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Blue Wire

Mark Zuckerman & Al Galdi

A Washington Nationals podcast offering recap and analysis after every game, plus all the breaking news throughout the year. Hosted by Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com & Al Galdi, host of "The Al Galdi Podcast". For sponsorship opportunities, contact Tim Shovers at natschatpodcast@gmail.com.

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The Nats bullpen let them down on their way to a season opening 7-3 loss in extra innings vs. the visiting Phillies. Mark & Al start with a major positive for Washington as MacKenzie Gore set a franchise Opening Day record with 13 strikeouts. Gore was fantastic as he did not issue any walks and only gave up one hit.

(10:30) Keibert Ruiz homered off of Zack Wheeler and threw out a runner trying to steal 2nd base. Davey Martinez mentioned pregame that Ruiz lost weight in the offseason and he was pleased with his Spring.

(17:00) Jacob Young was caught stealing despite James Wood at the plate with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 6th inning.

(21:15) Opening Day was not a good one for the Nationals bullpen as five relievers combined to allow seven runs in just four innings of work. Colin Poche really struggled in his first outing with the Nats as he gave up four Philadelphia runs in the top of the 10th to put the game out of reach.

(27:45) Derek Law will begin the season the 15-Day IL due to right forearm inflammation. Mark explains what led to him not being ready to pitch for Washington on Opening Day.

(32:00) The Nationals were dealt bad news this week as DJ Herz was added to the 60-Day IL and is getting a 2nd opinion on his sprained elbow ligament that could lead to Tommy John surgery. Al notes that this continues a troubling pattern of a pitcher getting a significant injury at some point in Spring Training.

Gore Strikes Out 13 but Bullpen Falters on Opening Day

The Nats earned their first victory of the season on Sunday as they defeated the Phillies 5-1. Mark & Al have plenty of positives to run through and begin with Mitchell Parker, who continued the good starting pitching to begin the Washington season. Parker pitched into the 7th and didnt allow any runs.

(10:00) The two Nationals homers on Sunday came from new additions to the lineup in Josh Bell & Nathaniel Lowe. The team combined for six home runs in the opening series.

(13:45) Paul DeJong came through with a trio of hits, two of which were doubles. DeJong entered the day without a hit through two games while starting at 3B.

(19:40) Keibert Ruiz caught all three game this series and hit cleanup in the order.

(22:05) The bullpen only gave up one run, but it sure made things interesting in the top of the 9th. Brad Lord made his Major League debut in the final frame, which came across as a curious decision. Kyle Finnegan came in for Lord to preserve the win in just five pitches.

(29:00) The Nats begin their first road trip of the season on Monday when they open a three game set in Toronto with Michael Soroka making his franchise debut on the mound.

Parker & a Pair of HRs Power the Win

The Nats fell 5-3 in Toronto on Tuesday night to drop to 1-4 on the season. Mark (Live from Canada) & Al begin with the bad pitching luck for starter Trevor Williams & flame throwing reliever Jose A. Ferrer. They both were victims to instances such as infield hits and defensive miscues behind them. Hear what franchise record Williams is quietly threatening Max Scherzer for.

(17:45) The Nats offense had another subpar night in scoring just three runs. Dylan Crews, who has been struggling at the plate, rested in favor of Alex Call in RF. Call rewarded his manager's confidence with a pair of hits while hitting 8th in order.

(21:00) CJ Abrams was by far the biggest bright spot for Washington as he filled up the box score in a franchise SS type of performance. Abrams had a trio of hits, two of which were doubles, and made a tremendous defensive play up the middle.

(25:35) Keibert Ruiz knocked in a pair of runs and continues to impact every game. Ruiz drew a walk and has a five game hitting streak to start the season.

(29:05) The Nats will have MacKenzie Gore on the mound on Wednesday in their hopes to avoid the sweep. Should we be caught up in the 1-4 record?

Williams Allows 10 Hits in Toronto Loss

The Nats split their doubleheader on Sunday after winning Game 1 by a score of 3-2 before losing the nightcap 3-1. Mark (From Coors Field) & Al start with the offense, which only mustered four runs in 18 innings of action. Dylan Crews though continued his hot weekend by getting a hit in each game, manufacturing a run in Game 1 and by stealing his 6th base of the season in Game 2.

(08:45) We point out Luis Garcia Jr.'s struggles this far as his OPS is at .569. He only has one homer in 2025 and his batting average sits at .209.

