Nats Chat

The Nationals were swept in Baltimore as they lost 5-4 on Sunday afternoon. Mark & Al recap the gut punching defeat and try to understand how they could have lost four games in a row to last place teams. What should we expect this week from the front office as Friday's Trade Deadline looms? 

(15:15) Washington entered the bottom of the ninth with a one run lead, but Brad Hand immediately put the leadoff hitter on base. Should Hand and Daniel Hudson flip roles?

(20:20) Paolo Espino was in line for the victory until the 9th, but did allow three solo shots. On the other side, many of the Nats big names didn't produce much at the plate this weekend. Plus, a look at the evolving situation at catcher. How important is the absence of Yan Gomes?

(26:30) For some good news, Joe Ross is expected to come off the IL and pitch Monday in Philadelphia. When will Max Scherzer return to the mound?

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The Nationals lost 5-3 in Baltimore for a third consecutive defeat. Al & Mark start with the troubled state of team as they are limping into the trade deadline. Should they sell and if so, who should they sell off?

(12:37) Max Scherzer was scratched from his scheduled start due to triceps discomfort. Did any of this have to do with the impending trade deadline?

(22:05) Matt Harvey pitched like the New York form of himself, not the current one. Which version of the Nats offense will we see for the remainder of the season?

(27:07) Carter Kieboom is back with Washington after Jordy Mercer was placed on the IL. Kieboom did not start, but had two late at bats, including a run scored after being hit by a pitch. Will he be starting or coming off the bench while in the big leagues?

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The Nationals lost their series opener at Camden Yards 6-1 to the Orioles. It was a busy night for Mark as he made his debut hosting the pre & postgame shows on MASN and he tells Al all about it. They then dissect why Josh Bell got the nod in the field and Ryan Zimmerman was the DH, as opposed to Zim starting at 1B. Bell provided the only offense of the night with a tape measure shot, his third homer of the week.

(16:26) Andrew Stevenson got another start in CF on Friday night. Has Robles been benched? Is this a platoon? Is it a bit more complicated than that?

(21:38) Patrick Corbin had another bad outing despite pitching well in the opening innings. Is his spot in the rotation in jeopardy?

(27:47) Stephen Strasburg again felt discomfort in his neck and will likely see another specialist. Al puts into perspective just how disastrous this contract might end up being for Washington.

(35:28) An update on Cade Cavalli straight from the Voice of the "Harrisburg Senators Terry Byrom". A link to Terry's radio broadcast is located on the team's website.

(38:44) Friday was the one year anniversary of the Nationals most unusual Opening Day vs. the Yankees. Mark relays what that bizarre evening felt like as everything that could have gone wrong, seemingly did go wrong.

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The Nationals lost 3-1 in extras to the Marlins, ending their brief win streak at three games. Al & Mark dive into the offensive struggles from Wednesday night, as some familiar themes from earlier this season returned. This includes multiple double plays and stranding runners in scoring position.

(12:33) Andrew Stevenson started two games this series in CF instead of Victor Robles. Is this a sign of lineup cards to come?

(19:15) Erick Fedde bounced back with a solid outing, his first good start since returning from the IL. How much stock should we put into it considering it was against Miami?

(23:43) Brad Hand gave up the decisive two runs in the top of 10th, while in his second inning of work. Should Davey Martinez have brought in a fresh arm for extra innings?

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The Nats beat the Marlins 6-3 after briefly blowing the lead in the 6th. Al & Mark discuss the victory which saw a balanced offensive attack. Josh Bell went deep for the second straight day, Tres Barrera had another solid performance at the plate, and Juan Soto continues to be locked in.

(14:24) Paolo Espino returned to his "Secret Weapon" form as he tossed five scoreless innings. Why was Paolo able to bounce back after a few recent rough outings?

(22:05) GM Mike Rizzo addressed reporters for the first time in a few months and there was a lot to digest. The hosts react to his comments on Starlin Castro and the upcoming trade deadline. Is he planning on being a buyer or seller at the end of the month?

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The Nationals pulverized the Marlins 18-1 just a few days after losing by 16 runs. Mark & Al have a different tune to sing as Washington returns to NL East competition. The team slugged six homers, the majority of which came off of former Nat Ross Detwiler.

(6:35) Juan Soto continued his hot stretch as he went deep twice and now has five homers since the Derby. When Soto is hitting opposite field, good things seem to happen.

(16:31) Josh Bell hit a mammoth homer that landed deep into the left field seats. Mark explains how different the lineup can be when Bell is productive, as he is hitting .315 in July.

(25:20) Jon Lester threw seven shutout innings and hit a homer for good measure. This after our podcast wondered if he would ever pitch again for the Nationals and severely criticized his usage as a pinch hitter against the Dodgers. Why such different results for the veteran?

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The Nationals topped San Diego 8-7 to end their six game losing streak. Al & Mark discuss Alcides Escobar's contributions so far this month, as he was the hero in the late innings for the victory. 

(7:52) Juan Soto had a go ahead HR in the bottom of the 8th, his third of the series. Mark takes another bow for his July 4th prediction that if Soto entered the Derby, it would lead to a Post All Star Break power surge. 

(18:30) Max Scherzer had a good outing, but couldn't hold onto an early 4-0 lead as he allowed a pair of homers. Why hasn't Max looked like his usual self since returning from the IL?

(23:10) The "Varsity" Bullpen was back in action, but neither Daniel Hudson nor Brad Hand pitched well. How much of this was a result of rust?

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The Nationals lost 10-4 to the Padres in Game 2 of their series. This was the game that began on Saturday night, was suspended by gunshots outside the stadium, and concluded on Sunday afternoon. Mark tells Al what the atmosphere felt like Sunday at the ballpark following Saturday evening's events, including Davey Martinez's emotional pregame comments.

(9:55) Patrick Corbin had another rough outing in his subpar season. Why do his struggles continue?

(13:55) Stephen Strasburg recently suffered a setback in his bid to return as he felt discomfort in his neck during a simulated start. Will Strasburg pitch again this season?

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Saturday evening there were gunshots outside Nationals Park which led to play being suspended in the middle of the 6th inning. Mark was in the press box covering the game and relays to Al what he experienced while sitting in the parking garage outside the stadium. 

**Taping occurred at roughly 11pm Eastern on Saturday July 17th.

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The Nationals were pummeled by the Padres 24-8 on what was an awful Friday in Navy Yard top to bottom. Mark & Al start with analysis and explanation of why Starlin Castro was placed on administrative leave by MLB due to a domestic violence allegation. 

(18:30) What will the Nats do at third base moving forward? Jordy Mercer started Friday night and Davey Martinez mentioned a trio of players who might man the hot corner. Did this position become an even higher priority ahead of the trade deadline?

(23:25) Washington got another poor outing from their starting pitcher as Erick Fedde only recorded four outs. The hosts give their opinion on whether or not Fedde should have gotten the hook in the 2nd inning. Plus, Al seeks an explanation as to why Max Scherzer isn't pitching until the series finale on Sunday.

(41:10) We individually rank our top five moments from the 1st Half of the Season. Did your favorite moment make the cut? Must listen segment for any diehard Nats fan.

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