Podcasts about Keibert Ruiz

The Nats slugged five homers on Saturday night for a 7-3 win at Dodger Stadium. Mark (From L.A.) & Al marvel at James Wood as he crushed his 21st homer of the season; which is tied for 4th most in the NL. Wood's 1st inning majestic shot went an estimated 451 feet.(06:00) All of the top four Nationals hitters cleared the fences, with Nathaniel Lowe doing it twice.  The offense totaled ten hits and eight of them were for extra bases.(12:30) Keibert Ruiz went 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles. It is the first time since April 22nd that Ruiz had multiple doubles in the same game.(15:00) Washington pitchers combined for 11Ks in the victory. Jake Irvin had seven of them while not issuing any walks in his outing.(19:30) Jose A. Ferrer retired all five batters he faced and Mark points out how inconsistent he can be on the mound.(24:10) Kade Anderson, star LSU pitcher, threw a complete game shutout on Saturday night at the College World Series. Anderson is projected by some to go to the Nats with the top overall pick at next month's Draft. 

The Nats finally snapped their long skid and it all came on the back of James Wood in the 4-3 win over Colorado in 11 innings. Al & Tim discuss the burgeoning superstar as the 22-year old went deep twice and knocked in all four runs.  Wood is up to 20 homers and he is tied for 5th in the NL.(14:30) Trevor Williams had a decent outing as he only allowed two runs in just over five innings of work. The bullpen stepped up by only giving up one Rockies run and Cole Henry came through with two clutch strikeouts in the top of the 6th. Jose A. Ferrer also pitched well as he had two punch outs while recording five outs.(17:15) Davey Martinez got emotional in his postgame press conference and it stemmed from a Wednesday night phone call from Keibert Ruiz.(23:20) The Nats begin their West Coast road trip at Dodger Stadium on Friday evening.  MacKenzie Gore will take the mound opposite Clayton Kershaw in the series opener.(29:00) Part 2 of Tim's conversation with Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, about the legendary "Cool Papa" Bell.  Hear the origin of the greatest nickname in Baseball history. 

The Nats had another 9th inning rally that came up short in Saturday afternoon's 4-3 loss to the Marlins.  Mark & Al have a lot to react to after the 7th consecutive defeat and give blunt assessments on the State of the Rebuild.(11:45) Davey Martinez made an empassioned plea about his coaching staff in his postgame press conference.  Martinez made news by saying "It's never on the coaches" in response to a question by the Washington Post. Did Davey throw his players "under the bus" within his postgame comments?(21:00) Mark asked veteran Josh Bell for his response to the comments by Martinez.  The hosts examine his answer that seemed to not include a direct show of support.(25:00) Washington trailed 4-1 entering the bottom of the 9th and came 90 feet shy of tying the game. Jacob Young was brought in as a pinch-runner, but questionably did not tag from 3rd on Amed Rosario's flyout to LF.  Important to keep in mind that James Wood was on-deck in the situation.(31:10) Trevor Williams had a solid outing and allowed only a pair of Miami runs. Williams has made 14 starts this season and his ERA sits at 5.71.(33:40) Luis Garcia Jr. made a crucial error in the top of the 8th when he dropped a seemingly routine fly ball. His poor defense this season is put under the microscope as he ranks among the worst 2Bs thus far.(39:30) MacKenzie Gore takes the mound on Father's Day afternoon to try and end the team's skid. Gore currently trails only Boston's Garrett Crochet for the most strikeouts in MLB. 

The Nats lost their 5th straight on Thursday afternoon to get swept by the first place Mets.  Al & Tim gather after the Nationals scored all their runs in the top of the 9th in the 4-3 defeat, but stranded two runners after Keibert Ruiz grounded into the final out.(13:00) New York starter Kodai Senga exited early after getting injured while fielding a play at 1B.  After the game he was placed on the 15-day IL due to a hamstring issue. Senga is having an excellent season and is sporting a 1.47 ERA.(16:15) Michael Soroka gave up a 3-run HR in the bottom of the 1st to Jeff McNeil. Soroka only ceded three hits, but two of them went over the fence.(24:30) Wilson Ramos will officially retire as a National on Sunday afternoon.  Ramos played in Washington from 2010-2016 and was a big part of multiple division titles.(28:45) The Nats begin a seven game homestand on Friday night against a pair of last place teams.  This weekend they host Miami and then the Rockies come to Navy Yard on Monday for a four game series. 

The Nats lost their fourth in a row after bring shutout by Mets starter David Peterson on Wednesday night. Mark & Al focus on the scuffling offense, which has completely lost its groove since their hot trip out West.(05:45) James Wood had two of the six hits, but has only one homer in the month of June.(09:30) Riley Adams got the start behind the plate against the lefty Peterson.  It seems like his playing time has ticked up this month as Keibert Ruiz's continues to struggle.(17:40) Darnell Coles is back under the microscope during this stretch of little run support. Coles has been the team's hitting coach since the 2022 season.(24:00) Jake Irvin gave up four runs on a pair of homers in just five innings of work.  Irvin had three consecutive poor outings and his ERA has gone from 3.42 to 4.21 in the process.(30:00) Washington is now seven games under .500, but does remain in 3rd place in the NL East.(34:10) Josh Whetzel, the Voice of the Rochester Red Wings, provides his weekly update on AAA.  Hear the latest on Brady House, Cade Cavalli, Daylen Lile, and more. 

