At least September wasn’t as bad as August. After ending August with an eight-game losing streak and going 9–19 for the month, the Nationals took seven of their first eight games in September and finished the month with a 13–13 record. And one of their rookie outfielders, Daylen Lile, emerged as a remarkable hitter, gaining national attention. September wasn’t a great month for the Nats, by any means, but it was one with several very hopeful signs.
The month began with the Nats at home starting a three-game series against the Marlins, having just been swept by the Rays. MacKenzie Gore had gone on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, so the Nats called up left-handed pitcher, Andrew Alvarez, to make his major league debut. The Nats had drafted the 26-year-old pitcher in the 12th round in 2021. It turned out that he would be the one to stop the team’s losing streak, as he pitched five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit, and the Nats shut out the Marlins 2–0. Alvarez became only the second Nats starter (along with Mitchell Parker) since Stephen Strasburg (in 2010) to win his major league debut. The Nats went on to win the next two games against the Marlins, sweeping the series and giving the team a 3–3 record on the home stand. Alvarez would remain in the rotation for the rest of the month.
Their next road trip began in Chicago with a three-game series against the Cubs, who were leading the race for the first wild-card slot. The Nats lost their first game but won the next two. Game 2 was a pitching duel that the Nats won by a 2–1 score. In game 3, the Nats were trailing 3 to 1 going into the top of the ninth inning but scored 5 runs to take a 6–3 lead, and they held on to win it in the bottom of the ninth.
During the Chicago series, we learned that former Nationals manager Davey Johnson had died on September 5 at age 82. As manager from 2011 to 2013, Johnson played a crucial role in shaping the first Nats team to win the division in 2012.
The road trip concluded in Miami with a 4-game rematch against the Marlins. The first game was a 15–7 blow-out victory by the Nats. They won the second game as well, giving them four consecutive wins and a 7–1 record in their first eight games of the month. But they lost the last two games of the series, including a 5–0 shutout loss in the final game to Ryan Weathers and three Marlins relievers. The Nats’ record on the road trip was 4–3.
At home again, the Nats faced the Pirates and won the first game by a 6 to 5 score, scoring 4 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take the lead, but nearly gave it back in the ninth. The Nats lost the second game, but in the finale, they scored in the bottom of the eighth to take a 1-run lead, which they held for the win. Then came a four-game series against Atlanta, which the Braves swept. The Nats were blown out in an 11 to 3 loss in the first game. Game 3 was a pitching duel that remained scoreless after nine innings (with Chris Sale pitching 8 scoreless innings for Atlanta and MacKenzie Gore going 5⅓ for the Nats). But in the top of the tenth, the Braves scored 5 runs and won 5–0. The Nats were 2–5 on the home stand.
Their final road trip took the Nats first to New York to play the Mets, who held a 2-game lead in the race for the final wild card. The Mets won the first game, but then it was the Nats’ turn to play the spoiler. In game 2, the Nats surrendered 3 runs in the eighth and ninth innings to make the game a 3–3 tie but scored 2 runs in the top of the 11th while holding the Mets scoreless to win the game. In Game 3, the Nats again played the spoiler, beating the Mets 3 to 2 behind a 3⅔ inning save by Mitchell Parker and some amazing defense by Jacob Young. While the Nats were taking two of three games against the Mets, the Reds had won all three of their games to move into a tie with the Mets for the wild card. The Reds, furthermore, held the tie breaker against the Mets, so the tie effectively represented a lead over the Mets. A week later, with the two teams still tied, the Reds would claim the final wild card. While the Nats were not the only spoilers for the highly compensated Mets team (who went 7–14 over their last 21 games), our guys did help bring them down.
The Nats next went to Atlanta to play three games against the Braves. The Nats lost the first two games and won the third game, with the last two games each determined by a one-run margin. The Nats record on the road trip was 3–3.
On September 24, news broke that the Nats were finalizing a deal with Paul Toboni, a 35-year-old senior vice president and assistant general manager with the Red Sox, to serve as the new president of baseball operations for the Nats. His signing was officially announced on October 1. Toboni brings a background in both scouting and analytics and is a highly regarded young baseball executive.
Returning home, the Nats finished the season with a three-game series against the White Sox. Behind in the first game, the team battled back, scoring 4 runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 9–8 lead, only to give up 2 runs in the top of the ninth and lose the game 10–9. In the second game, the Nats scored 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh and one run in the bottom of the eighth to take a 6–4 lead, and were able to hold on to the lead, winning 6–5. In the last game of the season, the Nats were shutout 8–0, getting only 1 hit in 6 innings against starter Shane Smith, after which three Sox relievers combined for three scoreless, hitless innings.
The final series featured a celebration of the career of broadcaster Bob Carpenter, who had provided Nationals play-by-play broadcasts on MASN TV for 20 years, as he concluded his 42-year career as a baseball announcer. I know that I and many other fans will miss his broadcasts. He was also honored for being an extremely nice and generous man. In addition, former Nats center fielder Michael A Taylor, playing for the White Sox, announced his retirement and was given a standing ovation in his final game, coming at the end of his 12th season as a major league player. He’ll be remembered both for his defensive work as an elite center fielder and for his postseason performance with the bat—over 16 postseason games from 2016 to 2019 with the Nats, he hit .316/.395/.632 with 4 home runs and 10 RBI.
The Nats finished the 2025 season with a disappointing 66–96 (.407) record, last in the National League East, next to last (ahead of only the Rockies) in the NL, and third from last in MLB (ahead of the Rockies and the White Sox). The Nats were 30 games behind the division champion Phillies and 10 games behind the fourth-place Braves. They wound up winning 5 fewer games than last season.
Roster moves
I’ve already mentioned that pitcher Andrew Alvarez made his major league debut on September 1. His battery mate in that game, CJ Stubbs, also made his major league debut that day. The 28-year-old long-time minor league catcher, brother of Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs, was a 2019 10th-round draft pick by the Astros. After six years in the Astros system, this year he signed a minor league contract with the Nats. He is the only Nationals catcher to have caught a shutout in his debut. But his stay with the team was short-lived, as he was optioned back to Rochester the next day.
On September 2, the Nats signed 32-year-old free agent catcher Jorge Alfaro. From 2016 to 2023, Alfaro appeared in 496 games for the Phillies, Marlins, Padres, Rockies, and Red Sox, but had spent most of the 2025 season playing in Nashville for the Brewers’ AAA team. Alfaro debuted with the Nationals on September 3 and played in 14 games for the Nats by the end of the season.
On September 17, 26-year-old right-handed relief pitcher Sauryn Lao debuted for the Nationals. He had previously pitched in two major league games for the Mariners and was selected off waivers by the Nats on September 3. The Dominican player was originally signed as a corner infielder by the Dodgers in 2016. In 2023 he switched to pitching and last winter was signed as a minor league free agent by the Mariners.
On September 23, 29-year-old right-handed relief pitcher Julian Fernandez debuted for the Nationals. He had previously pitched 6 games for the Rockies in 2021 and 1 game for the Dodgers earlier this year and had also spent time in the minor league systems of the Giants, Marlins, and Blue Jays. The Nats selected him off waivers on August 17.
On September 11, MacKenzie Gore came off the 15-day injured list and returned to the rotation. The team temporarily switched to using a 6-man rotation, but after making three September starts, Gore returned to the injured list again on September 23 with right ankle impingement. Mason Thompson joined him on the injured list with right biceps tendinitis. On September 14, Cole Henry‘s season came to an early end when he went on the injured list with a back strain. Top pitching prospect Jarlin Susana had surgery to repair his right lat muscle, a procedure that could delay his return to pitching next spring.
Monthly Record:
13–13 (.500)
Pythagorean Record:
10–16 (4.46 R/G – 5.69 RA/G). The Nats had a 6–2 record in one-run games during September.
September MVP:
- Daylen Lile (.391/.440/.772, 6 HR, 7 3B, 20 R, 19 RBI, 100 PA, 230 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR). Lile led MLB in slugging percentage (.772), hits (36), triples (7), and total bases (71) for the month, and led the NL in all those categories as well as OPS (1.212), batting average (.391), and wRC+ (230). He was named as BOTH National League Player of the Month AND National League Rookie of the Month. Sarah Langs informs us that he was the first player with 7+ triples and 6+ home runs in a calendar month since Willie Mays in June 1957. Fangraphs did a very nice, laudatory post on Lile.
Starting pitcher of the month:
- Andrew Alvarez (1–1, 3.09 RA/9, 5 GS, 23⅓ IP, 7.7 K/9, 1.114 WHIP, 0.7 RA9-WAR, 0.6 fWAR). A very nice performance for his first month in the major leagues.
