The Nats were clobbered 11-2 by the visiting Dodgers on Wednesday evening. Mark & Al examine the rough start by Jake Irvin as he allowed a dozen hits and six runs in 4.2 IP. This came a week after he tossed six shutout frames against this same lineup at Dodger Stadium. (11:00) It was another night that needed five bullpen arms and the final two did not perform well. Tanner Rainey and Jacob Barnes combined to give up five runs in the final two innings to put the game completely out of reach. This resurfaces the conversation on the need for a long man in the 'pen. (20:00) Lane Thomas was placed on the 10-day IL with a sprain of the left MCL. His roster replacement was Trey Lipscomb, who was called back up less than ten days after being sent down to AAA. Lipscomb played 1B on Wednesday and that sent Joey Gallo to the outfield. (28:00) The Nationals had very good injury luck last season, but that does not seem to be repeating itself in 2024. We close with a conversation on James Wood and comparing him to the situation with the scuffling Jackson Holliday in Baltimore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 4-1 to the Dodgers on Tuesday night in D.C. Al & Mark open with the multiple costly base running miscues that Washington committed, especially the instance that came in the bottom of the 9th. Did third base coach Ricky Gutierrez throw up the "stop sign" too late for Luis Garcia Jr.? (09:00) Lane Thomas injured his leg on a stolen base attempt in the bottom of the 5th. He initially stayed in the game and a few innings he was removed. Thomas will get a MRI on Wednesday morning....... could this lead to James Wood getting called up to fill the likely vacant roster spot? (18:30) The bullpen allowed all four runs in just four innings of work. Five more arms took the mound out of the 'pen in this game, in what seems to be the norm for the team this season. Hunter Harvey ceded a pair of runs and was tagged with the loss. (25:20) Patrick Corbin tossed a scoreless outing in 5.1 and only allowed three hits. (30:00) Mark gives an update on both Keibert Ruiz and Josiah Gray. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats shutout Houston 6-0 on Sunday afternoon to capture the series. Mark & Al sing the praises of Mitchell Parker, who tossed seven shutout frames in just his 2nd career start. Have they found a "Diamond in the Rough"? (15:30) The offense came through with 11 hits and immediately scored three runs off of Hunter Brown. Luis Garcia Jr. continued his strong April as he had a trio of hits and knocked in two runs. (20:40) Keibert Ruiz will likely make a rehab appearance with AA Harrisburg on Tuesday as he hopes to return soon from an extended absence due to influenza. The last game he appeared in was April 8th in San Francisco. (24:30) A look at the upcoming schedule as the Dodgers come to D.C. on Tuesday. The hosts note how few divisional games are upcoming as they don't face the Braves until late May and no Mets 'til early June. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats topped the Astros 5-4 in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon in D.C.. Mark relays to Al what the atmosphere was like at Nationals Park as this was centerpiece of the 2019 World Series Anniversary Weekend. (05:00) Joey Meneses had three hits and most importantly came through with a RBI single to end the game while DHing. His batting average went up from .182 to .217 due to Saturday's performance. (10:30) Jesse Winker tied up the game with a 2 run single in the bottom of the 9th. One of the runners that it brought in was CJ Abrams, who homered in the bottom of the 1st as he returned to the lead-off spot. (15:30) Lane Thomas had a outfield assist to throw out Jose Altuve at home to conclude the top of the 10th. Mark gives a detailed an in person perspective of the crucial defensive play. (18:00) It was another strong outing for Trevor Williams who is sporting an ERA below 3.00 through four starts this season. If you look at the numbers, he has been Washington's best pitcher thus far. Veteran listeners won't be surprised what suggestion Al has for the franchise regarding Williams. (26:00) A round-up of the bullpen from the victory as five arms were utilized. Tanner Rainey threw a scoreless top of the 9th as he pitched for the second straight day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 5-3 to the Astros on Friday evening in D.C. Al & Tim discuss MacKenzie Gore only lasting four innings as he needed thirty-seven pitches to get out of the top of the 2nd. (09:00) Riley Adams homered and has continued to produce at the plate while Keibert Ruiz has been out due to the flu. Will Adams see more time at DH when Ruiz returns? (14:30) Davey Martinez was ejected in after the 8th inning following Ildemaro Vargas getting caught stealing. Martinez felt there was obstruction by Houston's Jeremy Pena, but that particular call at 2nd base can not be challenged. This came with CJ Abrams up at the plate and two outs while trailing by three runs. (19:00) Joey Meneses is hitting .182 and only has one extra base hit. Is he in danger of getting sent down? (25:00) This