The Nats dropped Sunday's rubber match to the visiting Rangers by a score of 4-2.  Mark & Al begin with the scuffling offense, which only scored 10 runs in the six game homestand.(02:00) Help might be on the way as Nasim Nuñez was sent to AAA shortly after the defeat.  As of our taping time, the corresponding move is expected to be either Brady House or Andres Chaparro from Rochester.  House was the franchise 1st round draft choice from 2021 and did not play for the Red Wings on Sunday afternoon, which was quite noticeable given the circumstances.(14:10) Keibert Ruiz only played in one game this weekend, the one time they faced a RHP. Davey Martinez pregame cited a troubling stat in terms of the constant chase rate for the veteran catcher. Ruiz's WAR is a very poor 0.1 so far this season.(20:40) Trevor Williams only lasted 4.1 IP and gave up two runs off six hits.  This came the same day that Cade Cavalli tossed five shutout innings for AAA Rochester.  Is it time for Cavalli to take Williams' spot in the rotation?(30:00) The short outing for Williams led to the need for five relievers. Jose A. Ferrer nailed down five outs and wiggled out of a jam in the top of the 6th.  Cole Henry gave up a homer, his 2nd straight day of not pitching well.(33:10) The Nationals open a three game series on Tuesday at the Mets, who have the best record in the NL. 

The Nats took the series in Seattle by scoring seven runs in the top of the 10th for a 9-3 victory.  Mark (From T-Mobile Park) & Al discuss the Nationals eighth victory in their past eleven games. They are just a half game back of the Braves for 3rd place in the NL East.(05:20) Luis Garcia Jr. had four hits that included a 2-run extra inning double to give Washington breathing room.(07:00) Josh Bell homered for the second straight game; his 8th of the season.  Bell's 3-run shot firmly put the game out of reach and gave the Nats a seven run lead.(10:00) James Wood didn't go deep, but did begin the scoring with a 2-run double in the top of the 6th.  The Mariners brought in their lone lefty to face Wood and he still managed to come through with a big hit.(17:30) MacKenzie Gore struck out eight hitters in six innings of work on 95 pitches. Gore now has 101Ks on the season to lead Baseball; seven ahead of Zack Wheeler.(23:10) Four relievers were needed and it was a big evening for Jose A. Ferrar, who retired all five batters he faced. Kyle Finnegan pitched the bottom of the 10th, his first action in a week due to shoulder fatigue.(27:15) An extended conversation on Keibert Ruiz's defensive struggles behind the plate. 

The Nats won their 5th straight on Thursday night as they outlasted the Braves 8-7 in extra innings. Mark & Al focus on the completely flipped script for the Nationals in the past week; as they recently had lost seven games in a row.  Amed Rosario was the 10th inning hero as his pinch-hit RBI single ended the affair.(07:20) Robert Hassell III had quite the MLB debut as he singled in his first at bat, stole a base, collected two hits, and scored the winning run on Rosario's RBI single. Hassell got the nod in CF and hit 7th in the lineup.(10:00) Dylan Crews is on the IL due to an oblique injury; not a back issue. Jacob Young did not play on Thursday and it is unclear if too might be headed to the IL as he has not played since crashing into the Camden Yards wall on Saturday.(16:00) James Wood' big game was overshadowed, but nonetheless impressive as he reached base four times. Wood' big hit of the night came in the bottom of the 2nd on his 3-run double to take a 5-2 lead.(17:10) Keibert Ruiz had a big eveningin front of his parents, who saw him play in person for the first time in his professional career.  Ruiz's family traveled to D.C. from his native Venezuela for the occasion.(20:00) The bullpen mostly came through in their heavy workload on Thursday night. Six relievers were needed to toss over six frames and only allowed two runs in the process. Kyle Finnegan though did blow the save in the top of the 9th, but in his defense Jose Tena committed a crucial error to extend the game.(28:10) Trevor Williams had another poor start as he was yanked in the 4th inning. Williams was charged with five runs allowed and his ERA is now up to 6.39.  Will he get moved out of the starting rotation?

The Nats immediately jumped out to a 6-0 edge on their way to Saturday's 10-6 victory at Camden Yards. Mark (From Baltimore) & Al convene after the Nationals third win in the past four days and their 2nd in a row at the Orioles. (04:30) Jacob Young crashed into the wall in the 7th and exited the game. X-rays were negative and it seems like no major injury was incurred. (08:00) Washington dominated Kyle Gibson in the opening inning by batting around and scoring six runs. The first out did not come until the 7th hitter and Young concluded the hit parade with a RBI triple. (12:20) Keibert Ruiz had a pair of hits, including a RBI double. Ruiz's OPS is .700 and is playing better defense than last season. (15:45) Despite entering the bottom of the 9th with a 10-2 lead, Kyle Finnegan had to warm up while Zach Brzykcy mightily struggled to get the final three outs. (18:15) Update on Derek Law, who has been on the IL all season due to right forearm inflammation. (22:00) Jake Irvin gave up five hits and allowed two runs in just over six innings of work. Irvin's ERA currently sits at 3.88, but Al notes the continuing trend of his declining velocity. (26:30) Brandon Hyde was fired as Orioles Manager on Saturday morning as they are in last place. Hyde & Davey Martinez worked together for years in Chicago, including when the Cubs won the 2016 World Series. Hyde took over in Baltimore; one season after Martinez came to D.C.