Relief pitcher of the month:
- Clayton Beeter (0-1, 1.80 RA/9, 11 G, 10 IP, 16.2 K/9, 1.200 WHIP, 2.21 RE24, 6 shutdowns, 2 meltdowns, 0.5 RA9-WAR, 0.4 fWAR).
Worst month:
- Riley Adams (.132/.207/.151, 0 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 58 PA, 5 wRC+, –0.5 fWAR).
Best start:
- Andrew Alvarez (September 13, 5–1 loss to the Pirates at home) pitched 6 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 5 for a game score of 70. When he was replaced, the Nats were ahead 1 to 0, but the relievers gave up 4 runs in the eighth and another in the ninth to lose the game.
Worst start:
- Jake Irvin (September 5, 11–5 loss to the Cubs in Chicago) gave up 7 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks in 3⅓ innings with 2 strikeouts for a game score of 20.
Tough losses:
- MacKenzie Gore (September 11, 5–0 loss to the Marlins in Miami) pitched 5 innings and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4 for a game score of 53.
- Brad Lord (September 23, 3–2 loss to the Braves in Atlanta) pitched 6 innings and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4 for a game score of 59. When he was replaced, the Nats were trailing 2 to 1.
Cheap win:
- Cade Cavalli (September 8, 15–7 win over the Marlins in Miami) pitched 5 innings and gave up 2 runs on 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 1 for a game score of 47. When he was replaced, the Nats were ahead 11 to 2.
Biggest shutdown:
- Mitchell Parker (September 21, 3–2 win over the Mets in New York). With the Nats ahead 3 to 2, Parker got the call to replace starter Jake Irvin in the bottom of the sixth with one out and runners on first and second. Parker got out of the inning with a pop fly and a strikeout. He came back in the bottom of the seventh and got a lineout, a strikeout, and, after giving up a two-out single, a fly out. In the eighth, he got two more fly outs, gave up another two-out single, and ended the inning with a groundout. Back on the mound for the bottom of the ninth, Parker needed help from his center fielder when Jacob Young robbed a potential home run from Francisco Alvarez for the first out. Next came another fly out and a lineout, and Parker had completed a remarkable 3⅔ inning save, the longest in Nationals history, holding onto a one-run lead the whole time. (Win probability added/WPA +.585).
Worst meltdown:
- Jose A. Ferrer (September 26, 10–9 loss to the White Sox at home). When Ferrer got the call to get the last three outs in the top of the ninth, the Nats had just scored 4 runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 9–8 lead. Ferrer got a groundout for the first out, then he made an error in trying to field a dribbler, putting a runner on base. The next batter, Colson Montgomery, hit a 2-run home run, putting the White Sox ahead 10 to 9. Ferrer got out of the inning without allowing any more runs, but the damage had been done, and the Nats went on to lose the game. (WPA –.637).
Walk off:
- None
Clutch hits:
- Josh Bell (September 7, 6–3 win over the Cubs in Chicago). The Nats were trailing 3–2 with no outs in the top of the ninth, runners on first and second, when Bell came to the plate. Bell launched a towering fly ball that cleared the fence in left-center field and gave the Nats the lead. (WPA +.493)
- Daylen Lile (September 20, 5–3 win over the Mets in New York). The game was tied 3–3 in the top of the eleventh, with one out and a runner on first. Lile crushed a line drive that bounced of the fence in deep center field. Sprinting to get a triple, he was waved home and scored a two-run inside-the-park home run, giving Washington the lead. (WPA +.474)
Choke:
- Dylan Crews (September 15, 11–3 loss to the Braves at home). Trailing the Braves 2–1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Nats had loaded the bases with one out. Crews swung and barely tapped the ball in front of home plate. Braves catcher, Drake Baldwin, fielded the ball, stepped on home plate for a force out, and threw to first base to complete a double play, shutting down the Nats’ rally. (WPA –.197).
Memorable fielding plays:
- James Wood guns down the tying run at the plate.
- Dylan Crews makes a great sliding catch.
- Nasim Nuñez makes a spectacular diving play and throws a bullet to get the force at second.
- Jacob Young uses his soccer skills to kick the ball into his glove and make one of the most amazing, acrobatic catches I’ve ever seen.
- In the same game, ninth inning, Jacob Young robs a home run to preserve the one-run lead.
After the trade deadline, the Nationals were left with a young team, and they spent August giving their young players a chance to see what they could do. The month, overall, was a disappointment, with the Nats going 9–19 against opposing teams that mostly had winning records and were in playoff contention.
The Nationals began August at home facing the Brewers, who had the best record in baseball. The Nats were swept in the three-game series by scores of 16 to 9, 8 to 2, and 14 to 3. They next faced the Athletics, and the series opened with another drubbing, a 16 to 7 loss. The Nats managed to barely win the next game, 2 to 1 in a walk-off victory, but were shut out in the rubber game. The Nats were 1–5 during the home stand.
Next came a road trip that began in San Francisco with a three-game series against the Giants. The Nats were shut out in the first game, with five Giants pitchers combining to allow the Nats only 4 hits. The Nats came back to win the last two games, with the finale an 8–0 blow-out win, in which MacKenzie Gore outpitched future Hall-of-Famer Justin Verlander. The road trip concluded against the Royals in Kansas City. The Nats lost the first two games but managed to win the final game by scoring a go-ahead run in the top of the ninth (after having given up a tying run in the bottom of the eighth). The Nats record on the road trip was 3–3.
Back home, the Nats played a four-game series against the division-leading Phillies. In the first game, the Nats scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 3–2 lead and held onto the lead for a victory. They lost the second game, but in the third game Cade Cavalli pitched 7 scoreless innings to record his first major league win in a 2–0 victory. The Phillies won the fourth game to split the series.
The Nats next hosted the Mets, who were ahead in the race for the final wild-card slot. In the first game the Nats were blown out, 8 to 1. But in the second game, the Nats were able to cling to a 5–4 lead for a victory, and they won the third game 9 to 3. The Nats finished the home stand with a 4–3 record.
On their next road trip, they again faced the Phillies, this time in Philadelphia. In the series opener, the Nats scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 5 to 4 lead and held on to win it. They were unable to complete a late-inning rally and lost the second game 6 to 4 and also fell short in the third game 3 to 2. Their next series was against the Yankees in New York, and this time there weren’t any close games as the Nats were swept the three-game series. In the first game, Jacob Young managed to hit a grand slam in the ninth inning for his first home run of the year, but the Nats still lost 10 to 5. The third game was a real blow out as the Yankees hit 6 home runs to win it 11 to 2. The Nats record on the road trip was 1–5.
The month concluded for the Nats with a three-game series at home against the Rays. The Nats were swept and finished the month with an 8-game losing streak and a 9–19 record for the month.
A pleasant surprise was that the bullpen, which had been the weakest part of the team most of the season, did fairly well during August. The relief pitchers had a park-adjusted ERA– of 115 in August (that is, 15 percent worse than average), which ranked 23rd among the 30 MLB teams, but their win-probability added (WPA) of 1.18 (a measure of how well they did in high-leverage spots) ranked 9th, and their 9 meltdowns during the month was tied for fewest among MLB teams. Conversely, the starting pitchers were pretty awful, with their ERA– of 177 ranking dead last. The Nats’ batting, as measured by their weighted runs created (wRC+) of 90, was below average but not awful, ranking 20th among the 30 teams.
Roster moves
On August 5 left-handed relief pitcher PJ Poulin made his major league debut, pitching a scoreless inning and striking out the final batter he faced. The Nationals had claimed the 29-year-old pitcher off waivers from the Tigers. Poulin had been drafted by the Rockies in 2018, and his contract was purchased by the Tigers before the 2024 season.
Also, on August 5th, right-handed relief pitcher Clayton Beeter made his debut with the Nationals. He gave up a home run to the first batter he faced but then got 3 strikeouts (along with 2 walks) to finish the inning. The 26-year-old was a second-round draft pick by the Dodgers in 2020 and had pitched for the Yankees in 5 games in 2024 and 2025. The Nats obtained him from the Yankees in the Amed Rosario trade.
