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Here are your Washington Nationals Morning headlines, news, analysis, and more for Thursday, June 11th, 2026
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📅 NEXT AT BAT
Today - Rest Day
Friday vs. Seattle Mariners, 6:45 PM ET - New Home Series
Saturday vs. Seattle Mariners, 4:05 PM ET
Sunday vs. Seattle Mariners, 1:35 PM ET
Monday vs. Kansas City Royals, 6:45 PM ET - New Home Series
Nats Win Series, Hope to Shake off Last Game
⚾ DUGOUT DISPATCH
Despite back-to-back series on their west coast road trip, Nats fans have many questions after yesterday’s outcome. Winning 4 of their last 5 going into yesterday’s game, the Nats had a 99.9% chance of winning at one point, and needless to say, they collapsed. With a day of rest today, the Nats must forget about it, take the momentum they can get from the other games, and be ready for their weekend home series.
📊 THE BOX SCORE:
With their back-to-back series wins, the Nats are 35-34 on the year, still impressively fighting to hover above the .500 threshold. With low expectations to start the year, and having a rough start to the season, this is a great place to be for the Nats. Although it being so early in the season still, the Nats are currently 1 game out of a Wild Card spot. Sitting around this threshold and greatly exceeding season expectations, over the next month or so, the question will lie in the balance of should the Nats buy at the deadline?
With all things seemingly going their way, and the young Nats team finally putting all the pieces together, it seemed the Nats were going to streak their way to many games above .500 and fight for 2nd in the NL East. However, after the bullpen choked an 8 run lead in the 8th inning yesterday, the question of what to do at the deadline becomes one to monitor closely. At times, this Nats teams look like they can compete with anyone, and even make a clear playoff push, but on the other hand at times with horribly sloppy games like yesterday’s, do you consider not buying and letting the season play out before working to contend next year. Hopefully they see enough production to pick the buy option in the next month.
Since starter Jake Irvin hit the IL, Nats 26 year-old lefty Andrew Alvarez has been giving the Nats some extremely solid innings, solidifying a starting rotation that has done a complete 180 since the start of the year. With bullpen issues still a huge liability for the Nats, the starting rotation has begun putting together some great starts, and made a new addition most recently with Alvarez. Posting a 3.12 ERA and 9 strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched so far in June, with the right development, it seems Alvarez could really give the Nats some strong starting depth along arms like Cavalli, Littell and Griffin.
As if it can’t be said enough, the Nats offense and starting pitching have been playing at a high enough level to compete with the best this year. The bullpen is what is holding this team to being a team fighting for .500 on the year. The nats have the 7th worst bullpen in the MLB, with a 4.50 combined ERA and more home runs given up than any other team in the league. The Nats and their fans have to see some change in this bullpen if the Nats are going to do anything better than scraping by .500 on the year.
📈 MORNING STAT
The Nats offense scores the 3rd most runs per game in the MLB with the 5th most homers in the league and most RBIs out of all 30 teams so far. They are so close to being one of the best teams in the league.
💬 FAN’S CHOICE
Do you think the Nats can finally figure out their bullpen struggles and buy at the deadline to contend for the playoffs?
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Nats Lose Game in Worst Fashion this Year
HEADLINE
8 run lead choked away topped off with a walk-off grand slam… Most definitely one to forget.
Final Score: Nationals 10, Giants 11
Date: June 10th, 2026
Location: Oracle Park
⚾ DUGOUT DISPATCH
Up 9-1 at the start of the 8th inning, the game should have been all but over for the Giants, but the Nats bullpen absolutely fumbled the result. Scoring 5 “useless runs” in the 8th, the Giants put themselves down 4 in the 9th before scoring a quick run and then loading the bases leading to Bryce Eldridge’s walk off grand-slam all while not recording a single out. The person to feel the most sorry for is Foster Griffin, as the Nats ace tallied 6 innings, 100 pitches and only 1 earned run, all for his team to blow the win for him, a possible huge hit on his confidence going forward.
📊 THE BOX SCORE
Winning Pitcher: Reiver Sanmartin ([1–0], 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K)
Losing Pitcher: Mitchell Parker ([2–3], 0.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K)
Key Hitters:
Daylen Lile: 4-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 Runs
Nasim Nunez: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, SB
Curtis Mead: 2-for-5, 2 Runs, HR
Team RISP: [6-for-11]
Errors: Nats 0, Giants 0
Attendance: 32,459
📈 MORNING STAT
The Nats had a 99.9% chance of winning the game according to ESPN analytics at one point in the game, putting them on the wrong side of miracles in yesterday’s game.
📅 NEXT AT BAT
Next Game: vs. Seattle Mariners, June 12, 2026, 6:45 PM ET, Nationals Park
Probables: Nats — Zack Littell, Mariners — Bryce Miller
Key Storyline: Can the Nats start off the weekend hot in their quest to win 3 straight series?
💬 FAN’S CHOICE
How do you see the weekend series against the Mariners going?
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theFUTURE
⚾ Willits Called Up? No Problem for Him!
Eli Willits, Nats 18 year-old 2026 first overall pick and number one prospect was called up from Single-A to High-A earlier in the week. In a move that would be a tough change of scenery for any other high-school aged ballplayer, Willits was not phased one bit. In just his 2nd game playing for the Wilmington Blue Rocks, Nats High-A affiliate, Eli blasted 2 homers. Eli did not do only that however, as he also tallied 9 total bases on 3 hits for the Blue Rocks. As he continues to climb the ranks, Nats fans can’t help but be excited for his eventual call up to the majors.
🗣️ LOCKER ROOM LORE
This year, rookie manager Blake Butera has already expressed his excitement of getting to coach the outstanding prospect one day.
"A year ago, he was playing in high school, and now here he is in our first Major League [spring] game at home," Butera said. "I think just for him to have the calmness up there, he was in total control in the box."
It is no surprise he is going to work nonstop until he gets that major league debut, as he sets high expectations himself.
“I set a goal to be in the big leagues by the time I’m 20, and that’s something I’m really excited to do,” Willits said. “Hopefully, I get out there and start playing well, and that can be something that I can accomplish in the next few years.”
📈 MORNING STAT
Eli Willits has a chance to become a teenager to debut in the MLB, an extremely rare feat accomplished by other names such as Mike Trout, Juan Soto and Bryce Harper… Elite company he could possibly join in the next 2 years.
💬 FAN’S CHOICE
When do you think Eli Willits will make his MLB debut?
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WHAT WE THINK THE NATIONALS FRONT OFFICE IS READING
Speed Reads
📌 MLB's best first-inning offense strikes again as Nats roll to win (MLB)
📌 In CJ Abrams and James Wood, MLB’s most Gen Z team has found its leaders (Athletic)