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. 

In Part 2, the guys react to a massive list of players submitted by Reddit users – from deep-league stashes to former studs now on the bubble. Names discussed include:Matt Mervis, Kris Bubic, Jose Soriano, Keibert Ruiz, Dustin May, Lars Nootbaar, and many more. ✅ Honest, quick-hit analysis✅ Dynasty and redraft context✅ Advice tailored to all league depths Stick around for Part 3 where we break down the latest fantasy injury news and call-up reactions!

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. 

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. 

The Nats did not have effective pitching in their 7-6 loss on Saturday afternoon in Miami. Al recaps the not so pretty totals for Trevor Williams, who allowed six runs off of eight hits, before getting pulled in the bottom of the 5th.  Williams so far on the season is sporting a 7.36 ERA.(06:00) The bullpen did not allow a run on Friday night for the first time all season, but that luck did not carry over into Saturday.  Colin Poche allowed. Marlins run across, but the trio of relievers that followed him did not allow a further run.  Al points out the grisly stats so far for the lefty Poche, who pitched for Tampa Bay last year.(10:05) Washington's offense only had singles despite scoring six runs.  Keibert Ruiz had three hits while hitting third in the order and leads the team with a .985 OPS.(13:00) Alex Call drew a pair of walks in the loss and has walked a staggering nine times out of 37 plate appearances this season. (17:15) CJ Abrams has been placed on the 10-day IL due to a hip flexor strain. Abrams left Friday night's game early after re aggravating the injury that kept him out of the lineup earlier in the week.(20:00) A special listener birthday shoutout.  To learn more about the opportunity, email us at natschatpodcast@gmail.com.

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.

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. 

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? 

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.

The Nationals recently clinched a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, showcasing strong performances from new additions Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe, who both made significant contributions on offense. Mitchell Parker led the pitching efforts with an impressive 6.1 scoreless innings, supported by a solid bullpen despite some late-inning drama. The win offered a morale boost heading into their upcoming interleague series in Toronto, as Parker demonstrated stability on the mound, successfully navigating tough situations without allowing runs. However, the Nationals faced challenges in the previous, particularly with their bullpen. Jake Irvin had a solid start against the Phillies, but the relief pitchers struggled, leading to significant runs and losses in the subsequent games. Manager Davey Martinez highlighted control issues, as the bullpen has given up a staggering number of walks and home runs. While players like Keibert Ruiz showed promise at the plate, the team overall needs to improve offensive production to build on their momentum and address the weaknesses in their pitching staff.

The Nationals recently clinched a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, showcasing strong performances from new additions Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe, who both made significant contributions on offense. Mitchell Parker led the pitching efforts with an impressive 6.1 scoreless innings, supported by a solid bullpen despite some late-inning drama. The win offered a morale boost heading into their upcoming interleague series in Toronto, as Parker demonstrated stability on the mound, successfully navigating tough situations without allowing runs. However, the Nationals faced challenges in the previous, particularly with their bullpen. Jake Irvin had a solid start against the Phillies, but the relief pitchers struggled, leading to significant runs and losses in the subsequent games. Manager Davey Martinez highlighted control issues, as the bullpen has given up a staggering number of walks and home runs. While players like Keibert Ruiz showed promise at the plate, the team overall needs to improve offensive production to build on their momentum and address the weaknesses in their pitching staff.

The Nats were easily beaten by the Phillies 11-6 on Saturday afternoon in Navy Yard. Mark & Al spend plenty of time on the bullpen, which has performed poorly in both games so far this season. Jake Irvin departed a tied game after five innings and four relievers combined to give up nine runs following his exit. The 'pen is not only giving up a bunch of runs, but they are issuing a ton of walks along the way.(22:00) Keibert Ruiz homered for the second straight game and briefly put Washington ahead 2-0. Ruiz also added a double and has had success from both sides of the plate this week.(24:05) Amed Rosario had a trio of hits including a homer.  Rosario hit 5th in the order and got the start at 2B over Luis Garcia Jr. in order to face the lefty starter.(27:10) Nathaniel Lowe went deep for the first time as a National and has flashed solid leather so far at 1B.(29:00) Dylan Crews mad a great play in the field, but went 0 for 5 with 5 Ks while hitting 2nd in the lineup.(35:30) In depth discussion on the new City Connect uniforms that were worn on Saturday.

The Washington Nationals kicked off their 21st season with a mix of optimism and competitive spirit on Opening Day, though they suffered a 7-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in extra innings. MacKenzie Gore made a spectacular debut, striking out 13 batters and allowing just one hit over six innings. Keibert Ruiz contributed to the excitement with a home run, but the team faced challenges, particularly from the bullpen, which gave up crucial runs late in the game. Despite the loss, the atmosphere at Nationals Park was electric, and there are positive signs as the team continues its rebuilding journey. As the season unfolds, all eyes are on Keibert Ruiz, who is determined to bounce back from a tough 2024. In his opening game performance, he showcased significant improvements, including a standout defensive play where he gunned down a base runner. Ruiz's home run against Phillies' ace Zack Wheeler demonstrated his hard work during the offseason is paying off. With an impressive start to the new season—boasting a .500 batting average and a perfect caught-stealing rate—there's a lot of excitement surrounding his potential to contribute to the team's success going forward.