On August 6, Cade Cavalli made his return to the Nationals rotation, pitching 4-1/3 scoreless innings with 6 strikeouts in a game the Nats ultimately won by a score of 2 to 1. His return came almost three years after his debut and only previous major league appearance in August 2022. The 2020 first-round draft pick had injured his elbow in 2023 spring training and undergone Tommy John surgery. His recovery took longer than expected, but after the departure of Michael Soroka at the trade deadline, Cavalli was ready to take his place in the rotation. Shinnosuke Ogasawara, who had started two games for the Nats in July, moved into the bullpen as a long reliever.
On August 14, Dylan Crews returned to the lineup almost three months after going on the disabled list with an oblique strain. To make room, the Nats surprisingly designated Nathaniel Lowe for assignment the day after he had hit a grand slam home run; two days later, having cleared waivers, Lowe was released. Lowe played 119 games for the Nats and hit .216/.292/.373 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI. After his release, Lowe was quickly signed by the playoff-contending Boston Red Sox, who have used him as a platoon first baseman.
On August 27, Drew Millas suffered a dislocation and fracture of his index finger when his catching hand was struck by a bat for a catcher’s interference play. Initially placed on the 10-day injured list, he underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture and repair the joint and was later placed on the 60-day disabled list, confirming that he would miss the rest of the season. On August 30, MacKenzie Gore was placed on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation.
Record:
9–19 (.321)
Pythagorean Record:
8–20 (3.86 R/G – 6.36 RA/G). The Nats had a 5–1 record in one-run games during August, which helped keep their win-loss record better than their Pythagorean record.
August MVP:
- Jose A Ferrer (2-0, 1.46 RA/9, 10 G, 12⅓ IP, 8.8 K/9, 1.054 WHIP, 4.35 RE24, 6 shutdowns, 0 meltdown, 0.6 RA9-WAR, 0.5 fWAR).
Position player of the month:
- Riley Adams (.263/.349/.368, 2 HR, 11 R, 6 RBI, 86 PA, 105 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR). Nothing flashy, just a solid month as he stepped into a full-time role. Other Nats players with 0.3 fWAR during August included Drew Millas, Paul DeJong, and James Wood, and a case could be made for any of them.
Starting pitcher of the month:
- Cade Cavalli (1–1, 5.47 RA/9, 5 GS, 24⅔ IP, 8.0 K/9, 1.581 WHIP, 0.1 RA9-WAR, –0.1 fWAR). His stats were pretty much replacement level but still better than those of the Nats’ other starters.
Worst month:
- Mitchell Parker (0–5, 10.54 RA/9, 6 GS, 27⅓ IP, 6.6 K/9, 1.720 WHIP, –1.1 RA9-WAR, –0.5 fWAR). Painful
Best start:
- MacKenzie Gore (August 10, 8–0 win over the Giants in San Francisco) pitched 6 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 10 for a game score of 75.
Worst start:
- MacKenzie Gore (August 5, 16–7 loss to the Athletics at home) gave up 8 runs on 12 hits and 1 walk in 3 innings with no strikeouts for a game score of 2.
Tough losses:
- MacKenzie Gore (August 26, 5–1 loss to the Yankees in New York) pitched 5 innings and gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3 for a game score of 50.
- Mitchell Parker (August 29, 4–1 loss to the Rays at home) pitched 6⅓ innings and gave up 3 runs on 6 hits and no walks while striking out 7 for a game score of 56.
Cheap win:
- Brad Lord (August 20, 5–4 win over the Mets at home) pitched 5⅓ innings and gave up 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4 for a game score of 40.
Biggest shutdown:
- Jose A Ferrer (August 9, 4–2 win over the Giants in San Francisco). With the Nats ahead 4 to 1, Cole Henry had been called on to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Henry got the first out, then gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases. That was enough for Miguel Cairo and he called on his new lefty closer to get a five-out save. The first batter that Ferrer faced hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4 to 2, but that was all for the Giants. Ferrer got a strikeout to end the eighth inning. In the ninth, the first batter reached on an infield single, which was followed by a lineout and another single, putting runners on first and second. Ferrer got the next batter to ground into a game-ending double play to complete his first save as the new closer. (Win probability added/WPA +.244).
Worst meltdown:
- When Konnor Pilkington (August 15, 6–2 loss to the Phillies at home). When Pilkington got the call in the top of the seventh, the game was tied 2–2 and there were runners on first and second with one out. Pilkington got Trea Turner to pop up for the second out but then gave up a three-run homer to Kyle Schwarber followed by a solo homer to Bryce Harper, leaving the Nats trailing 6 to 2. (WPA –0.373).
Walk off:
- CJ Abrams (August 6, 2–1 win over the Athletics at home). When Abrams came to bat in the bottom of the ninth, the score was tied 1 to 1, and Robert Hassell III was on second base with one out. Abrams singled to left field and third-base coach Ricky Gutierrez aggressively waved Hassell home. Fortunately, the throw was a bit offline, allowing Hassell to score the winning run. (WPA +.301).
Clutch hit:
- Daylen Lile (August 22, 5–4 win over the Phillies in Philadelphia). In the top of the ninth inning, Lile came to bat with one out, Dylan Crews on second base, and the Nats trailing 4–2. Lile singled to left field, with Crews beating the throw to score the tying run, and Lile taking second on the throw (WPA +.329). Two pitches later, Lile stole third base and scored on a throwing error to give the Nats the lead (WPA +.259).
Choke:
- Jacob Young (August 8, 5–0 loss to the Giants in San Francisco). Trailing the Giants 2–0 in the top of the fifth inning, Young came to bat with one out and the bases loaded. He grounded into an inning-ending double play. (WPA –.196).
Memorable fielding plays:
- Robert Hassell III makes a leaping catch at the wall to rob a home run.
- Dylan Crews charges in to make a diving catch.
- Dylan Crews makes a perfect throw to gun down Harrison Bader at home.
- Jacob Young sprinted and made a marvelous diving catch.
- Brady House makes a great diving stop and guns down the runner.
After a rare winning record during May, the Nationals were hoping that their momentum would carry forward into June. Instead, their offense collapsed, they endured an 11-game losing streak, and they had the worst record in the major leagues for the month of June.
June opened with the Nats in Arizona playing the Diamondbacks in the final game of a road trip. In their last four games of May their offense had exploded, as they scored at least 9 runs in each game against the Mariners and the D-backs. But, in what would prove to be an omen for the new month, the Nats only scored a single run on June 1, losing the game 3–1, but they still won the series two games to one and ended the road trip with a 4–2 record.
Returning to DC, the Nationals faced the Cubs, who held first place in the NL Central division. In the first game they let an early lead slip away, but in game 2 they shut out the Cubs 2–0, with MacKenzie Gore giving up only 3 hits in 7 scoreless innings. They then lost the third game by a 7–1 score, having scored only 6 runs in the three-game series. Next came three games against the Rangers. In the first game the Nats won another 2–0 shutout, with Michael Soroka giving up only 2 hits in 6 scoreless innings in a 1 hour, 50-minute game (the fastest 9-inning game in team history). At this point the Nats had a 30–33 record. But before their next win was recorded almost two weeks later, their record had dropped to 30–44. In game 2 of the Rangers series, it was the Nats’ turn to be shut out as Jacob DeGrom allowed only 2 hits in 7 scoreless innings. The Nats then lost the finale, losing the series and ending the home stand with a 2–4 record, having scored only 10 runs in the six-game stretch.
Next came a quick 3-game road trip to New York to play the then division-leading Mets. In the first game, the Nats were ahead going into the 8th inning, but the Mets scored two in the bottom of the 8th to tie it, then won it in the 10th inning. The Nats lost the second game 5–0 as David Peterson pitched a now-rare 9-inning shutout. In the third game, the Nats scored three runs in the top of the 9th and had runners at second and third with one out but were unable to complete a comeback and fell to the Mets 4–3, completing the three-game sweep.
Returning home, the Nats expected to have an opportunity to rebound as they faced the two teams with the worst records in the National League—the Marlins and the Rockies. The first game against the Marlins was a rare slugfest, with the Marlins jumping out to an early lead and the Nats ultimately unable to catch them—final score, Marlins 11, Nats 9. In game 2, the Nats again made a late effort, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth and getting the tying and go-ahead runs on 1st and 3rd with no outs, but were unable to score them and lost 4 to 3. Game 3 was the same old story of not enough offense as the fell 3 to 1 for the series sweep and their eighth consecutive loss.
The first game of the Rockies series on June 16 featured the major league debut of third baseman Brady House. The 22-year-old right-handed hitter had 13 home runs, 15 doubles, and a .304 average in 65 games at Rochester this season. He was the Nats first-round pick in the 2021 draft (11th overall) as a shortstop but switched to third base after missing much of the 2022 season with a back injury. Meanwhile, long-time Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos returned to Washington to formally retire from baseball at age 37.
