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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.

Nats Chat

The Nationals season begins on Thursday March 27th at 4:05PM vs. the visiting Phillies. Mark & Al get you set for the 21st season of Washington Nationals baseball.

(00:00) Nats moved to town 20 years ago

(10:00) Minor league prospects to monitor: Robert Hassell III & Brady House

(14:10) Brad Lord surprisingly contending for a bullpen spot

(17:45) Nationals return their Rule 5 Pick Evan Reifert back to Tampa Bay

(21:30) How to measure success in 2025

(30:10) More homers this season as a team?

(35:45) Evaluating the base running and stolen base threats

(38:15) A look at the pitching staff

(43:00) Season predictions

(52:45) Expectations for attendance

2025 Season Preview

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 slow start continued in a 6-4 loss on Friday night against visiting Arizona despite scoring three runs in the bottom of the 1st. Mark & Al open the episode by breaking down Jake Irvin's start that only lasted five frames. Irvin allowed seven hits and four runs on just 86 pitches while being unable to early hold onto the early lead.

(10:30) Jose A. Ferrar gave up a pair of runs in the top of the 7th to give the Arizona lead for good. Ferrar has really struggled so far as he ceded multiple runs in three of out of his four appearances this year.

(17:00) The Nationals scored four runs off of three homers on Friday night. CJ Abrams & Luis Garcia Jr. homered right away and Nathaniel Lowe's blast briefly tied the game in the bottom of the 6th. Mark points out how that even though they have a fair amount of homers so far, the team's lack of drawing walks have been a major culprit.

(26:35) The 2005 Nationals will be inducted into the franchise's Ring of Honor this weekend. This was the first season in Washington after the Expos moved to D.C. and they surprisingly opened the year with a 50-31 record while playing at RFK Stadium. 

**Closing highlight courtesy of John Walton and Ken Sabourin on the Capitals Radio Network.

Another Nats Loss Despite 3 Homers

The Nats have now won three in a row after defeating the defending World Series champion Dodgers 6-4 on Monday night in Navy Yard. Mark & Al discuss MacKenzie Gore's solid outing where he only allowed a pair of runs in six innings of work. Those two LA runs came off of a Shohei Ohtani 2-run HR, part of his evening where he was a double shy from the cycle.

(10:00) Kyle Finnegan not only got the save, but took care of the final five outs. He has recorded the final out in three consecutive days and in all likelihood will be unavailable on Tuesday.

(17:10) James Wood homered for the first time this season to put Washington ahead 5-2. Wood was removed in the top of the 9th for defensive purposes by Jacob Young even though Wood was on deck if the Dodgers forced a bottom of the 9th.

(22:10) Keibert Ruiz had a RBI double to extend the lead to 6-2. Ruiz's strong start to the season continues as his OPS is currently at .981.

(25:00) There were more instances of runners getting thrown out on base and three Nats have been tagged out at home in the past two days. This has an ongoing issue over the past few seasons.

(30:30) Brad Lord will start for the injury plagued pitching staff on Tuesday and Jackson Rutledge will likely come into relieve him. Lord was a starter in the minors and transitioned to a reliever during Spring Training. This is a chain reaction to Michael Soroka getting placed on the IL shortly after DJ Herz did as well.

(36:20) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the AAA-Rochester Red Wings, provides an update on Brady House, Robert Hassell III, Darren Baker, and more.

Finnegan Notches the Save for the 3rd Straight Day

The Nats won their 4th straight on Tuesday night as they routed the Dodgers 8-2. James Wood stole the show as he went deep twice and knocked in five runs while serving as the DH. Wood has homered three times in two games after entering series with just one homer.

(09:45) Keibert Ruiz had a pair of hits while slotted at 3rd in the lineup. Ruiz has at least one hit in nine out of the ten games in which he has played in so far this year.

(11:15) Dylan Crews also had two hits and has five of them this week after having a terrible opening week at the plate.

(15:30) It was a true team effort by the pitching staff in order to get all 27 outs. Brad Lord tossed three scoreless frames to open the game and later Orlando Ribalta also threw three innings. Lord not only pitched well, but he struck out Shohei Ohtani in both meetings.

(25:30) Washington is now 5-6 after standing at 1-6 just a few days ago. The Nationals are 4-1 on the homestand and have won multiple series in a row.

Wood Homers Twice in 4th Straight Win

The Nats fell behind right away and lost to the Dodgers 6-5 on Wednesday afternoon to halt the win streak. Mark & Al begin with Jake Irvin, who had one of odder outings you will ever see. Irvin gave up four runs to the first four batters up, but then retired 18 of the final 21 Dodgers he faced.

(12:00) The bullpen unfortunately continued their stretch of giving up a run every game this season. Eduardo Salazar took over for Irvin, but gave up a pair of runs in the 7th to give the Los Angeles the lead for good.

(15:15) The offense quickly overcame the early four run deficit after Luis Garcia Jr.'s RBI double in the bottom of the 3rd. They collectively showed patience at the plate by drawing seven total walks. CJ Abrams hit a leadoff homer, his 4th time going deep this season.

(19:30) Do you prefer James Wood in LF or at DH? Wood played LF on Wednesday and drew two walks while going 0 for 3 at the plate.

(25:20) Washington is off on Thursday and on Friday in Miami they embark on a 3 city/ 10 game road trip with no off days in between.