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.

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber homered, and Alec Bohm and JT Realmuto drove runs in extra innings, as the Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 7-4 on Opening Day. Zack Wheeler threw six strong innings, giving up just one solo homerun to Keibert Ruiz. MacKenzie Gore was even better, striking out 12 Phillies hitters in six innings. Jose Alvarado bounce back season begins. And we're joined by Andrew Golden of the Washington Post to get the Washington Nationals perspective, as we head into the weekend.

Episode 166, Segment 2 -- Davey Martinez deployed a lefty heavy Opening Day Lineup that was kept quiet outside of performances by Keibert Ruiz and Luis García Jr. Grant & Tobi give their thoughts on the season debut of the new look lineup. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 166, FULL SHOW -- The Nationals 2025 Regular Season is officially underway, and Opening Day Starter LHP MacKenzie Gore was more than ready. Grant Paulsen & Tobi Altizer look back at Gore's dominant 13 strikeout performance, and assess how a series of bullpen decisions kept the Nationals from maintaining control of the season opener versus Philadelphia; Davey Martinez deployed a lefty heavy Opening Day Lineup that was kept quiet outside of performances by Keibert Ruiz and Luis García Jr. Grant & Tobi give their thoughts on the season debut of the new look lineup; Two games remain in this three-game series with the Phillies to open the 2025 MLB Regular Season. Grant & Tobi look ahead to the pitching matchups for Saturday and Sunday. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From 'Bustin' Loose Baseball' (subscribe here): Keibert Ruiz is poised for a bounce back season as he comes into the 2025 campaign healthy and rejuvenated. Grant Paulsen & Danny Rouhier chatted with him about his strong Spring Training and what he hopes is the key to his success this season. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 164, Segment 2 -- Keibert Ruiz is poised for a bounce back season as he comes into the 2025 campaign healthy and rejuvenated. Grant Paulsen & Danny Rouhier chatted with him about his strong Spring Training and what he hopes is the key to his success this season. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 164, FULL SHOW -- With the Fan Favorite Cherry Blossom City Connect jerseys being placed in the vault, the Nationals debuted their newest City Connect look over the weekend, and early reviews are positive for the fresh threads that the team will wear in 2025. Grant Paulsen & Tobi Altizer give their reviews of the new uniforms. Plus, the team is returning to DC to prepare for Opening Day, but still have two position battles to sort out. Who locks down the backup catcher and final bullpen spots ahead of the season opener?; Keibert Ruiz is poised for a bounce back season as he comes into the 2025 campaign healthy and rejuvenated. Grant Paulsen & Danny Rouhier chatted with him about his strong Spring Training and what he hopes is the key to his success this season; Wrapping up our series of interviews from Spring Training, Grant Paulsen & Danny Rouhier of 106.7 The Fan caught up with Nasim Nuñez, who spent all of 2024 on the Major League roster after being a Rule 5 Draft selection and seeks to find his role after making major offensive tweaks to his game in the offseason. Then, Grant & Tobi chat with #22 Prospect RHP Zach Brzykcy, who got a quick taste of the Major Leagues last season and looks to compete to make his way back to the roster in 2025. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

March has arrived and Opening Day is just a few weeks away. Mark & Al focus on key parts of the roster in the lead to March 27th vs. the Phillies. Jacob Young is an odd spot in 2025 as even though he came within an eyelash of winning the Gold Glove last season, the crowded outfield depth is making it so that he has to prove himself again that he is worthy of being an everyday CFer. (10:00) Mike Rizzo said this week that this is the deepest pitching staff in organization history and even doubled down on the claim. (16:10) Jarlin Susana, the 20 year-old pitching prospect that was acquired in the Juan Soto trade, was sent to minor league camp despite registering 100+ MPH on the radar. (18:45) Caleb Lomavita, the catching prospect drafted at 39th overall last summer, in his first Spring Training. How much pressure will he put on Keibert Ruiz? (28:00) The hosts look at the potential top of the lineup for the Nationals. Will James Wood definitely hit 3rd or could he start the season in the cleanup spot? (31:30) Could Ahmed Rosario start over Luis Garcia Jr. when a lefty is on the mound? (34:05) Stone Garrett cleared outright waivers and has been to AAA-Richmond. Garrett was DFA'd in order to make room for Kyle Finnegan last week.