(13:15) Jake Irvin pitched well in the victory as he struck out nine in just over six innings of work. Brad Lord started Game 2 and lasted four frames while only surrendering a pair of runs to keep Washington in it.

(17:20) The bullpen certainly had a much better day on Sunday than on Saturday. The highlight came in Game 1 as Jose A. Ferrer & Kyle Finnegan combined for the final eight outs. Finnegan is 8 for 8 on saves this season and at 96 career saves; he is 2nd all time in Nationals history behind Chad Cordero.

(27:00) The Nats open a seven game home stand on Tuesday when the Orioles come to Navy Yard for three games. CJ Abrams has been on the IL since April 12th and there is a chance he could return to the lineup vs. Baltimore at some point.

INFORMAL NATS CHAT HANGOUT AT WALTERS THIS WEDNESDAY AT 5PM PRIOR TO NATS/O'S

Doubleheader Split for a Series Win

Tuesday was a fun one in Navy Yard as the Nats blanked the Orioles 7-0 to open the three game series. Al & Mark heap plenty of praise upon Mitchell Parker, who lasted eight frames for the first time in his career, and retired the final 17 Baltimore hitters he faced. Parker's ERA sits at 1.73 through five starts this season.

(12:30) The offense broke out with 10 extra base hits and 14 hits overall. Nathaniel Lowe & Dylan Crews each went deep and three players each had a trio of hits in the victory (James Wood, Keibert Ruiz, and Jose Tena). The team so far has hit 25 homers in 23 games, a more prolific pace than in years past.

(18:30) Tena's big night leads to a discussion on the status of Brady House, who is playing 3B in AAA. House was the team's 1st Round Pick in 2021.

(23:00) A brief recap of CJ Abrams' rehab assignment in Harrisburg on Tuesday night.

(25:10) Colin Poche only faced the minimum three Orioles hitters even though he was pitching with a seven run lead. Poche walked the first two batters he saw and that immediately forced Cole Henry to get up and ready in the bullpen. Poche's ERA is currently at a staggering 15.00.

(31:15) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, shares the latest from AAA. Hear about lefty reliever Konnor Pilkington, who is having a good start to 2025.

Crews Homers in Parker's Shutout

The Nats lost 2-1 to the Orioles on Thursday to stymie their attempt at a series sweep. Al & Mark convene to discuss the disappointing offensive performance as they only mustered five hits and one drawn walk. James Wood & Dylan Crews each were 0 for 3 in the defeat.

(04:00) CJ Abrams returned from the IL and went 0 for 4 after resuming his leadoff role. Will he stay there or will James Wood get another chance at the top of the order?

(11:15) It was hard luck loss for MacKenzie Gore as he only allowed a pair of runs in six innings of work. Gore struck out eight Orioles and moved ahead of Zack Wheeler for the MLB lead in that category.

(15:30) Washington had a solid performance by their bullpen. Cole Henry handled the final two innings and continued his stretch of not having yet given up a run. Henry was formerly a promising starter in the organization before needing thoracic outlet surgery (TOS) a few years back.

(23:10) Juan Soto and the Mets come to DC for a four game series beginning Friday night. New York has won seven consecutive games and have the best record in baseball.

(26:00) An update on Paul DeJong, who will have surgery on his broken nose. DeJong was hit in the face last week in Pittsburgh and has been on the IL since.

Bats Too Quiet to Complete the Sweep

The Nats lost a heartbreaker in Philadelphia as what briefly looked like a thrilling comeback victory turned into a 7-6 walk-off loss. Mark (From Citizens Bank Park) & Al start with the seesaw 9th inning that was initially a 5-2 Phillies lead at the start of the frame.

(12:45) Discussion on how this ballpark has an aptitude of quirky games due to its odd dimensions.

(16:30) MacKenzie Gore gave up a pair of homers and struck out six in his outing. Gore returns to the MLB lead for strikeouts this season just ahead of Zack Wheeler, his foil on Tuesday night.

(19:30) The offense scored two off of Wheeler and came through with six extra base hits on the evening. The highlight came in the four run top of the 9th when Nathaniel Lowe hit a go-ahead 3 run homer for a brief 6-5 edge.

(22:45) Mark points out that Washington had the bases loaded in four separate at bats and struck out every time.

(28:40) A special report on Cade Cavalli's short rehab outing in AAA, from Josh Whetzel, the voice of the Rochester Red Wings.