was the beginning of the World Series anniversary weekend and Tim relays his observations of the scene at the stadium. Spotted at the ballpark on Friday night behind home plate were Anibal Sanchez, Kurt Suzuki, and Brian Dozier. (35:00) The Voice of the Harrisburg Senators Terry Byrom gives an update on Dylan Crews and the rest of team in AA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats blanked the Dodgers 2-0 on Wednesday afternoon to finish their road trip out West with a winning record. Mark (From LA) & Al recap Jake Irvin's excellent outing as he tossed six shutout frames in the victory. One lingering question after his start though was should he have returned for the 7th, given that he only threw 73 pitches? (10:00) Three members of the bullpen combined to preserve the shutout. Kyle Finnegan notched his 7th save of the season while throwing a 1-2-3 bottom of the 9th and he is tied for the MLB lead in the saves category. (14:00) CJ Abrams led the game off with his 5th homer of the season while facing a pitcher making his MLB debut (Landon Lack). More than half of Abrams' hits so far this season are extra base ones ( 10 out of 18). (22:00) The victory gave Davey Martinez his 400th win as Nationals manager. (25:00) Brian Dozier told "The Sports Junkies" on 106.7 The Fan that he believes Stephen Strasburg will be in attendance for this weekend's 5th World Series anniversary festivities. Does Dozier have the scoop or is he mistaken? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 6-2 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium as Mookie Betts went 5 for 5 against Patrick Corbin and the bullpen. Mark (From LA) & Al discuss Corbin starting the season at 0-3 as he gave up nine hits and five runs in 6.1 IP. This leads to a discussion on the chances of Corbin losing his rotation spot at some point during the season. (10:30) The only runs Washington scored came off of Jesse Winker's 2 run HR. Winker is currently 3rd in the NL in OPS, only trailing Betts and Atlanta's Marcell Ozuna. He also leads all of MLB in On Base Percentage (.500). Winker has struggled the past few seasons, but in 2021 he hit .305 /w a OPS of .949. (18:45) Joey Meneses was not in the lineup for another day. Meneses has struggled so far this season as he is hitting .204 w/ an OPS of .522. (20:30) Jacob Young started again and stole a base. He is a startling 19 for 19 on stolen bases to begin his career. (27:00) The Nationals announced on Tuesday the members of the 2019 World Series roster who will be part of the festivities at this weekend's 5th Anniversary celebration with the Astros in town. The hosts react to Stephen Strasburg not being listed among the attendees despite his recent official retirement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats bounced back with a 6-4 series opening victory on Monday night at Dodger Stadium on Jackie Robinson Day. Mark (From LA) & Al begin with praise for Mitchell Parker, who won his MLB debut while facing the loaded Dodgers lineup. It is shockingly the first Nationals pitcher to win his debut since Stephen Strasburg back in 2010. Mark runs through the laundry list of past pitchers who could not pull off the feat in the past 14 years. (09:00) Four bullpen arms were used and no walks were issued. Kyle Finnegan threw a clean bottom of the 9th to notch his 6th save of the season. (14:00) CJ Abrams went deep and he is blossoming into a star. His OPS currently stands at 1.004 and he has nine extra base hits so far this season. (17:30) Luis Garcia Jr. hit a crucial three run HR to extend the Nats lead to 6-2 in the victory. So far this year he is hitting .318 and his strong offensive production has been one of the pleasant 2024 surprises thus far. (23:30) There were a flurry of roster moves before the game and it included the reinstatement of Nick Senzel and Trey Lipscomb being sent down to AAA. Mark points all the factors that led to the roster crunch that resulted in Lipscomb returning to Rochester. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats led 6-1 in Oakland but it all fell apart in the 6th inning and they ultimately lost 7-6. Mark (Live from the Oakland Coliseum) & Al recap the disappointing series finale. (04:36) Derek Law gave up four runs despite retiring the first batter he faced in the bottom of the 6th. This blighted Trevor Williams' final line as two of the three runs he ceded came with Law on the mound. This was another game with many bullpen arms used, as the team sent out 13 relievers collectively over the weekend. (12:00) Riley Adams caught every game this series as Keibert Ruiz remains out to illness. This hosts note that it turned out to be a mistake in not keeping Drew Millas on the roster as his replacement Amos Willingham never took the mound. (17:20) The lineup was shuffled and Lane Thomas came through by homering, part of his 3 hits and 3 RBIs on the afternoon while hitting 5th. Jacob Young occupied the lead off spot and delivered with a pair of hits. This leads to Mark giving an update on Victor Robles and hamstring strain. (23:00) Mitchell Parker will make his MLB debut on the mound on Monday