Vlad Sedler (@rotogut) and Jason Anthony (@booms62) begin their position tiers podcast series with a deep dive into the catcher position. Is William Contreras worth a second-round pick? Who is the Cal Raleigh-clone you can draft several rounds later? How can you help the batting average category with a late-round catcher? Vlad and Jason have all the answers in this week's episode. They also cover the recent signing of Pete Alonso by the Mets and other recent free agent additions, discuss the ADP shift in the closer and relief pitcher market, open a sneaky pocket of late-round reliever fantasy value, and review some player news ahead of pitchers and catchers reporting to camp.The Closer Rabbit HoleCarlos Estevez and Lucas Erceg on the RoyalsHow to value Kirby Yates and Tanner ScottRobert Suarez trade rumors keep on swirlingBooms loves him some Kenley Jansen. To the Tigers?Is Ryan Pressly going to win and hold that Cubs job?Wasting time on Calvin Faucher and Jesus TinocoPlaying Closer Chicken in the middle roundsRecent Signing and NewsPete Alonso rejoins the Mets - how does this impact Mark Vientos?Ha-Seong Kim to Florida because you can smoke indoors (oh, wait, he can't?)Jack Flaherty, Jackson Jobe and the Detroit Tigers pitching staffPlatoon outfielders - Tommy Pham (PIT), Ramon Laureano (BAL), Randal Grichuk (ARZ), Harrison Bader (MIN)Playing Time effects based on these recent signingsA sidetrack on creative ways the Dodgers will use their pitchersCatchers in 2025Tier 1 - Can William Contreras do it again?Tier 2 - Expectations for Willson Contreras, Cal Raleigh and Will SmithTier 3 - Differing opinions on Logan O'Hoppe. Love for Shea BangeliersTier 4 - What to do with Realmuto, Sean Murphy and Keibert Ruiz's 3% barrel rateTier 5 - Sneaky values12-team streaming strategies early in the seasonPlease help us out by rating and reviewing the podcast!The 2025 FTN Fantasy Baseball Guide is loaded with the best preseason fantasy baseball content, rankings, projections and fantasy tools! Join us this season at www.FTNFantasy.com. No team of analysts is better equipped to help you dominate your drafts and leagues.A few of our preseason tools:FTN VDP ProjectionsTop 500 Roto RankingsUnderdog VDP RankingsBiery's Offseason TrackerFILTH Pitcher Metric LeaderboardBullpen ReportThe best fantasy baseball subscription money can buy: FTN Fantasy Baseball