Finnegan's Blown Save Ruins Comeback Effort

The Nats lost 7-2 on Wednesday night for their 3rd straight defeat. Mark (From Philadelphia) & Al begin with an update on James Frisbie, one of the Nationals batting practice pitchers, who collapsed on the field at the beginning of the day's workouts. He received immediate medical attention and is apparently "feeling better".

(04:30) A look at the Nats in April as they end the opening month at 13-18 overall.

(06:45) Jake Irvin gave up a pair of homers, including a 3-run shot in the bottom of the 1st to Kyle Schwarber. Irvin has allowed eight homers so far on the season in seven starts and has shown signs of diminishing velocity.

(15:45) Josh Bell went 0 for 4 and struck out three times on Wednesday. His OPS is now down to .503 and the hosts evaluate what to do regarding Bell's struggles at the plate.

(24:00) Nathaniel Lowe had a RBI double hitting out of the cleanup spot. Lowe has likely been the team's 2nd best hitter so far and his OPS sits at .762.

Irvin Gives Up 6 Runs in Philly Loss

The Nats snapped their three game skid with a 4-2 victory on Thursday night at the Phillies. Mark (From Philadelphia) & Al open with the eventful top of the 6th where Washington scored all of their runs. Luis Garcia Jr. not only had a RBI single, but also stole home on a double steal for the final insurance run.

(08:10) Keibert Ruiz knocked in Nathaniel Lowe on what was ruled a three base error by Bryce Harper, but should it have been scored as a triple?

(12:45) Brad Lord lasted five innings and recorded his first Big League "W". The timing is rather interesting as his rotation spot is at stake if Michael Soroka returns from the IL in the near future.

(18:45) The bullpen came through for Lord as three relievers combined for four scoreless frames. Jose A. Ferrer tossed two innings, Jorge Lopez pitched the 8th, and Kyle Finnegan bounced back with his 10th save of the season, the 2nd most in the NL.

(25:00) The Nationals made their first bullpen transaction post Opening Day as they signed veteran Andrew Chafin and DFA'd Colin Poche. Chafin has been in the majors since 2014 and has a career ERA of 3.42. The lefty pitched well for AAA-Toledo last month before signing a major league deal with the Nats.

(30:00) The road trip moves this weekend to Cincinnati for a three game set. Mitchell Parker will start the opener on Friday night vs. Hunter Greene. The Reds are 17-15 overall and are in 2nd place in their division.

Lord Earns 1st Win on Broad Street

The Nats totaled 15 hits on their way to an 11-6 triumph at the Reds on Saturday evening. Mark (From Cincinnati) & Al note Amed Rosario's biggest game yet since joining the team as he had four hits and a 3-run homer in the 6th to put Washington ahead for good.

(07:00) Riley Adams had a big game with both the bat and his arm. Adams came through with a late 2-run single and threw out a pair of base stealers. Adams only has 22 at bats so far this season in the backup catcher role.

(11:15) Trevor Williams had another rocky outing as he gave up four runs off of nine hits in just over five frames. Williams' ERA is up to 5.86 and his spot in the rotation is under closer scrutiny as Michael Soroka is poised to return soon from the IL.

(16:20) Andrew Chafin excelled in his organizational debut as he recorded two strikeouts in relief of Williams to keep the 7-4 lead in tact through six innings. Mark relays his colorful impression of the veteran lefty who is full of personality.

(23:00) MacKenzie Gore takes the mound on Sunday in the series rubber match. Gore currently leads all of MLB w/ 59 strikeouts this season in seven starts.

15 Hits Lead to an 11-6 Win

The Nats lost to the Marlins for the first time this season on Wednesday evening. Al & Tim recap the 4-3 loss that ended on a walk-off Miami single by Xavier Edwards in the bottom of the 10th. Washington's bullpen could not hang onto the 3-2 lead they inherited in the 8th inning and they allowed three runs in nearly four innings of work.

(08:00) MacKenzie Gore was dominant and took a Perfect Game bid into the 6th. Gore struck out nine Marlins and only issued one walk in the outing. This is Gore's third consecutive solid start after he hit a rough patch over the summer.

(14:30) All the Nationals run came in the top of the 8th and the highlight was James Wood's go-ahead RBI double.

(18:00) Who is the 2024 team MVP? Luis Garcia Jr.? Jacob Young? Someone else?

(21:45) Dylan Crews drew a pair of walks while hitting leadoff and meanwhile CJ Abrams went hit-less from the 7th spot in the order. Abrams has been really scuffling lately and it seems like Crews might be new leadoff man.

 

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10th Inning Goes South for the Nats

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