night at Dodger Stadium. Parker was a 5th round pick from the 2020 Draft. He has made one start this year for Rochester and was promoted to AAA in mid September in last season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats beat the Athletics 3-1 in California on Saturday afternoon as MacKenzie Gore tied a career high with 11 strikeouts. Mark (Live from Oakland Coliseum) & Al discuss the southpaw's sterling outing that saw five shutout innings on 90 pitches. (08:45) CJ Abrams had a pair of hits including a RBI triple and Al notes that it seems like the team's success is directly correlated to Abrams' performance. The triple scored Jacob Young and Mark points out how just how lighting quick both of them are when running the bases. (13:40) Luis Garcia Jr. also had two hits, one of which was a RBI double to give Washington a 2-0 lead and also flashed leather in the bottom of the 9th. Garcia is hitting .333 so far on the young season and it is to his benefit as Nick Senzel might return to the roster in the near future. (16:05) Riley Adams had the rare assignment of catching a day game after a night affair as Keibert Ruiz remains out of the lineup due to illness. If Ruiz is sick, why is he in the clubhouse and dugout around the team as opposed to his hotel room? (21:00) Five relievers combined to give up just one run in four frames and they totaled seven strikeouts. Robert Garcia led the way with a trio of Ks in one inning of work. (25:30) Who will start on Monday night at Dodger Stadium in place of Josiah Gray? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 2-1 in Oakland on Friday evening in 10 innings of play. Mark (Live from Oakland Coliseum) & Al begin by noting that this is the final season in this particular stadium as the team will temporarily relocate to Sacramento next year, before ultimately settling in Las Vegas. (04:40) Jake Irvin only allowed a solo homer in 6 IP on just 74 pitches for his best start of the season thus far. (08:00) Jesse Winker went 4 for 4 and was the lone source of offense as he clubbed a solo homer to tie up the game in the top of the 9th. Winker was signed to a minor league deal, but so far has been the team's best outfielder. (15:00) Trey Lipscomb made a base running error to begin the top of the 10th thus nullifying the ghost runner. (21:30) Keibert Ruiz missed another game due to illness (flu like symptoms) as Riley Adams starting behind the plate on Friday night. Drew Millas was called up on for Wednesday in San Francisco, but was sent back down afterwards because it was originally thought that Ruiz would be ready for the opener in Oakland. (24:00) Prior to the game Davey Martinez gave an update on Josiah Gray, that he has full range of motion and will start rehabbing soon. Mark adds who who might possibly take Gray's spot in the rotation when the Nationals play at Dodger Stadium in a few days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 7-1 on Wednesday afternoon in San Francisco, ending their three game win streak. Al & Mark (Live from Oracle Park) recap a quiet day for the bats as they only mustered four hits in defeat. The only run came from Joey Gallo, who now has a trio of homers on the young season. (05:30) Catcher Drew Millas was called up and started behind the plate, replacing Joan Adon on the roster. Millas stepped in for Keibert Ruiz who wasn't feel well, but immediately was sent back down to the minors after the game. Since Adon is not with the Nats, who will take that rotation spot on this road trip? (13:00) Patrick Corbin took the loss as he allowed seven runs off 11 hits. Corbin's ERA after three outings is 8.44. (20:00) A discussion on how the bullpen hierarchy is shaping up through a dozen games. (24:00) As the Orioles have called up heralded prospect Jackson Holliday, will James Wood get promoted to Washington in the near future? We do the best we can to explain the complicated wrinkles involved in the decision and a summation of the Player Prospect Incentive (PPI). (30:20) Yohandy "Yo Yo" Morales has moved into the top 10 rankings on MLB Pipeline. Morales is an infielder who currently is at AA-Harrisburg and was drafted in the 2nd round last summer out of the University of Miami (FL). Due to Brady House at 3B, Morales very well could end up playing 1B for the franchise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats held on 5-3 in San Francisco on Tuesday night for their 3rd straight victory. Mark (Live from SF) & Al though begin with the news from pregame that Josiah Gray is headed to the 15 day IL with a right elbow/ forearm flexor strain. Despite the news, there were some positive indications from both Gray and Davey Martinez that this does not necessarily mean season ending surgery or anything of that magnitude. (11:45) Taking Gray's place in the rotation was Joan Adon who serviceable in his four innings of work. Mark explains why Adon was called up from AAA-Rochester instead of Jackson Rutledge. (16:00) Kyle Finnegan recorded a four out save, but sure made it interesting in the 9th inning as he loaded up the bases with no outs. Finnegan ultimately escaped by inducing a game ending