The Nats topped the Phillies 6-3 on Saturday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd for their 71st victory; tying last year's total. Mark & Al recap MacKenzie Gore's stellar final outing of the season where he tossed six shutout frames. Gore's season ends with a 3.90 ERA, a stark improvement from where he began September (4.45). It is the best end of season ERA for a Nats starter with 20+ starts since... 2019. (16:45) James Wood had a big day as he tripled and homered in the win. Wood has nine homers on the season and already has four career triples. (22:10) The top of the 8th concluded with benches clearing following Bryce Harper's at-bat vs. Jose A. Ferrer. Keibert Ruiz was involved in the mix and Mark gives his observations from how everything unfolded. Harper continues to get booed by fans in Washington even though he is now in his 6th season in Philadelphia. (33:00) Derek Law is close throwing 90 IP this season and is roughly three frames away from setting a franchise record for usage by a reliever. (38:00) Jackson Rutledge was recently called up after DJ Herz ended his season. Will he pitch on Sunday in the season finale? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats beat the Marlins 4-1 for the second consecutive day and they have now beaten Miami in ten out of twelve meetings this season. Mark & Al recap the 67th win of the year; and Washington needs to go at least 5-9 down the stretch to exceed last season's win total of 71. (06:00) Keibert Ruiz has another good game this month as he had a RBI single, double, and a stolen base. Ruiz is the only player on the team to steal third base twice this season and both of them have come recently. (10:15) The Nationals hit a trio of homers on Saturday afternoon despite only scoring four runs. They came from Joey Gallo, Jose Tena, and Juan Yepez in the victory. (17:00) CJ Abrams did not play for the second straight day and Davey Martinez referred to his ailment as a shoulder impingement. Nasim Nunez took his place at SS and had a throwing error in the field. (21:20) Patrick Corbin pitched well and earned his sixth victory of the season in six innings of work. Corbin likely has two starts remaining before his contract expires. (24:30) Trevor Williams will likely be activated soon and they might go a to six-man starting rotation down the stretch. (28:25) Kyle Finnegan notched his 38th save of the season, 2nd most in the NL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats beat the Braves 5-1 on Wednesday to give them their 65th victory of the season, with 17 games remaining. Al & Mark convene after the Nationals finish the successful season series against Atlanta, winning eight out of thirteen meetings. (04:00) Jake Irvin took a no-hitter into the 6th inning and only allowed one run during the evening. Irvin faced the Braves four times this season and only gave three earned runs in those match-ups. Irvin has thrown over 172 innings this season and might flirt with 190 frames tossed by the end of the season. (19:00) CJ Abrams slugged his 20th homer of the season to become the fifth player in franchise history to join the 20/20 plateau. The offense had a big night as they collected eleven hits off of Atlanta starter Max Fried. (27:45) Keibert Ruiz's RBI single gave Kyle Finnegan the final batch of insurance runs. Ruiz's OPS is at .983 for this month and he is aiming to end his long season on a high note. (30:30) Jose Tena was moved to 2B and Ildemaro Vargas took over at 3B. Tena produced at the plate and this was an indication that Washington will need to be flexible with his possible defensive future. (36:00) High-A Wilmington's season is over and that likely includes Jarlin Susana. Susana had more strikeouts than innings pitched this season, 157 Ks in 103.2 IP. What are the chances he could be in the majors in late 2025? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 7-3 on Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh to finish their two city road trip. Mark (From PNC Park) & Al leadoff with CJ Abrams, who returned to the top spot in the order and promptly homered to begin the game. Abrams is up to 19 home runs this season, surpassing last year's total. (07:30) Keibert Ruiz doubled on Sunday and his September is off to a scorching start. Ruiz is coming off a decent August, where his OPS was at .662. (14:00) Andres Chaparro doubled in the 9th and has nine of those in under a month with the team. The negative this series for Chaparro were the six strikeouts he had in the four game set. (21:10) Washington needed Patrick Corbin to throw 100 pitches after the long doubleheader and he delivered upon that request. He also gave up four runs in the 1st inning and seven overall to the Pirates. (28:00) The Nats have 19 games left and need 8 wins to finish with 72 victories, one more than in 2023. Next up is a two game series in Navy Yard against a desperate Braves squad beginning on Tuesday night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14:03 - Guest: Commanders analyst Mark Bullock of MarkBullock.Substack.com with a film-breakdown-style preview of the Commanders' 2024 regular season, including what stood out from quarterback Jayden Daniels in the preseason, the truth about two common criticisms of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, whether the team's offensive-line unit or receiving corps is most concerning, what the Commanders have in receiver Noah Brown and what to expect from the defense in terms of fronts, personnel packages, blitzes and coverages 45:13 - Nationals: analysis of a 6-2 win at the National League East-worst Miami Marlins as catcher Keibert Ruiz fell a triple shy of the cycle and starting pitcher Patrick Corbin had a third consecutive good outing 57:57 - Orioles: discussion of a 9-0 win over the Major League-worst Chicago White Sox in a game in which starting pitcher Cade Povich was dominant Visit PaulsonAndNace.com and tell Paulson & Nace that Al Galdi sent ya! Visit NovaFireplaceAndStove.com and tell Nova Fireplace And Stove that Al Galdi sent ya! You can win a $500 gift card at BlueWirePods.com/Survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats started their road trip on the right note with a 6-2 victory in Miami on Tuesday night. Mark & Al open with Keibert Ruiz, who was a triple shy of the cycle in the win. Ruiz hit his 13th homer of the season in the top of the 6th to give Washington a four run lead. (12:00) Jacob Young reached base four times and he has raised his OPS by 54 points in less than a month. (19:15) Joey Gallo slugged a 3-run HR to put the Nationals on top 4-0. It was Gallo's first time going deep since June 3rd and was only his 6th of the season. (25:00) Patrick Corbin continued to pitch well for the 3rd consecutive outing and struck out 8 Marlins in the process. Will Corbin extend his career into 2025? (35:15) Cade Cavalli threw off a mound on Tuesday in Miami but it sounds like he likely won't return to the mound this season. The hope seems to be that he will be ready for Spring Training and his only appearance in the majors thus far came in August of 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats beat the Rockies 8-3 on Thursday afternoon to take the series in D.C. Mark & Al have more good James Wood things to discuss as he drove in two runs and lifted his OPS to .837. The NL Rookie of the Year race is already very crowded, but Wood is putting himself in fringe contention. (08:00) Keibert Ruiz's RBI double continued his strong August performance. His OPS this month is at .855, which is significantly better than his season's total (.631). (12:15) Luis Garcia Jr. had a pair of hits and he is making a case as the team's MVP this season. Garcia's average is up to .296 and he is quietly competing for the NL Batting title. (18:25) Juan Yepez's hit a 3-run HR to put the game out of reach in the bottom of the 8th. Yepez is coming off some rest after Joey Gallo was activated onto the roster. (21:00) Patrick Corbin lasted six innings and earned the 100th win of his career. Davey Martinez congratulated the veteran lefty and made sure to note that the World Series title doesn't happen without his contributions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats were able to leave Philadelphia with a victory after Sunday's 6-4 triumph. Al & Tim have a mammoth James Wood homer to discuss that served as 9th inning insurance. It was the first time Wood pulled a home run since getting called up from the minors. (10:15) Keibert Ruiz continued his strong August with a game tying homer, his third of the series. Alex Call also went deep as he settles into life as the everyday RFer. (14:20) CJ Abrams was originally slated for a day off, but decided to play in order to end the losing streak. (20:00) Jake Irvin's outing ended on a sour note due to ceding back-back HRs in the bottom of the 6th. Irvin gave up three homers on Sunday and this has become a recent trend for him. (24:05) Jacob Barnes extended his streak of scoreless relief appearances to eight and has been flying under the radar. Kyle Finnegan took over for him in the 9th and notched his 31st save of the season, the 2nd most in the National League. (28:15) Answering a listener email about Dylan Crews' offensive performance this season in Harrisburg and Rochester. When will he be sent to Washington? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will MLB really mandate six innings per start? Paul Skenes is facing off against Logan Gilbert, Justin Verlander is closing in on a return, Bryce Miller continues to be overlooked in Seattle, and will Mike Trout be taken ahead of Christian Yelich in 2025 draft? Chris Welsh (@IsItTheWelsh) and Joe Orrico (@JoeOrrico99) bring you the news, injury updates, best bets of the day, and much more! Intro - 0:00:00 MLB 6 Inning Proposal - 0:02:27 Paul Skenes - 0:05:45 Bryce Miller - 0:08:43 Weston Wilson - 0:11:41 Justin Verlander - 0:12:49 Gunnar Henderson - 0:14:42 Wilyer Abreu - 0:14:47 Jackson Chourio - 0:15:02 Rookie Lookie - 0:17:48 3 Up: Mark Vientos, Keibert Ruiz, and Logan Webb - 0:25:17 3 Down: Mitchell Parker, Jose Quintana, and Mitch Spence - 0:26:47 Injury Updates - 0:27:07 MLB Best Bets - 0:33:17 HR Board and HR Calls - 0:39:03 Outro - 0:41:49 Sponsors:

