals will need a starter for Sunday’s game as Trevor Williams was originally scheduled for that day.
Continue reading
"Opening Day should be a National holiday"
We recently upgraded our comment system to improve reliability, performance, and long-term control, and we’re currently running both systems during the transition. This shift moves us away from an external service to a system we run and control directly—meaning we own the content and can continue improving it over time. We’ve also reduced the comment refresh delay from about 30 seconds to 10 seconds, making it much closer to real-time.
We understand there have been frustrations and increased feedback, and we’re actively working to improve things. What we ask is simple: use the system and give it a fair shot. If you run into issues, please submit them through the support form so we can track and fix them properly. Repeated complaints without details don’t help us solve problems—we appreciate your patience as we continue refining the experience.
If you’d like a full side-by-side comparison of the platforms and the reasons behind this decision, please refer to the chart below. This change is being made with the long-term benefit of the entire community in mind.