(27:30) We remember a member of the 2005 Nationals Tony Blanco, who tragically passed away this week in the Dominican Republic in the nightclub accident that also claimed Nelson Cruz's sister & former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel.

Dodgers Snap the Win Streak at 4

The Nats trailed 4-0, but stormed back for a 7-4 victory on Friday night in Miami. Mark & Al have plenty of offensive highlights to address, but begin with an update on CJ Abrams, who exited the game early due to a hip flexor strain.

 

(07:00) The Nats had more extra base hits than they did singles in the win. The most pivotal one was Nathaniel Lowe's pinch-hit 3 run double that gave Washington a 5-4 lead in the 8th. Lowe was a late scratch from the starting lineup due to illness and later persevered through a 10 pitch at bat for the big hit.

(10:45) James Wood homered for the fourth time in the past four games. Wood hit a towering shot in the top of the 9th to give the Nats much needed insurance.

(12:40) Bell put Washington on the board with a 2 run HR in the top of the 6th. Bell was moved to 1B after Lowe was a late scratch and that ultimately led to Alex Call taking over in LF for the DHing James Wood. Call took advantage as he drew four walks and had a RBI double for the final run.

(20:00) Mitchell Parker did not have a good outing, but the team is nonetheless 3-0 when he starts this season. Parker gave up four runs in the bottom of the 5th and his poor defensive mechanics were a major culprit.

(24:30) The bullpen finally had a game without surrendering a run in 2025. Lucas Sims walked the tightrope in his lone inning and Kyle Finnegan overcame a leadoff double to secure the save.

(28:45) This was game one of a ten game road trip in three different cities. They can reach .500 with a victory on Saturday vs. Sandy Alcantara as they currently sit at 6-7.

Lowe's Go-Ahead Pinch-Hit Double Lifts the Nats in Miami

The Nats were routed 11-4 on Sunday afternoon in Miami for their 2nd straight defeat and it was their largest margin of loss so far this season. Al begins with MacKenzie Gore, who's pitching line saw four runs scored off of eight hits in six innings of work. Gore threw 105 pitches, another example of the lefty's pitch inefficiency.

(05:40) Jorge Lopez & Lucas Sims combined to surrender seven runs, while only retiring the Marlins. Sims' ERA is up to 12.79 so far this season; he was a reliever that the team signed to a one year deal at the beginning of Spring Training.

(07:40) Cole Henry was called up prior to the game and pitched the bottom of the 8th. Henry was originally a starter in their minor league system and is coming off of thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.

(11:00) The Nats drew 20 walks this weekend and combined for eight of them on Sunday. James Wood walked three times in the loss and Alex Call had one in the leadoff role.

(13:30) Dylan Crews did not play for a 2nd straight day in what seemed to be in favor of giving the at-bats to Call. His OPS thus far sits at .625.

(15:00) Keibert Ruiz had an inexplicable base running gaffe in top of the 5th. Ruiz got thrown out trying to steal 3rd base with only out and the game tied, which killed the rally with the heart of the order up.

(17:30) Washington faces Paul Skenes for the first time on Monday night in Pittsburgh.

Marlins Take the Series Rubber Match

The Nats dropped their third game in a row as they were routed 10-3 on Monday night in Pittsburgh. Mark (Live from PNC Park) and Al run through the woeful bullpen totals, which is becoming a theme to the season. Colin Poche was the first pitcher to emerge from the 'pen, but allowed a pair of runs to lift his ERA to an eye-popping 16.62. Jackson Rutledge & Eduardo Salazar then later combined to give up five runs. It should be noted that the bullpen received zero help from the defense behind them. 

(15:20) Brad Lord made his 2nd start since being moved out of the bullpen. Lord only lasted 57 pitches and allowed four runs in under five innings of work. 

(19:00) An update on Cade Cavalli after he appeared with the team in Miami over the weekend. Cavalli is currently rehabbing at the team;' facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

(20:10) Paul Skenes only lasted six frames vs. Washington and gave up a pair of runs. The Nats did not draw any walks on Monday night after gaining a ton of free passes in the Miami series. Nasim Nunez, who got the start at SS, doubled and it was the team's only extra base hit. What kind of playing time does Nunez get while Abrams in on the IL? 

(25:15) Dylan Crews had a bit of a spotlight on him because he was facing the only man drafted ahead of him in the 2023 Draft (Skenes). Crews went 0 for 4 after missing the past two games due to Alex Call taking his spot in the lineup.

Bullpen Gets Rocked in Pittsburgh

The Nats led 3-0 entering the top of the 6th, but in less than a half hour they yielded eight Guardian runs on their way to an 8-6 loss. Mark & Al evaluate Michael Soroka, who initially seemed to have an excellent outing coming off the IL, but his scoreless effort turned into being tagged with four Cleveland runs. Soroka took the mound in the 6th after needing only 67 pitches prior to that frame. 

(9:25) Jorge Lopez & Andrew Chafin each struggled mightily in the nightmare inning, including a run scoring wild pitch. The low key positive came from Cole Henry, who tossed three scoreless innings to keep the game in striking distance. 

(13:30) The offense scored six runs off of 13 hits, but Davey Martinez was critical of their 4 for 19 effort with RISP in his postgame press conference. 

(23:00) What is swirling in GM Mike Rizzo's head regarding the state of the bullpen? 

(31:30) Washington hosts St. Louis & Erick Fedde on Friday night. Fedde has made seven starts this season and is sporting a 4.78 ERA.

Pitching Implodes in the 6th

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