The Nats were pounded 13-3 on Thursday night in Philadelphia to open up a four game set. Al & Mark run through the grisly box score totals for Mitchell Parker who allowed nine runs in just three plus innings on the mound. The last bad outing for Parker came on July 24th vs. the Padres as part of his up and down season. Weston Wilson of the Phillies tripled off of Parker on his way to hitting for the cycle. (12:30) The Nationals committed three errors in the loss and the final one was the biggest surprise. Just one inning after making an outstanding catch, Jacob Young whiffed on the ball in the outfield in the bottom of the 7th. Mark explains what led to the very out of character mistake by Young. (24:10) Keibert Ruiz was the bulk of the offense as he clubbed a pair of homers in defeat. Ruiz has struggled this season, but is swinging a hot bat in August. (30:00) Hear an explanation of the details involved in the decision of when to call Dylan Crews up to Washington. Will he be in the Big Leagues this month? Learn how the new "PPI" is involved in all of this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12:19 - Commanders: discussion of the offense off the releasing of the team's first unofficial depth chart of the 2024 preseason and comments from head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, including Quinn on why Jayden Daniels is the QB1 on the unofficial depth chart, Quinn on how Daniels has exceeded Quinn's high expectations for Daniels in terms of readiness and command, Kingsbury on Daniels' impressive work ethic and learning of the offense, Kingsbury on what he would tell Commanders fans who are concerned about the offensive line and insight from Kingsbury on offensive tackle Brandon Coleman, tight end Zach Ertz and running back Austin Ekeler 33:42 - Commanders: discussion of the defense off the releasing of the team's first unofficial depth chart of the 2024 preseason and comments from head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., including Quinn and Whitt on corner Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Whitt on corner Mike Sainristil, Whitt on edge defender/linebacker Jamin Davis and Quinn on the Commanders being visited by Redskins legends Joe Gibbs and Darrell Green 45:13 - Nationals: analysis of an 11-5 win over the San Francisco Giants in a game in which three key players in the Nats' rebuild - left fielder James Wood, shortstop CJ Abrams and catcher Keibert Ruiz - all homered 53:56 - Orioles: breakdown of a 5-2 loss at the Toronto Blue Jays despite second baseman Jackson Holliday homering for a third time in six games Visit PaulsonAndNace.com and tell Paulson & Nace that Al Galdi sent ya! Call Nova Fireplace And Stove at 571-513-3803, mention that Al Galdi sent ya and receive $25 off any gas-fireplace service, chimney cleaning or chimney inspection Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email Sales@BlueWirePods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats overcame an early four run deficit to knock off the Giants 11-5 on Tuesday evening in Navy Yard. Mark & Al have plenty of praise to shower on James Wood as he homered and scored four times in the victory. Wood already has 23 RBI since getting called up to the majors, which is five more than Nick Senzel had in his time with Washington, despite Senzel having almost one hundred more at-bats than the rookie this season. (11:30) CJ Abrams' 3-run HR gave the Nationals the lead for good at 5-4 in the bottom of the 2nd. You need to watch the highlight of this homer as Abrams somehow hit a pitch above his eyes over the fence. (14:00) Keibert Ruiz doubled and homered on Tuesday night to continue his strong start to August. The hosts discuss how important the final few months of the season are for the catcher. (18:00) Alex Call had a pair of RBI doubles and also drew a walk. Call has produced at the plate since getting promoted from AAA in late jUly. (23:00) MacKenzie Gore had an awful beginning to this game as he immediately allowed four San Francisco runs. Gore has not pitched well in seven of his past eight starts and his trajectory is a growing concern. To his credit though, Gore did last five innings before handing it off to the bullpen. (31:00) The Nats moved up Thursday's game vs. the Giants to 12:05PM from the original 4:05pm start time. There is a lot of rain in the D.C. forecast for the next few days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 5-2 on Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix for their fourth consecutive defeat. Mark (From Arizona) & Al dig into MacKenzie Gore's so-so start where he gave up three runs in just five innings of work. Gore's ERA is at 4.54, which is much higher than the 2.91 ERA that he brought into June. (12:00) Keibert Ruiz exited the game early after getting hit in the groin while behind the plate. Ruiz flew home with the team, which is noteworthy because in 2022 he was unable to travel with his teammates following a similar injury. (17:00) As they have a habit of doing, the offense did their best in late innings as they almost fully trimmed the four run deficit. Luis Garcia Jr. capped a great month with a RBI single and James Wood had a pair of hits in the loss. (20:00) Jacob Young made a fantastic catch after coming off a rare day on the bench. It is time to start promoting Young's candidacy for a Gold Glove Award. (28:00) The Nationals open a ten game home stand on Friday night by hosting the Brewers. As of now Joe Ross is not slated to take the mound, but he will be on full rest by Sunday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats beat the Reds 5-2 on Sunday afternoon to complete a series sweep and James Wood was the hero at the plate. Mark & Al open with Wood's 3-run HR that broke a 2-2 tie. Wood hit 7th over the weekend after recent scuffles and the round tripper was his first extra base hit in over two weeks. (09:00) The two guys that Wood brought in on the homer were Keibert Ruiz and Ildemaro Vargas. Ruiz singled in the 8th and Vargas followed with successfully laying down a bunt single. (14:00) Jake Irvin bounced back with a strong seven inning outing. Irvin only allowed two runs and struck out seven Reds in the process. (17:00) For the third consecutive day Kyle Finnegan recorded the save, his 28th of the season. Finnegan had a whirlwind week between the late notice on being an All-Star and appearing in every game over the weekend. (24:00) The Trade Deadline is less than ten days away and the Nationals are six games below .500. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