double play to preserve the Nationals win. (23:00) CJ Abrams returned to the lineup after missing the past three games and certainly delivered. He homered and knocked in a trio of runs on his two hit evening. The hosts take this is opportunity to note how Abrams is truly blossoming into a star. (27:00) Jacob Young continues to impress while filing in for Victor Robles as he stole three bases and also connected with a pair of hits. A startling stat in the early season is that four Nationals have already stolen three bases in a single game and they have only played 11 games thus far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats cruised to an 8-1 victory on Monday night in San Francisco to begin their west coast road trip. Mark (Live from Oracle Park) & Al begin with the Nationals offense knocking Blake Snell out of the affair after just three innings of work with his new team. The reigning NL Cy Young winner did not sign with the Giants until mid March and therefore missed the bulk of Spring Training. (05:00) CJ Abrams missed a third straight game, but Mark notes that he did take infield practice in pregame. Abrams has a bone bruise in his pinky finger which likely came on a slide on Friday evening. (06:30) Trey Lipscomb had the best game of his young career as he had not only had three hits, but also stole three bases, one of which was a steal of home on an impromptu double steal. This was well timed for Lipscomb after struggling in his first home stand. (11:30) Lane Thomas continued his surge as he clubbed his first homer of the season, part of his three hit evening. Thomas is 7 for his past 11 after scuffling to begin the season. (14:50) Ildemaro Vargas drew a trio of walks while filling in again for Abrams at SS. The hosts point out how the veteran consistently steps up when given the opportunity. (19:30) Trevor Williams is 2-0 to begin his season as he only allowed one run in 5 IP on 81 pitches. Last season Williams did not record his 2nd victory until late May in what was a rough season for the right hander. (23:30) Matt Barnes pitched the final three outs in poetic fashion as he is a UConn alum, shortly after the Huskies defeated Purdue to capture the Men's Basketball National Title. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats ended their three game skid with a 3-2 victory over the visiting Phillies on Sunday afternoon. Al & Tim start with MacKenzie Gore's solid performance as earned his first win of 2024 in 5.2 IP of work. A trio of bullpen pitchers (Weems, Harvey, and Finnegan) then combined for ten scoreless outs. (11:15) Lane Thomas had his best game of the season as he had a pair of hits, stole three bases, and scored the final two runs. The negative for the offense was that CJ Abrams missed a second straight game to a bone bruise in his pinky finger, which is believed to have happened on a Friday night slide. (16:00) Jesse Winker had an excellent catch in the top of the 9th to avoid a lead-off double in what has been a strong start to his time in Washington. Luis Garcia Jr. had a RBI double and is hitting .333 thus far on the season after being sent down to the minors for portion of 2023. (25:00) On Sunday Nationals ownership released a statement about the retirement of Stephen Strasburg, which became official on Saturday. Strasburg himself released a statement and Mike Rizzo also met with reporters before the game. Al & Tim then wonder if he is the biggest "Star" in franchise history? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 5-2 to the Phillies but afterwards in a very subtle manner, it came across the MLB.com's transactions log that Stephen Strasburg is retiring. Mark & Al react to the news that the Strasburg saga has finally been wrapped up. The next homestand will serve as the 5th anniversary celebration of the World Series title as Houston will be in town and they wonder if the timing of that weekend played a role in the eventual resolution. (15:40) CJ Abrams was a late scratch due to a bone bruise in his pinky finger. Lane Thomas was moved up to the lead-off spot and responded with his first multi hit game of the season. (20:00) Joey Gallo homered for the 2nd time this week and it is the 200th of his career. (22:00) Nick Senzel seems to be on track to return to action quicker than initially expected. If Senzel returns to Washington, what will happen to Trey Lipscomb? (29:00) Jake Irvin gave up four runs in 6 IP and took the loss. Irvin's outing was part of a troubling trend by the Nats starters who do not seem to be taking advantage of the cold weather, which typically leads more dominant pitching. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On a chilly night in the District, the Nats were blanked 4-0 by the Phillies. Mark & Al start with the struggling offense as they only totaled two hits on the evening. One of those was squandered by poor base running as CJ Abrams tried to stretch an early single into a double. (06:25) Lane Thomas was hitless and is mightily slumping this season. So far he is just 2 for 28 at the plate and has not had a hit since the home opener. (10:00) Trey Lipscomb was charged with his 2nd throwing error of the year after airmailing a throw way over 1B. He also has skipped a few throws thus far and has at times been bailed out by Joey Gallo's glove work. During pregame workouts, Lipscomb was also seen getting reps in the outfield. What to make of it? (15:00) Patrick Corbin's pitching line: 6 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K on 93 pitches. He had the unusual modern feat of facing the top of the Phillies order for the fourth time. The bullpen followed up with three scoreless innings despite combining to issue six walks. (24:30) A listener submitted email asking about the scarcity of consistently great relief pitchers. (31:00) We conclude with a discussion to an article in the Ringer about the rising injury rates for pitchers: https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2024/4/2/24118963/pitcher-injuries-crisis-mlb-study-tommy-john-ucl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 7-4 to Pittsburgh in D.C. to drop a 2nd straight rubber match as they are now 2-4 on the season. Al & Mark recap another bad outing by Josiah Gray as he gave up four runs in the opening inning. His ERA so far this season after a pair of starts is 14.04. (14:00) The offense totaled eight hits after trying to dig themselves out from the early deficit. Lane Thomas was for 0 for 4 and so far he is hitting just .179 on the young season. (18:00) Joey Gallo doubled and drew a walk in what ended up being a solid series for the new National. Jacob Young started in CF shortly after being called up from Rochester as earlier in the day Victor Robles was placed on the IL due to a hamstring strain. (20:20) A recap of the bullpen's performance and five arms were needed on Thursday. Tanner Rainey allowed two hits but didn't give up any runs for the first time this season in three appearances. (31:00) The Phillies come to town this weekend and the hosts ends the show by noting how mediocre the division has been thus far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wednesday was filled with rain in the DMV, but the skies were clear enough in the early evening for a 5-3 Nationals victory over Pittsburgh. Mark & Al start with Joey Gallo as his first hit with the franchise was fittingly a solo HR. He then later added two more hits after beginning the season 0 for 12. (08:00) Luis Garcia Jr. doubled three times and knocked in a run. It is the first time in Garcia's career that he pulled off that feat. (11:40) CJ Abrams had another impressive performance as he had a pair of hits and knocked in two runs. His RBI single was the capper to the four runs that Washington scored in the bottom of the 2nd. (14:30) Victor Robles exited the game early due to a left hamstring injury and will receive a MRI on Thursday. If he lands on the IL, this would mean the team needs to likely call up another outfielder to fill his spot. (20:15) Trevor Williams threw the best outing of any Nats starting pitcher so far this season and was rewarded with a victory. He allowed two runs in 5.1 IP and it is his first victory since August 20th of last season. (24:30) A very encouraging sign was how effective Hunter Harvey and Kyle Finnegan were in preserving the victory after some rough moments so far this season. Finnegan impressed many with his new "sweeper" pitch while notching the Save. (30:30) The series wraps up on Thursday afternoon as Josiah Gray will take mound. Gray did not pitch well on Opening Day in Cincinnati as the Nationals seek their first series victory of the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 8-3 to the Pirates in their sold out home opener to begin the season 1-3 for the sixth consecutive year. Mark & Al recap a second straight day filled with bullpen struggles as the game was tied at 4 entering the top of the 8th. Matt Barnes and Tanner Rainey shared responsibility for the four late Pirates runs and overall the quartet of Nats relievers gave up ten hits in the afternoon. (12:00) MacKenzie Gore threw a so-so start as he gave up a trio of runs in 5.1 IP on 101 pitches. His pitch count was immediately high as it took over 40 pitches to get through the first two innings. Thus far this season, it seems like the Nationals starters are having sluggish beginnings to their outings. (17:20) The offense overcame a slow start and their performance was highlighted by Riley Adams' longest HR of his career. Adams got the start behind the plate as Keibert Ruiz served as the DH. (21:40) Victor Robles drew a pair of walks and also stole two bases on Monday. It is the first time that Robles has walked more than once in a game since April 26th last season. The hosts then explain where Robles is fitting into the organization's long term plans. (26:00) It was Michael A. Taylor's first game at Nationals Park since the World Series believe or not. He played well for Pittsburgh in their win and received a strong ovation from the crowd during introductions and before his initial at bat. (29:00) What to expect from attendance at Nationals Park this season? The listed crowd was over 40K for Opening Day in D.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices