The Washington Nationals are facing a pivotal moment in their rebuild following the firings of GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez. Interim GM Mike DeBartolo now has to guide the franchise through a crucial 2025 MLB Draft, trade deadline decisions, and potentially a massive trade involving ace MacKenzie Gore. With Gore’s value peaking and his free agency looming in 2027, the Nationals must decide whether to keep building around him or flip him for a haul of top prospects.

As the Nationals prepare to make the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft, the choice between prep slugger Ethan Holliday and college lefty Kade Anderson could shape their long-term identity. Meanwhile, trade chips like closer Kyle Finnegan and veteran Michael Soroka may be on the move as contenders circle. The Nationals stand at a crossroads: double down on their core or hit the reset button once again.

DAN ON TWITTER/X

https://x.com/dancaps218

PODCAST

https://x.com/TalkNatsPodcast

In his first public remarks as the Nationals’ interim head of baseball operations, Mike DeBartolo signaled a significant shift in organizational philosophy. While expressing gratitude to former GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, DeBartolo emphasized the need for real change — including integrating more data, technology, and innovation across scouting, player development, and medical evaluations. Though he's held key roles in the front office since 2012, DeBartolo framed himself as a reformer ready to modernize how the Nats operate at every level.

Despite the “interim” tag, DeBartolo will lead two major milestones this month: the MLB Draft, where the Nationals hold the first overall pick, and the trade deadline, which may involve tough calls on players like MacKenzie Gore. His bold tone contrasted with new interim manager Miguel Cairo, who paid tribute to Martinez and pledged continuity. Now, DeBartolo's performance in the coming weeks will serve as his live audition to turn a struggling franchise into a consistent contender — if ownership backs his vision with real investment.

https://x.com/dancaps218

https://x.com/TalkNatsPodcast

In the wake of the shocking double firing of manager Davey Martinez and longtime GM Mike Rizzo, the Washington Nationals have named bench coach Miguel Cairo as interim manager. Cairo, a former big league infielder with 17 seasons of MLB experience and a quiet, respected presence in the dugout, will begin his 72-game audition Tuesday in St. Louis. He inherits a coaching staff entirely handpicked by Martinez, keeping continuity in a clubhouse still reeling from instability. Cairo previously served as interim manager for the White Sox in 2022 and earned praise for his leadership during that stretch.

Meanwhile, new interim GM Mike DeBartolo steps into a massive month for the franchise. The Nationals hold the No. 1 overall pick in this Sunday’s MLB Draft — their first since selecting Harper and Strasburg — and the trade deadline looms on July 31. DeBartolo’s immediate challenge is steering a sinking team (currently 37-53) toward relevance, while evaluating whether Cairo could be a long-term fit. With tension building and big decisions ahead, this new-look Nationals leadership group has a chance to reshape the team’s direction — or risk falling even further behind in their rebuild.

In a stunning but perhaps overdue move, the Washington Nationals fired both manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo on Sunday night, bringing an end to one of MLB’s longest-running partnerships. Their shared tenure included the franchise’s first and only World Series title in 2019, but the years since have been plagued by losing records, failed free agent signings, and stalled development. With the Nats falling to 37–53 and sitting last in the NL East, ownership declared it was time for “a fresh approach and new energy” to lead the team into a new chapter. Mike DeBartolo, Rizzo’s longtime assistant, takes over as interim GM, with an interim manager to be named Monday.

The timing raised eyebrows, coming just hours after James Wood and MacKenzie Gore were named All-Stars — a rare bright spot in a bleak season. Martinez, who recently clashed with media and players over accountability, finishes with a 500–622 record as the longest-tenured manager in club history. Rizzo, the architect of the 2019 title and several rebuilds, now exits amid criticism over recent failures in scouting, development, and player acquisitions. With the No. 1 overall pick looming and the trade deadline ahead, the Nationals face one of the most pivotal stretches in franchise history — and this house-cleaning signals they plan to face it with new leadership, new voices, and a reset from top to bottom.

MacKenzie Gore pitched like an ace once again, allowing just one run over seven innings with an ERA drop to 3.09, but the Nationals' offense offered no support in a 1-0 loss to the Padres. Despite Gore's 18 whiffs and dominant command, the Nats couldn't get a runner into scoring position and dropped their seventh straight series. Now at 33-48, Washington’s playoff hopes are dimming fast, and they sit 5-18 in June — a brutal fall after showing signs of life in May.

But there’s still hope on the horizon: top pitching prospect Travis Sykora has been promoted to Double-A after torching High-A hitters with a 1.21 ERA and electric stuff. Meanwhile, catcher Keibert Ruiz lands on the IL after a freak injury, opening the door for Drew Millas to join the big league club. With young talent like James Wood, CJ Abrams, and Gore continuing to shine, the Nationals still have pieces to build around heading into the second half.

The Nationals continue misusing pitchers by treating them like Max Scherzer—overworking them past performance limits. This strategy consistently results in fatigue-induced breakdowns, as seen with Gio González, Jake Irvin, Michael Soroka, and Mitchell Parker. Analytics suggest pulling starters early preserves their performance, yet the team refuses to adjust, often causing ERA spikes and dead arms in subsequent starts.

Rookie Dylan Crews is making steady rehab progress, recently cleared to travel and begin light swinging, although full activity still lies ahead. Meanwhile, Jay Young's elite speed has been marred by poor sliding technique; his stolen base success has dropped from perfect to 59%. If he adjusts his slides, he'll enhance the team's offensive potential and reduce rally-crushing outs.

The Washington Nationals delivered one of their most complete performances of the season with a 7–3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of a record-setting crowd. Jake Irvin outdueled a powerhouse lineup with seven strikeouts and no walks, while the offense exploded for five home runs — two by Nathaniel Lowe and one each from James Wood, CJ Abrams, and Luis García Jr. James Wood’s 451-foot blast opened the scoring and set the tone. The bullpen and defense supported the win, with contributions from Ruiz and Lile rounding out the team effort.

As the team continues to struggle overall in June, stars like James Wood and CJ Abrams are building strong cases for All-Star selections. Wood leads the team with 21 home runs, 57 RBIs, and a .935 OPS, while Abrams is among the top shortstops in the NL in several offensive categories. Meanwhile, prospect Robert Hassell III is showing signs of rebounding at Triple-A Rochester after a rocky MLB debut, slashing .311 with six homers in 46 games, positioning himself for a possible call-up later this season.

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTalkNatsPodcast

In this episode of The Talk Nats Podcast, Dan Holmi dives into the Nationals' looming trade deadline situation, highlighting names like Kyle Finnegan, Michael Soroka, Nathaniel Lowe, and Luis García Jr. as potential trade chips. With GM Mike Rizzo’s track record of savvy deals—from flipping Hunter Harvey for a comp draft pick and top catching prospect Caleb Lomavita, to past steals like Lane Thomas for Jon Lester—Dan explains why fans should brace for short-term pain in exchange for long-term gain. The team might look worse in the second half, but if Rizzo hits on even one or two of these deals, the future could look a lot brighter, especially with teams like the Red Sox and Tigers lurking.

Dan also breaks down Davey Martinez’s fiery defense of his coaching staff, a viral quote that turned heads after a rough offensive stretch. While Davey says the “onus is on the players,” Dan explains why it’s more complicated than that—coaches can’t hit, pitch, or field, but they’re responsible for putting players in a position to succeed. The show wraps with a breakdown of MacKenzie Gore’s recent outing against Clayton Kershaw, showcasing how the Nats’ defensive miscues undermined an otherwise strong performance and illustrating the sharp divide between a playoff-tested Dodgers club and a rebuilding Washington team.

YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/u41exMdHfjo?si=kqiHVpssGugEenRK