James Wood went deep for the first time in his MLB career and the Nats crushed the Cardinals 14-6 on a humid Saturday afternoon. Mark & Al begin with Wood, who drove in five runs in the victory as the team's third hitter. Wood hit a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 2nd to put the Nationals up 7-0. (12:00) The offense clobbered Lance Lynn as they gathered 11 hits off of him in less than three innings of work. Luis Garcia Jr. continued his recent surge with a trio of hits and Keibert Ruiz was a triple shy of the cycle. (17:00) Trey Lipscomb is back in Washington after Nick Senzel was "DFA'd". Lipscomb was recently sent back to Rochester for the third time this season, but the current plan is for Lipscomb to be the primary 3B in the majors. The organization seems to be in a "youth movement" after recent roster changes. (25:00) MacKenzie Gore had a disappointing start as he gave up five runs and was lifted in the top of the 4th. Gore was staked an early nine run lead but needed 90 pitchers in a short span, therefore it was a missed opportunity to give the tired bullpen a lot of rest. (32:00) Joan Adon has been pitching out of the bullpen in AAA for the past few weeks. The host examines whether or not the Nationals have potential plans of calling him up to be a long man out of the 'pen. (35:00) All-Star rosters will be announced on Sunday evening. Who will make it from the Nats? Finnegan, Abrams, or Irvin? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 9-7 in San Diego on Tuesday night in a game that saw the benches clear in the bottom of the 1st inning. Al & Tim examine the circumstances that led to Keibert Ruiz and Jurickson Profar getting into each other faces before Profar's at bat. MacKenzie Gore then hit Profar with a pitch, but was not ejected from the game. (14:00) Gore only lasted five innings and allowed five runs in the outing. Gore has not had a stellar June as in three of five starts this month he has given up at least four runs. (18:00) Profar hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 6th when facing Derek Law to extend the Padres lead to 9-4. Law inherited all the runners from Dylan Floro, who struggled in less than an inning of work. The back end of the 'pen did pitch well in the final few frames (Jordan Weems & Tanner Rainey). (21:00) CJ Abrams had three hits and reached base five times, but inexplicably made two outs while on base. (28:00) Josiah Gray thew six innings for AAA-Rochester and only allowed one run. It is unclear if Gray's next start will come in the minors or with Washington. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats became the first team to ever lose on a pitch clock violation Saturday night in Colorado. Mark (From Denver) & Al convene after Kyle Finnegan made MLB history in an ominous way in Washington's 8-7 loss. This is not too much of a surprise as he leads all pitchers in pitch clock infractions this season and it came after the bullpen had a rough night as three relievers combined to allow four runs in the final three frames. (14:00) It was another night of poor base running as the Nats made a blunder and were thrown out three times trying to steal. The top of the 7th was particularly egregious as two runners were thrown out; thus costing the Nationals a big inning. (20:00) Jesse Winker laid down a sacrifice bunt, which of course was not popular with Al. He also was ejected a few innings later for arguing with the home plate umpire and the hosts note that Winker did not make a wise decision. (26:00) Keibert Ruiz was curiously replaced by Drew Millas after drawing a walk in the 7th. Millas made a nice defensive play later in the game and it seems like the backup catcher is getting increased playing time. (32:00) Mitchell Parker lasted six innings and gave up four runs for the first time since getting called up. The low point of his outing was a three run homer that he allowed early in the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats lost 5-2 to the Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon. Al breaks down another disappointing offensive performance for the team (1:31) before discussing catcher Keibert Ruiz's poor season at the plate and behind the dish (8:42). He also talks about an unlucky start for MacKenzie Gore (11:40) and briefly discusses Jordan Weems' tough recent stretch of relief (15:48). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nats beat the Tigers 7-5 on Wednesday evening for their fifth win in a row, their longest win streak in three years. Washington is currently just one game back in a crowded NL wildcard race. Mark (From Detroit) & Al examine another solid outing by Jake Irvin as he only allowed one run in six innings of work. (08:00) A hat tip to Keibert Ruiz for being part of the success of the pitching staff so far this season while serving as catcher. (16:00) CJ Abrams doubled and homered in the victory. His OPS for the month of June is at .882, much higher than what he had in May (.520). (19:00) Jesse Winker reached base four times and currently has the 11th highest on base percentage in all of baseball for this season. (26:00) The Nationals tallied their 100th stolen base of the season as a team on Tuesday. Jacob Young currently leads the squad with 17 stolen bases and five players have reached double figures already. (30:00) Joey Meneses started at 1B after Joey Gallo was moved to the IL. Trey Lipscomb was the player called up from AAA-Rochester to take Gallo's spot. This is Lipscomb's third stint at the majors this year and Al discusses why he hopes that he stays at this level for the rest of the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices