Washington Nationals 2025 Season

The Lead: Is a Shakeup Needed? And if so, who needs to go?

The expectations for this Nationals season are higher than they’ve been in years, and the pressure isn’t just on the players—it’s on Dave Martinez, his coaching staff, and the front office. After several rebuilding seasons, the question is whether anyone should be feeling the heat as the team tries to take the next step. Is the frustration warranted, or are fans simply reacting to another slow start under Martinez, something that’s become a pattern for his teams? What exactly is going on with the Nationals right now?

No one is demanding a World Series run, but improving on last year’s record is a baseline expectation that should be within reach. Yet, here we are, still talking about “retooling” years after the rebuild began. Early-season losses to teams like the Marlins and Pirates are especially disappointing for a club that’s supposed to be turning the corner. The Nationals’ current road trip record—two wins and five losses—simply isn’t good enough for a team aiming to show progress.

Something needs to change to jolt this roster, even if it’s still early in the season. The obvious question is: what should that change be? Realistically, firing Martinez now is unlikely and probably wouldn’t solve the underlying issues, but it’s clear that the team needs a spark. There’s plenty of young talent and potential, but something isn’t clicking—the results just aren’t there. Coming off the first major road trip with only two wins is unacceptable for a team that wants to move forward.

So, what’s the realistic path forward? The Nationals need to find a way to shake up the dynamic, whether that means lineup changes, a more aggressive approach to player development, or a strategic roster move. The team’s young core players like James Wood, Dylan Crews, CJ Abrams, and MacKenzie Gore must take the lead, and the coaching staff needs to find ways to maximize their impact. The front office should also consider supplementing the bullpen, which remains a glaring weakness. Ultimately, the Nationals must prove that this is more than another year of transition.

What do you think needs to happen to get this team on track?

Related Article: Washington Nationals Front Office Ranked Bottom Third in 2025 MLB Executive Poll

 Washington Nationals 2025 Season

Game Recap

The Washington Nationals lost yesterday's series finale to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a disappointing but uneventful matchup. A bounceback start from Trevor Williams was marred by the Nats' lack of offense as they struggled against Andrew Heaney.​

Williams took the bump for Washington, and after a series of rough starts to open the season, the right-hander seemed to have things under control. However, the game’s only run came on the very first pitch thrown by Williams, when Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz launched a towering 442-foot home run to right-center field. It was Cruz’s fourth homer of the season and second in as many games, following his grand slam the night before. It really just proved the Nationals’ bad luck lately, as ESPN reported that it marked just the second time since 1900 that the Pirates won a game 1-0 on a leadoff home run, the last instance being in 1993. ​Williams settled in after the leadoff home run, allowing only three hits and striking out five over five innings. He issued three walks but kept the Nationals within striking distance. The bullpen duo of Lucas Sims and Jose A. Ferrer combined for three scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and striking out four. ​

Up next: 

The Washington Nationals will face the Colorado Rockies today, with the first pitch scheduled at 8:40 p.m. EDT. The Nationals will be sending LHP MacKenzie Gore to the mound and will face right-handed pitcher Chase Dollander from the Rockies.

Here are the probable pitching matchups for this weekend's series.

Friday, April 18, 2025 (Scheduled First Pitch 6:40 p.m. MDT)

MacKenzie Gore (1-2; 3.52 ERA) vs. RHP Chase Dollander (1-1, 5.06 ERA )

Saturday, April 19, 2025 (Scheduled First Pitch 1:10 p.m. MDT)

RHP Brad Lord (0-1; 4.82 ERA ) vs. LHP Kyle Freeland (0-3, 4.88 ERA)

Sunday, April 20, 2025 (Scheduled First Pitch 1:10 p.m. MDT)

RHP Jake Irvin (1-0; 3.91 ERA) vs. RHP Antonio Senzatela (0-3, 5.89 ERA)

 Washington Nationals News

Nationals manager Dave Martinez & Nationals reliever Jorge López have been suspended.

Major League Baseball announced that Washington Nationals reliever Jorge López has been suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount after Major League Baseball determined he intentionally threw at Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen during the seventh inning of Wednesday night’s game at PNC Park.

López’s suspension was set to begin with Thursday’s series finale in Pittsburgh. Still, he has chosen to appeal the decision, allowing him to remain eligible to pitch until the appeal process concludes. In connection with the incident, Nationals manager Dave Martinez received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine. Martinez will serve his suspension during Thursday’s game and cannot appeal..

The incident escalated after López hit Bryan Reynolds with a pitch before throwing a 92 mph fastball near McCutchen’s head, prompting both benches to clear. López was ejected from the game, though he later stated he did not intend to hit either batter and apologized for the outcome.

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 WHAT WE THINK THE NATIONALS FRONT OFFICE IS READING

Speed Reads

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