Entering the series, the Rockies had an historically bad 14–57 record, by far the worst in baseball. But in the first game they shocked the Nats, who entered the 9th inning with a 4–3 lead, by scoring three runs in the top of the 9th to beat the Nats 6–4. The Nats went on to lose the next two games by scores of 10 to 6 and 3 to 1, giving the Nationals an 11-game losing streak, one shy of the club record of 12 consecutive losses in August 2008. Over the 11-game span they allowed 60 runs (5.5 per game) but scored only 33 (3 per game). As we’ll see in the section “Tough losses” below, the starting pitchers for the most part did their job, but poor relief pitching, lack of offense, and poor timing doomed the team.
On June 19, their luck finally turned, but just barely. In the final fourth game of the Rockies series, the two teams were tied 2–2 after nine innings. After a scoreless tenth inning, the Rockies scored a run in the top of the 11th to take the lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Nats were down to their final out when James Wood belted a walk-off 2-run home run to win the game and end the losing streak. Wood’s blast should enter the pantheon of historic Nationals home runs. The Nats’ record for the home stand was 1–6.
Next came a 9-game road trip to California. It began in Los Angeles facing the division-leading Dodgers. In the first game the Nats ended up just short, losing the game 6 to 5. They then won the second game and led the third game 3–0 after five innings but then surrendered 13 runs in innings 6 through 8 for a 13–7 loss. Next up came a series against the Padres in San Diego. The Nats won the first game 10–6 but lost the next two games by a single run each, 4 to 3 and 1 to 0, with Pivetta pitching 7 innings for the Padres in the shutout.
The road trip concluded with a three-game series against the Angels in Anaheim. In the first game, the Nats were behind 9–8 after five innings but scored 7 unanswered runs in innings 6 through 9 for a 15–9 win. They lost the second game 8–2 and were trailing in the third game but scored a run in the top of the ninth to tie the game, before scoring three more in the top of the 11th for the win. The Angels showed their respect by issuing four consecutive intentional walks to James Wood, making him the first player to get four intentional passes in a game since Barry Bonds in September 2004. The Nats’ record for their road trip was 4–5.
The Nationals’ record for the month of June was 7–19, a .269 winning percentage that was worst in the majors and the Nats’ worst monthly W-L record since July 2022, when they went 6–19. After starting the month with a 28–30 record, in 3rd place in the NL East, 8 games behind the Mets and Phillies who were then tied for 1st place, they ended the month in last place with a 35–49 record, 14½ games behind the division-leading Phillies.
On June 14, right-handed relief pitcher Ryan Loutos made his debut with the Nationals. The Nats claimed the 26-year-old on waivers from the Dodgers; Loutos had made two major league appearances for the Dodgers earlier this season and three appearances for the Cardinals in 2024. He took the place of Andrew Chafin, who went on the 15-day injured list with a hamstring strain. The other notable injury was to Keibert Ruiz, who was struck in the head by a foul ball while seated in the dugout, after which he was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list.
Record:
7–19 (.269)
Pythagorean Record:
9–17 (3.92 R/G – 5.19 RA/G)
June MVP:
- CJ Abrams (.308/.368/.505, 4 HR, 20 R, 12 RBI, 8 SB, 0 CS, 117 PA, 142 wRC+, 1.1 fWAR).
Starting pitcher of the month:
- MacKenzie Gore (1–3, 3.23 RA/9, 5 GS, 30⅔ IP, 8.2 K/9, .299 opp OBP, 0.9 RA9-WAR, 0.7 fWAR).
Relief pitcher of the month:
- Brad Lord (1-0, 1.04 RA/9, 13 G, 17⅓ IP, 6.2 K/9, .212 opp OBP, 4.28 RE24, 5 shutdowns, 3 meltdowns, 0.9 RA9-WAR, 0.2 fWAR).
Worst month:
- Keibert Ruiz (.167/.164/.204, 0 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 55 PA, –6 wRC+, –0.7 fWAR).
Best start:
- MacKenzie Gore (June 4, 2–0 win over the Cubs at home) pitched 7 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 7 for a game score of 77.
Worst start:
- Jake Irvin (June 27, 15–9 win over the Angels in Anaheim) gave up 9 runs (8 earned) on 9 hits and 4 walks in 4⅓ innings with 5 strikeouts for a game score of 12. The Nats later came back from the 9–8 deficit to win the game.
Tough losses:
- Mitchell Parker (June 7, 5–0 loss to the Rangers at home) pitched 6 innings and gave up 2 unearned runs on 4 hits and no walks while striking out 5 for a game score of 65.
- Trevor Williams (June 14, 4–3 loss to the Marlins at home) pitched 5⅓ innings and gave up 2 runs on 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3 for a game score of 50.
- MacKenzie Gore (June 15, 3–1 loss to the Marlins at home) pitched 6 innings and gave up 2 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk while striking out 5 for a game score of 52.
- Michael Soroka (June 17, 10–6 loss to the Rockies at home) pitched 6 innings and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9 for a game score of 57.
- Mitchell Parker (June 18, 3–1 loss to the Rockies at home) pitched 6 innings and gave up 1 run on 6 hits and no walks while striking out 8 for a game score of 64.
- MacKenzie Gore (June 25, 1–0 loss to the Padres in San Diego) pitched 6 innings and gave up 1 run on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6 for a game score of 61.
Cheap win:
- Mitchell Parker (June 23, 10–6 win over the Padres in San Diego) pitched 6 innings and gave up 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 1 for a game score of 47.
Biggest shutdown:
- Kyle Finnegan (June 29, 7–4 win in 11 innings over the Angels in Anaheim). Finnegan was well rested, having faced only two batters (both in non-save situations) in the previous 9 days. The Nats had scored a run in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 4 runs apiece, and Finnegan got the call to preserve the tie in the bottom of the inning. He issued a leadoff walk, then retired the next two batters on a flyball and a groundout, before getting the final out on a caught stealing, having thrown 12 pitches. The Nats didn’t score in the top of the 10th, so Finnegan was back out there in the bottom of the 10th, this time with an automatic runner on second. He needed only 7 pitches to get a flyball, a strikeout, and a groundout to complete the frame. The Nats scored three runs in the top of the 11, making the score 7–4. For the first time in his career, Finnegan came out again for a third inning of work. This time he needed 11 pitches to get a strikeout followed by two groundouts to secure the victory for the Nats. (Win probability added/WPA +.546).
Worst meltdown:
- Kyle Finnegan (June 16, 6–4 loss to the Rockies at home). The Nats were ahead 4 to 3 when Finnegan got the call to close it out in the top of the ninth. The first batter he faced, Hunter Goodman, blasted a fastball over the fence in left-center to tie the game. Finnegan then got a flyball for the first out, but the next batter singled. Then came a pop fly for the second out and a stolen base. Then on a 1–2 count, Mickey Moniak turned on another fastball and slugged it into the right-field bullpen, putting the Nats behind 6–4. The sixth batter then grounded out to end the inning, but the damage had been done. (WPA –0.752).
Clutch hit / Walk off:
- James Wood (June 19, 4–3 win over the Rockies in 11 innings at home). The Rockies had scored in the top of the 11th to take a 3–2 lead, threatening the Nats with their 12th consecutive loss. When Wood came to bat in the bottom of the inning, Riley Adams, the automatic runner, was at third and the Nats were down to their final out. On a 1–0 count, Wood launched the ball 428 feet over the center field fence, breaking the losing streak and giving Wood his first career walk-off home run. (WPA +.840)
Choke:
- James Wood (June 14, 4–3 loss to the Marlins at home). Trailing the Marlins 4–1 entering the bottom of the 9th, the Nats had rallied to score two runs and had the bases loaded with two outs when Wood stepped to the plate. On a 1–2 fastball, Wood popped out to end the game. (WPA –.270).
Memorable fielding plays:
- Jose Tena guns down the runner and Keibert Ruiz applies the tag.
- Alex Call makes a fantastic catch (or did he?) It survived the challenge, so I guess he did.
- CJ Abrams makes a beautiful diving play.
- Jacob Young gets an outstanding jump and makes and incredible dive on a ball with only a 10% catch probability.
- Daylen Lile makes a leaping catch at the wall.
A baseball year is 162 games, and on June 28 the Nationals played their 162nd game since James Wood debuted on July 1, 2024.
James Wood
| G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BA | OBP | SLG |
| 162 | 703 | 608 | 95 | 166 | 32 | 4 | 31 | 105 | 24 | .273 | .367 | .492 |
His wRC+ was 139 and his overall offensive and defensive performance (or wins above replacement) was worth 4.7 wins according to Fangraphs and 4.9 wins according to Baseball Reference.
Let’s compare his record with Juan Soto‘s first baseball year:
Juan Soto
| G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BA | OBP | SLG |
| 150 | 644 | 541 | 95 | 151 | 31 | 1 | 28 | 94 | 8 | .279 | .393 | .495 |
Soto debuted on May 20, 2018* and the team’s 162nd game came on May 17, 2019. He missed 12 games during that span. His batting average and slugging percentage were very similar to Wood’s, but Soto drew 101 walks (versus 89 for Wood), so his on-base percentage was 26 points higher. Soto’s wRC+ was 136. Wood’s extra playing time and slightly better defensive statistics leave him a little bit ahead of Soto in fWAR (4.7 to 4.2).
(* Soto shows up in the record as playing in a game on May 15, 2018, five days before his major league debut. It was a suspended game that was completed on June 18, with Soto playing in the final three innings of that game. I’ve counted it as part of Soto’s first baseball year.)
Let’s add Bryce Harper to the comparison:
Bryce Harper
| G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BA | OBP | SLG |
| 158 | 677 | 604 | 111 | 170 | 30 | 9 | 29 | 73 | 19 | .281 | .352 | .505 |
Harper’s first baseball year was from April 28, 2012 to April 23, 2013. Harper had fewer walks than Wood (65 compared to 89), so his OBP is lower. But his 9 triples helped him have the highest slugging percentage of the three. His wRC+ was 132, the lowest of the three players, but he played center field well, so his defensive value boosted his fWAR to 5.8, the highest of the three players.
Overall, Wood’s first statistical year looks extremely good. Compared to all MLB position players over the last year, he ranks 22nd in fWAR, indicating that he’s been playing at an elite All-Star level, though not quite at an MVP level. We’ve seen that his first statistical year was comparable to those of Soto and Harper, though we should emphasize that they were two and a half years younger than Wood when they completed those seasons. The other thing that’s notable about Wood is that going from 2024 to 2025, his performance has substantially improved. If he can keep it up, his first full season will be one to remember.
It’s that time of year when the MLB All-Star Teams are selected and I select my NL all-star team. As usual, my selections are based on objective statistics—primarily three statistics: wins above replacement (WAR) for 2025, for 2024, and for the player’s career. (See last year’s article for details on the weights that I use.)
I use a standard formula in order to treat all teams and players fairly. In contrast to most writers, I think it’s important to include statistics from the prior season because research shows that at takes at least a season for the most important statistics (such as on-base percentage and slugging percentage) to stabilize and become reliable indicators of a player’s ability. For example, Juan Soto has gotten a lot of criticism from Mets fans for his “disappointing” performance so far this season. After all, he’s hit “only” 17 home runs, his batting average is “only” .253, and his season-to-date fWAR is “only” 2.1. Those, of course, are very good numbers, but if we were only looking at the statistics for the 2025 season (through June 24), they might not be enough for him to make the All-Star team. But in assessing his ability and likely future performance, we shouldn’t ignore that fact that last season he hit .288 with a .419 OBP and 41 home runs and was worth 8.2 WAR. Soto remains one of the best players in baseball and is likely to add an additional 3 WAR by the end of the season. He deserves to be an All Star.
Like the MLB All-Star Teams, my NL team requires that all teams in the league be represented. For the last two seasons, the Nationals representatives were consolation picks—players who wouldn’t have made it based on the statistics alone but were selected ahead of another player with more points in order for their team to be represented. This season, the Nats have three emerging stars, and I hoped that one of them would make it on their statistical record. CJ Abrams has earned 2.5 fWAR this season (after 1.9 last season) and my system gives him 17.6 points, a number that puts him in the vicinity of all-star selection. Unfortunately for him, the shortstop position is stacked in the NL, and his points total only ranked sixth among NL shortstops (behind Lindor, Turner, De La Cruz, Betts, and Swanson). So, Abrams didn’t make it. This season MacKenzie Gore has emerged as an outstanding pitcher, with a 3.19 ERA and 2.94 FIP through June 24, worth 2.6 fWAR and 2.6 RA9-WAR, giving him 18.1 points in my system. The result is that he also falls just a little bit short of making my team (though he pitched well this afternoon in today’s 1–0 loss, so maybe if I reran the numbers tomorrow…)
James Wood seems to have had the best chance of making my team without requiring a consolation pick. While he doesn’t pick up many points from his 2024 season, his 3.4 WAR so far in 2025 gives him enough points (22.7) that he was in the running. As with Abrams, part of his problem is that this season the corner outfield position is stacked in the NL. (My system treats center field as a separate position, selecting two center fielders, but combines the right- and left-field positions to select four corner outfielders.) Three corner outfielders—Tucker, Carroll, and Tatis—all actually have slightly more WAR than Wood this season (as well as significantly more in 2024), so they are all ranked ahead of Wood. As we’ve also discussed, Soto gets picked based on his superb 2024 season (along with some good statistics for this season). After picking the top two candidates at each position (or top four for corner outfield) the team needs to add two additional position players, and my system selects the two players with the most points. De La Cruz, with 25.5 points, got the first slot, and Betts with 23.1 points would have gotten the second spot. If there had been a third spot, it would have gone to Wood with his 22.7 points. But so that the Nats can be represented, Wood bumped Betts from that last position-player slot and made the team.
Here is my 2025 NL all-star team
Starters:
C – Will Smith – Los Angeles Dodgers (22.9)
1B – Freddie Freeman – Los Angeles Dodgers (23.6)
2B – Ketel Marte – Arizona Diamondbacks (28.9)
3B – Matt Chapman – San Francisco Giants (24.8)
SS – Francisco Lindor – New York Mets (33.1)
COF – Juan Soto – New York Mets (29.0)
COF – Kyle Tucker – Chicago Cubs (26.8)
CF – Pete Crow-Armstrong – Chicago Cubs (27.0)
DH – Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers (36.9)
SP – Chris Sale – Atlanta Braves (30.9)
Reserves:
C – William Contreras – Milwaukee Brewers (19.4)
1B – Bryce Harper – Philadelphia Phillies (20.2)
2B – Nico Hoerner – Chicago Cubs (18.8)
3B – Manny Machado – San Diego Padres (24.7)
SS – Trea Turner – Philadelphia Phillies (26.9)
SS – Elly De La Cruz – Cincinnati Reds (25.5)
COF – Corbin Carroll – Arizona Diamondbacks (25.6)
COF – Fernando Tatis, Jr – San Diego Padres (25.0)
COF – James Wood – Washington Nationals (22.7) (*selected so the Nationals would be represented)
CF – Andy Pages – Los Angeles Dodgers (20.0)
DH – Kyle Schwarber – Philadelphia Phillies (19.8)
SP – Zack Wheeler – Philadelphia Phillies (30.3)
SP – Paul Skenes – Pittsburgh Pirates (29.7)
SP – Logan Webb – San Francisco Giants (24.7)
SP – Christopher Sánchez – Philadelphia Phillies (20.9)
SP – Ranger Suárez – Philadelphia Phillies (20.1)
SP – Hunter Greene – Cincinnati Reds (19.9)
RP – Randy Rodríguez – San Francisco Giants (11.0)
RP – Tyler Rogers – San Francisco Giants (10.6)
RP – Jake Bird – Colorado Rockies (10.5)
RP – Ryan Helsley – St Louis Cardinals (8.1) (*selected so the Cardinals would be represented)
RP – Anthony Bender – Miami Marlines (5.0) (*selected so the Marlins would be represented)
The Nationals started the month of May playing well but then fell into a 7-game losing streak. But after the streak broke, they won 11 of 15 and ended the month with their first winning month since August 2023.
As May began, the Nats were in Philadelphia playing the last game of a three-game series against the Phillies, having lost the first two. They won the game and went to Cincinnati for three games against the Reds. The Nats lost the first game but won the next two for a series win and for a 3–3 record on the road trip.
Back home, the Nats first faced the Guardians. The first game was rained out, forcing a doubleheader the next day. The Nats won the first game, a wild back-and-forth game in which the Nats ultimately held on for a 10–9 win. They were blown out 9–1 in the second and went on to lose the third game the next day, having played three games in less than 24 hours. Michael Soroka returned to the rotation for the third game after five weeks on the injured list, bumping Brad Lord into the bullpen. The next team the Nats faced was the Cardinals. In the first game the Nats were blown out and shut out, 10–0, with the shutout delivered by ex-Nat Erick Fedde. Their offensive woes continued in the next two games, both of which were losses, as they were outscored 20–3 in the three-game sweep. The Nats had a 1–5 record on the home stand, finishing it with a five-game losing streak.
Their next road trip began with a four-game series against the Braves in Atlanta. In the first game the Nats rallied to score two runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game, but the bullpen gave up the walk-off run in the bottom of the inning. They also lost the second game, extending their losing streak to seven games. But they finally turned things around in third game. Trailing 4–1 after 6, they scored two in the 7th and another two in the 8th to take a 5–4 lead, which the bullpen was able to hold for the win. The next day they lost the finale, giving them a 1–3 record for the series.
Their next stop was in Baltimore to play the Orioles. In the first game, the Nats again rallied from behind, tying the game in the top of the eighth and scoring a run to put them ahead in the top of the ninth, resulting in a 4–3 win. They beat the Orioles again in the next two games, hitting 5 home runs in game 3 with Michael Soroka recording his first win since July 2023. These victories gave them a sweep of the three-game series and a 4–3 record on the road trip.
Back home, the Nats again faced off with the Braves. They won the first game, then the second game was rained out, scheduled to be made up on September 16 in a day-night doubleheader. The Nats also won the final game. The victory came after the Braves tied it in the 9th inning, but the Nats managed to walk it off in the 10th. Also, the parents of Keibert Ruiz had their first opportunity to watch their son play in person in America, and he hit a double to drive in the Nats’ first run. The win gave the Nats a sweep of the two-game series as well as a five-game winning streak.
Next came the Giants. The Nats were shut out 4–0 in the first game but shut out the Giants 3–0 in the second. In the final game, the Nats were unable to overcome a 3–2 deficit and lost the game and the series. For the home stand, their record was 3–2.
The month ended with the Nats on a west coast road trip. In the first game against the Mariners in Seattle, the Nats were blown out 9–1. But the next night, it was the Nats’ turn to win a blow out, 9–0. The final game was a close one, still tied 2–2 after 9 innings. But for the first time in Nationals history, they scored 7 runs in extra innings to beat the Mariners 9–3.
The month of May concluded with the Nats in Phoenix playing the first two games of a three-game series against the Diamondbacks. The first game was a slugfest, which the Nats won 9–7. The second game was one for the record books, as the Nats’ first 11 batters all reached base (the first time this has happened since the Red Sox did it in 2003), and as the Nats scored 10 runs in the first inning (a club record). Furthermore, their four consecutive games scoring 9 or more runs was another club record. Nevertheless, despite their 11–0 lead after two innings, the Diamondbacks came back to make the game uncomfortably close, and the Nats’ final margin of victory was 11–7.
For the month of May, the Nats had a 15–12 record, their first winning month since August 2023 when they went 17–11. They had started the month in fourth place, 8 games behind the division-leading Mets. At the end of the month, with a 28–30 overall record, they were in third place (having slipped ahead of the Braves), 8 games behind the Mets and the Phillies, who were tied for the lead in the divisional race.
The improved Nats record in May reflected improvements in their batting. In May they ranked 5th in the NL in runs scored (with 133), 7th in home runs (with 27), 5th in slugging (.409) and 6th in weighted runs created, or wRC+ (105). The relief pitching was much improved, with team relief pitcher ERA improving from 7.41 (last in the NL) in March/April to 4.62 (9th in the NL) in May. The starting pitching, however, got worse, with its ERA going from 4.04 (9th) in March/April to 4.91 (14th) in May.
The roster underwent a number of changes during the month. On May 1, reliever Colin Poche was designated for assignment. His record with the Nats was 1–2 with an 11.42 ERA and 2.538 WHIP in 13 games, 8⅔ innings. After he elected free agency, he signed a minor league contract with the Mets. As a replacement, the team signed Andrew Chafin, a 34-year-old lefty reliever who had pitched 601 games over 11 seasons with a 3.42 ERA and 1.275 WHIP with the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Athletics, Tigers, Brewers, and Rangers. On May 10 the Nats released reliever Lucas Sims, whose record with the Nats was 1–0 with a 13.86 ERA and 2.270 WHIP in 18 games, 12⅓ innings. He went on to sign a minor league contract with the Phillies.
On May 22, 23-year-old left-handed center fielder Robert Hassell III made his major league debut, taking the place of Dylan Crews, who went on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain. Hassell was drafted by the Padres in the first round, 8th overall, of the 2020 amateur draft and came to the Nationals system in the 2022 Juan Soto trade (the fourth prospect from that trade to make it to the majors). His arrival was delayed by injuries—a fractured hamate bone in 2022 and another hand injury in 2024. In 37 plate appearances in May with the Nats, Hassell hit .270/.270/.351 with 1 home run, 6 RBI, and some superb defense.
The next evening, 22-year-old lefty-batting right fielder Daylen Lile made his major league debut, taking the place of Jacob Young, who went on the IL with a left shoulder AC sprain. Lile was drafted out of high school by the Nationals in the second round of the 2021 amateur draft. In 28 plate appearances in May with the Nats, Lile hit .208/.286/.375 with 2 RBI.
On May 31, reliever Jorge Lopez was designated for assignment. His record with the Nats was 6–0 (though 2 of those wins came after blown saves, the quintessential “vulture wins”), with a 6.57 ERA and 1.297 WHIP in 26 G, 24⅔ innings. With the departures of Poche, Sims, and Lopez, all of the veteran relief pitchers signed during the off-season (other than the re-signed Kyle Finnegan) are gone with nothing in return, with the team still responsible for paying them their full salaries—$1.4 million to Poche, $3 million to Sims, and $3 million to Lopez (assuming he clears waivers).
Record:
15–12 (.556)
Pythagorean Record:
13–14 (4.93 R/G – 5.00 RA/G)
May MVP:
- James Wood (.330/.410/.604, 7 HR, 19 R, 23 RBI, 6 SB, 1 CS, 122 PA, 177 wRC+, 1.4 fWAR). For the month of May, he ranked 5th in the NL in RBI, 4th in slugging percentage, and 3rd in fWAR.
Starting pitcher of the month:
- MacKenzie Gore (0–2, 2.63 RA/9, 5 GS, 27⅓ IP, 13.8 K/9, .333 opp OBP, 1.0 RA9-WAR, 0.8 fWAR). For the month of May, his 42 strikeouts were tied for 3rd in the NL, and he led the league in K/9.
Relief pitcher of the month:
- Cole Henry (0-0, 0.00 RA/9, 12 G, 14 IP, 7.1 K/9, .231 opp OBP, 6.38 RE24, 3 shutdowns, 0 meltdown, 0.7 RA9-WAR, 0.2 fWAR).
Worst month:
- Mitchell Parker (1–3, 7.94 RA/9, 5 G, 22⅔ IP, 7.9 K/9, .371 opp OBP, –0.5 RA9-WAR, 0.1 fWAR). Others who could have won included Keibert Ruiz (54 wRC+, –0.5 fWAR), Nathaniel Lowe (63 wRC+, –0.5 fWAR), and Jackson Rutledge (–8.57 RE24, –0.5 RA9-WAR).
Best start:
- Jake Irvin (May 24, 3–0 win over the Giants at home) pitched 8 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7 for a game score of 81.
Worst start:
- Jake Irvin (May 30, 9–7 win over the Diamondbacks in Phoenix) gave up 6 runs on 10 hits and 1 walk in 5 innings with no strikeouts for a game score of 22. When he left the game, the Nats and D-backs were tied 6–6, but the Nats scored 2 runs in the top of the sixth to get the lead and credit Irvin with the win.
Tough losses:
- Brad Lord (May 6, 9–1 loss to the Guardians at home) pitched 6 innings and gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4 for a game score of 57.
- MacKenzie Gore (May 11, 6–1 loss to the Cardinals at home) pitched 6⅔ innings and gave up 4 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 7 for a game score of 52.
- MacKenzie Gore (May 23, 4–0 loss to the Giants at home) pitched 6 innings and gave up 1 run on 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 9 for a game score of 70. The run charged to Gore was an inherited runner who scored after Gore left the game.
- Michael Soroka (May 25, 3–2 loss to the Giants at home) pitched 6 innings and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 2 for a game score of 51.
Cheap wins:
- Trevor Williams (May 3, 11–6 win over the Reds in Cincinnati) pitched 5⅓ innings and gave up 4 runs on 9 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4 for a game score of 36.
- Mitchell Parker (May 20, 5–3 win over the Braves at home) pitched 5⅓ innings and gave up 3 runs on 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4 for a game score of 47.
- Jake Irvin (May 30, 9–7 win over the Diamondbacks in Phoenix) – see “Worst start” above.
- Michael Soroka (May 31, 11–7 win over the Diamondbacks in Phoenix) pitched 5⅓ innings and gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3 for a game score of 42.
Biggest shutdown:
- Jackson Rutledge (May 22, 8–7 win over the Braves at home). Rutledge was brought in in the top of the tenth with the score tied 7–7 and an automatic runner at second. He got the first out on a fly to center, then gave up an infield single that advanced the runner to third. He then induced a ground ball double play to end the inning without a run scoring. (Win probability added/WPA +.309). The Nats scored the walk-off run in the bottom of the inning.
Worst meltdown:
- Jorge Lopez (May 29, 9–3 win over the Mariners in Seattle). Lopez entered in the bottom of the seventh with the Nats leading 2–0. The umpire, who had been missing calls all night, missed the calls on about three pitches that should have been strikes, resulting in a walk to the first batter and Lopez barking at the umpire. Davey Martinez went out to the mound to settle Lopez down, and Lopez retired the next two batters on a strikeout and a groundout. But those were followed by a run-scoring single, a stolen base, a wild pitch advancing the runner to third, and another RBI single to tie the game before Lopez was taken out (WPA –0.351). The game went to extra innings, and the Nats rallied in the top of the 10th to score 7 runs and win the game. This game would be the last appearance by Lopez as a National.
Walk offs:
- Amed Rosario (May 22, 8–7 win over the Braves in 10 innings at home). The Nats entered the bottom of the tenth with the game still tied 7–7, and Robert Hassell III, in his first major league game, was the designated runner at second. Alex Call hit a sacrifice bunt to move Hassell to third, then Rosario came into the game as a pinch hitter and hit a walk off single to left to end a wild game. (WPA +.174)
Clutch hit:
- Nasim Nuñez & José Tena (May 16, 4–3 win over the Orioles in Baltimore). Nuñez came to bat in the top of the ninth with two outs, Tena at second, and the score tied 3–3. He hit what appeared to be a routine grounder to the first baseman, but by speeding down the line, he beat the pitcher to the bag and was called safe. Meanwhile, Tena rounded third and kept running home, and not only did Tena beat the pitcher’s throw, but the ball sailed into the dugout and Nuñez was able to advance to third. (WPA +.372)
Choke:
- CJ Abrams (May 12, 4–3 loss to the Braves in Atlanta). Trailing the Braves 3 to 1 in the top of the eighth, there were runners on first and second and no outs when Abrams came to bat. He grounded into a double play. (WPA –.203).
Memorable fielding plays:
- Dylan Crews runs down a tough flyball and makes a diving catch.
- CJ Abrams scoops and Luis García Jr spins to turn a colorful game-ending double play.
- Robert Hassell III shows off the glove with a diving catch.
- Daylen Lile steals a home run at the right field fence.
- James Wood makes the throw and Keibert Ruiz makes the tag to save a run.
For the fourth consecutive season, the Nationals started the season with low expectations after spending the off-season shopping in the bargain basement. The Fangraphs forecast before the season began showed the Nats winning 72 games, good for fourth place in the NL East, and only a 3% chance of making the playoffs. Still, with breakouts possible from several of the young players, there was hope that the team might exceed expectations and provide the platform for building a truly competitive team.
A couple of important news items appeared just before the season began. One was from television announcer Bob Carpenter saying that he planned to retire at the end of the season. 2025 is his 20th season as the Nats’ play-by-play announcer and his 42nd season in MLB. The other news item was more ominous—pitcher DJ Herz was going on the injured list with a UCL sprain in his elbow. As often follows from such news, we later learned that he underwent Tommy John surgery on April 18, leaving him out of baseball for the coming year.
The Nationals opened the season at home on March 27 against the Phillies. The first game went to extra innings but ended with a loss, as did the second game. But the Nats won the third game to avoid a sweep. In the third game, Brad Lord, a 25-year-old right-handed pitcher whom the Nats had drafted in the 18th round of the 2022 draft, made his major league debut in relief.
The team then had a short, one-city road trip to Toronto to face the Blue Jays. In the first game, Michael Soroka, making his Nationals debut, started the game but took the loss after leaving with a biceps strain that put him on the 15-day injured list. He didn’t pitch the rest of the month. In the second game, the Nats rallied to tie the game in the top of the seventh but gave up two runs in the bottom of the eighth for their second loss. They also lost the third game, getting swept by the Jays and leaving them with a 1–5 record.
Back in Washington, the Nats’ next series was against the Diamondbacks. Several members of the 2005 Nationals returned to Washington for the series, which honored the 20th anniversary of the return of MLB to the city. The Nationals lost the first game but won the next two for their first series win of the season. All three games were close ones, each decided by one or two runs.
Next, the Nats hosted the Dodgers, who many writers considered to be the best team in baseball. The Nats got some clutch hits and good pitching to win the first game. Brad Lord started the second game, moving from the bullpen to the rotation to take Soroka’s place. (Lord had mainly been a starter in the minor leagues.) James Wood homered twice to lead the Nats to victory in game two. The Nats fell to the Dodgers in game three but won the series, giving them a 4–2 record for the homestand.
Their next road trip opened in Miami against the Marlins. In the first game, the Nats rallied for a comeback win. But CJ Abrams suffered a right hip flexor strain, which put him on the 10-day IL. The Nats then lost the second and third games and the series. In the third game Cole Henry, a 25-year-old right-handed relief pitcher, made his major league debut. Henry was the Nats’ second-round draft pick in 2020. The path of the former top prospect to the majors was delayed by injuries, leading him to have surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in August 2022. This spring he switched to a full-time relief role.
The Nats then went to Pittsburgh for a four-game series against the Pirates. They lost the first game to the Pirates ace, Paul Skenes, but came back to shut out the Bucs in the second game. In the top of the sixth inning, Paul Dejong was hit in the face by a fastball. He was placed on the injured list and ultimately had surgery to repair a broken nose and damage to the sinuses and the orbital bone, leaving him sidelined until at least July. Game three will be remembered for Jorge Lopez‘s inability to locate his pitches on a chilly night, which culminated with a pitch thrown just above Andrew McCutchen’s head. The umpire didn’t appear likely to do anything until the Pirates manager came out to argue that Lopez’s pitch was intentional. McCutchen and Lopez then began exchanging words and the benches cleared. The umpire then ejected Lopez from the game. I don’t believe that it was intentional—Lopez had been wild all inning, and what pitcher intentionally tries to hit someone when it will fill the bases in a two-run game? At any rate, McCutchen walked and the next batter, Oneil Cruz, immediately hit a grand slam off Eduardo Salazar to turn a 2–0 score to 6–0. The Nats lost 6–1. In the fourth game, the Nats were shut out, losing a pitchers’ duel 1–0, and losing the series 3 games to 1.
The road trip concluded with a three-game series in Colorado. The first game scheduled for Friday night was postponed due to snow, to be made up in a Sunday doubleheader. On Saturday the Nats went into the bottom of the seventh leading 12–2 but ultimately barely held on to win the game 12–11. The games in the Sunday doubleheader were lower scoring, with the Nats winning the first one 3–2 but losing the second 3–1. They finished the road trip with a 4–6 record.
Back home, the Nats opened the home stand with a three-game series against the Orioles. They won the first two games but lost the third. Their next series was four games against the division-leading Mets, who at the time had a .720 winning percentage, the best in baseball. The first three games were all hard fought, with the Nats winning ninth inning walk-off victories in the first and third games but losing the second game 2–0. The fourth game, however, was a blowout, with the Mets winning 19–5. For the home stand overall, the Nats had a 4–3 record against two good opponents.
The month concluded with the Nats in Philadelphia playing the first two games of a three-game series against the Phillies. They lost both games, ending the month with an overall record of 13–18, which left them in fourth place in the NL East, 8 games behind the division-leading Mets.
For the month of April (including the games in late March), the Nats’ greatest strength was their starting pitching, which was roughly league average. Their starters’ ERA was 4.04 (ranking 18th among the 30 teams), while their park-adjusted ERA– was 99 (16th) and their fielding independent pitching or FIP– was 95 (14th). The Nats relievers, however, were a different story. Their ERA was a dismal 7.41, dead last among the 30 MLB teams. The story doesn’t change much if you look at their ERA– of 181 (30th) or FIP– of 126 (29th). The Nats’ offense was, overall, only a bit below average. Their weighted runs created plus (wRC+, a park-adjusted measure of overall batting effectiveness) was 95, ranking 18th among the 30 teams.
In addition to the major league debuts of Lord and Henry, the players that the Nats acquired during the off-season made their debuts with the team early in the season. Nathaniel Lowe became the regular first baseman, and Paul DeJong was the regular third baseman until his April 15 injury. Amed Rosario was the main utility infielder, appearing in 17 games and starting in 10 of them. And Josh Bell, who returned to the Nats after a two-and-a-half season gap, was the regular DH. Starting pitcher Michael Soroka started the season in the rotation but was injured in his first start. And relievers Jorge Lopez, Lucas Sims, and Colin Poche all pitched regularly, though not always successfully, from the bullpen.
Record:
13–18 (.419)
Pythagorean Record:
12–19 (4.23 R/G – 5.29 RA/G)
April MVP:
- MacKenzie Gore (2–3, 3.51 RA/9, 7 GS, 41 IP, 13.0 K/9, .280 opp OBP, 1.0 RA9-WAR, 1.3 fWAR). For the “month” of March/April, he ranked first in MLB in strikeouts, second in K/9, and sixth in fWAR. I feel like this month marked his emergence as a potential ace pitcher. I’ll add a nod to Mitchell Parker, who also had an outstanding month with 1.1 RA9-WAR and 0.7 fWAR.
Position player of the month:
- James Wood (.250/.360/.543, 9 HR, 19 R, 21 RBI, 3 SB, 2 CS, 136 PA, 151 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR). He was tied for second place in the NL for home runs and ranked 8th in slugging and 5th in isolated power.
Relief pitcher of the month:
- Jackson Rutledge (0-0, 2.61 RA/9, 7 G, 10⅓ IP, 12.2 K/9, .333 opp OBP, 3.57 RE24, 2 shutdowns, 0 meltdown, 0.2 RA9-WAR).
Worst month:
- Eduardo Salazar (0–1, 9.24 RA/9, 14 G, 12⅔ IP, 7.8 K/9, .446 opp OBP, 8 of 10 inherited runners scored, –13.48 RE24, 3 shutdowns, 3 meltdowns, –0.2 fWAR). I note there was stiff competition for this recognition, including Josh Bell (43 wRC+, –0.7 fWAR), Lucas Sims (–8.84 RE24, –0.4 fWAR), and Colin Poche (–7.04 RE24, –0.2 fWAR).
Best start:
- MacKenzie Gore (opening day – March 27, 7–3 loss to the Phillies at home) pitched 6 scoreless innings giving up 1 hit and no walks while striking out 13 for a game score of 83. He outpitched Phillies ace, Zack Wheeler, and left with the Nats holding a 1–0 lead. Sadly, the bullpen was unable to hold it. A nod also to the runner-up, Mitchell Parker, who on April 22 pitched 8 scoreless innings with a game score of 82 en route to a 7–0 victory.
Worst start:
- Mitchell Parker (April 27, 8–7 win over the Mets at home) gave up 7 runs on 7 hits and 5 walks in 5 innings with no strikeouts for a game score of 22. When he left the game, the Nats were trailing 7–1, but the team rallied to score 5 runs in the seventh and 2 more in the ninth to walk off the Mets.
Tough losses:
- Mitchell Parker (April 16, 6–1 loss to the Pirates in Pittsburgh) pitched 6 innings and gave up 1 run on 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 6 for a game score of 65.
- Trevor Williams (April 17, 1–0 loss to the Pirates in Pittsburgh) pitched 5 innings and gave up 1 run on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5 for a game score of 59.
- MacKenzie Gore (April 24, 2–1 loss to the Orioles at home) pitched 6 innings and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 8 for a game score of 63.
Cheap wins:
- Trevor Williams (April 6, 5–4 win over the Diamondbacks at home), pitched 5 innings and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6 for a game score of 49.
Biggest shutdown:
- Jose A. Ferrer (April 20, 3–2 win over the Rockies in the first game of a doubleheader in Denver). When Ferrer was brought in in the bottom of the seventh, there was one out and a runner on first, and the Nats held a 3–2 lead. The first batter he faced grounded into a double play. He returned in the eighth for an additional scoreless inning, allowing one hit and striking out two. (Win probability added/WPA +.280).
Worst meltdown:
- Kyle Finnegan (April 29, 7–6 loss to the Phillies in Philadelphia). The Nats had rallied to score 4 runs in the top of the ninth and take a 6–5 lead, stunning the crowd in Citizens Bank Park. In the bottom of the inning Finnegan was called on to get three outs. The first batter he faced, Alec Bohm, singled to right field. That was followed with a walk to Bryson Stott. Bohm was able to advance to third on a flyball to deep center field for the first out. Stott then stole second. Another flyball to right field scored Bohm, tying the game, and allowed Stott to advance to third. Then a wild pitch to Trea Turner allowed Stott to score for the Phillies’ walk off win. (WPA –.800).
Walk offs:
- James Wood (April 25, 5–4 win over the Mets at home). The Nats entered the bottom of the ninth trailing the Mets 4–3. Dylan Crews led off with a triple to the right field wall that Juan Soto wasn’t able to handle and was driven home by a single from Jose Tena. The next two batters grounded into force plays at second base, leaving CJ Abrams at first with two outs, when Wood stepped to the plate. On a 3–2 count, Wood hit a groundball past the second baseman into center field for a single. The Mets were playing a deep no-doubles defense, so by the time the center fielder got the ball home, Abrams was sliding in to score the walk-off run. (WPA +.437)
- Luis Garcia Jr. (April 27, 8–7 win over the Mets at home). The Nats had been behind 7–1 going into the bottom of the seventh but scored 5 runs to narrow their deficit to a single run. In the bottom of the ninth, Alex Call led off with a double. Jacob Young took his place as a pinch runner, and after advancing to third on a groundout, came home to tie the game on CJ Abrams‘s single. James Wood then drew a walk, advancing Abrams to second and bringing Garcia to the plate. Garcia grounded to first baseman Pete Alonso, but Alonso threw the ball over the head of the pitcher who was covering first, allowing Abrams to rush home and score the walk-off run on the error. (WPA +.294)
Clutch hit:
- Nathaniel Lowe (April 29, 7–6 loss to the Phillies in Philadelphia). When Lowe came to bat in the top of the ninth, the Nats were down to their final out, trailing 5–3 but with runners on second and third. With a 1–2 count, Lowe reached down to hit a sweeper below the zone and smacked it into the right-field stands, putting the Nats ahead 6–5 (WPA +.694). Unfortunately, you can see the section on “Worst meltdown” to read about how the game ended.
- The best clutch hit in a game the Nats actually won was also by Nathaniel Lowe (April 11, 7–4 win over the Marlins in Miami). Lowe was feeling under the weather and had been scratched from the starting lineup, but he told Davey Martinez that he was available as a pinch hitter if needed. In the top of the eighth, the Nats were trailing 4–2 but had the bases loaded with one out, and Martinez decided to take up Lowe on his offer. After a 10-pitch battle, Lowe lined one into the left field corner for a double, clearing the bases and giving the Nats a 5–4 lead. (WPA+.442)
Choke:
- James Wood (April 9, 6–5 loss to the Dodgers at home). Trailing the Dodgers 6 to 5 in the bottom of the ninth, the Nats were down to their final out but had runners at second and third. Wood grounded out to second to end the game. (WPA –.240).
Memorable fielding plays:
- CJ Abrams dove to catch the ball and made a strong throw to nab the runner.
- James Wood robbed Lourdes Gurriel Jr. of a home run.
- Luis Garcia Jr. dove and spun around to gun down Shohei Ohtani.
- Dylan Crews charged in and laid out to make the catch.
- Nasim Nuñez raced to the ball and made a diving, tumbling catch.
Triple play:
- Triple plays are rare, and on April 25, playing the Mets at home, the Nats turned one in the top of the fourth inning (their third in club history and their first at home). It certainly wasn’t a web gem. It appeared that the ball actually skipped into Nathaniel Lowe‘s glove and shouldn’t even have been called a catch. But the play wasn’t reviewable, so that was that. The Mets had runners on first and second with no outs. Jesse Winker hit a low line drive to Lowe, which (according to the umpire) he caught. Lowe then fired the ball to CJ Abrams, who touched second base as well as the runner who had advanced from first to complete a 3–6–6 triple play.
Nats Noodles 