All Stories
Victory Monday after a MAJOR Upset!
The Backup Heroes: Mariota and Medrano Power Commanders’ Stunning Upset The Washington Commanders first home game of 2026 turned Northwest Stadium into a madhouse on Sunday, delivering a 33-31 stunner over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Entering the game depleted by injuries and missing starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, Washington relied on a “next man up” mentality. Head Coach Dan Quinn rewarded that fierce effort post-game by handing out two well-deserved game balls to his standout backup performers: quarterback Marcus Mariota and linebacker Kain Medrano. Mariota Commands the Offense with Veteran Poise Stepping into the starting role with Daniels sidelined by an elbow injury, Marcus Mariota put on a veteran clinic in game management and poise. Mariota completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and 3 touchdowns, posting a stellar 110.0 passer rating without committing a single turnover. He orchestrated crucial scoring drives off early Seattle turnovers, finding Terry McLaurin and Treylon Burks for first-half scores. When the game hung in the balance late in the fourth quarter, Mariota used his legs to seal the win, escaping for a heroic 9-yard scramble on third-and-7 to ice the clock. Reflecting on the gritty, short-handed victory, Head Coach Dan Quinn praised the collective fight: “It wasn’t perfect by any stretch — we had to overcome penalties and other things — but I think it does show some of the resolve.” The Big Defensive Plays There were three official turnovers and one key stop on a 4th down play. Here are the details of each: First-Quarter Fumble: Amik Robertson and Sonny Styles forced a fumble early on, setting up Marcus Mariota ‘s opening touchdown pass. Third-Quarter Interception: Defensive tackle Tim Settle tipped a pass right into the hands of Sonny Styles for an interception, leading to a Terry McLaurin touchdown. Fourth-Quarter…
Building blocks for the future from 77 wins!
After Paul Toboni was hired by the Washington Nationals, the newly minted President of Baseball Operations declared at his introductory press conference that he wanted his baseball team to be the “Envy of [his] sport.” At the time, many felt that was just a young guy talking BS. Toboni has presided over one of the swiftest overhauls the sport has ever seen on his way to trying to achieve that goal. He has turned heads in baseball, a sport steeped in tradition, that is slow to change. The changes take time. Toboni accelerated the clock. At his introductory presser, Toboni also talked about the “visible scoreboard” is how you should be judged. His team just finished with 77 wins, four from a.500 season. On his Wednesday radio show, he talked about one regret was the bullpen losses and the blown-save record (43). Toboni pondered that if they could have won half of the 24 losses in those blown-save games (12), the Nats could have been in the postseason. In the final count, they would have finished with 89 wins — and guess what, that would have tied the Nats for the second Wild Card. Again, you cannot change the past — you can learn from the past to impact the future. Toboni talked about building the strong foundation then putting in the doors and windows once the foundation was ready. A great builder’s analogy that is very true in business. When you inherit a Bottom-10 farm system in what Toboni…
Postgamer: Nats finish 2026 with their 77th win!
The Washington Nationals finished on a hot streak en route to winning 10 of their final 14 games to finish the season. Just over two weeks ago, the team was stuck at 67 wins and now got to 77 wins — just 4-wins from a.500 season. Those 77 wins were an 11 game and a 16.7 percent improvement from last year. This final game had some wonderful finishes as Andres Chaparro cranked two home runs to get him to an.894 OPS as he led MLB since the All-Star break. While Chaparro didn’t have enough plate appearances to qualify, he passed James Wood (.891) for tops on the active roster. CJ Abrams added to his team leading RBI total at 106 and had that 30+/30+/30 season for his speed and power as part of a group of just 13 players in MLB history to have those numbers in a season. Reliever Erik Tolman who made his MLB debut on Aug. 22 after a minor league career history of catastrophic injuries is a success story. He showed his perseverance on the way to make it to MLB — and today he recorded his 5th save. DJ Herz started today’s game as he makes his way back from his TJ surgery in 2025. And the bullpen threw 6.0 scoreless today. Great ERA finishes by Will Dion (3.62), Riley Cornelio (3.68), Jack Sinclair (2.45), and Tolman (2.93). The season started with a lot of criticism and ageism about the hirings of Paul Toboni and…
Game #162: “THANK YOU FANS”
The Washington Nationals have really created a new sense of what could be great in the future of Nats baseball. With ownership creating two new positions, one for the baseball operations side and another on the business side, they hired Paul Toboni and Jason Sinnarajah respectively as division presidents. Those hires of Toboni and Sinnarajah set the organization on a new course. The message waiting for arriving fans is a message of thanks. “THANK YOU FANS” is emblazoned on the scoreboard. Later, selected fans will receive game worn jerseys from today’s game in the team’s annual tradition for charity. Signature: 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 " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/nats.talkdcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Jason-Sinnarajah-Paul-Toboni-2026-by-Intrepid.jpg?fit=1024%2C822&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/nats.talkdcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Jason-Sinnarajah-Paul-Toboni-2026-by-Intrepid.jpg?resize=1024%2C822&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-91873" style="aspect-ratio:1.2457594127134197;width:467px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/nats.talkdcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Jason-Sinnarajah-Paul-Toboni-2026-by-Intrepid.jpg?resize=1024%2C822&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/nats.talkdcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Jason-Sinnarajah-Paul-Toboni-2026-by-Intrepid.jpg?resize=300%2C241&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/nats.talkdcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Jason-Sinnarajah-Paul-Toboni-2026-by-Intrepid.jpg?resize=768%2C617&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/nats.talkdcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Jason-Sinnarajah-Paul-Toboni-2026-by-Intrepid.jpg?w=1136&ssl=1 1136w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /> Yes, it is inclement weather as this nor’easter has been wreaking havoc on the east coast for days. Today’s game was supposed to start at 3:05 pm as all final games of the season were set for the exact same time to give no team in the playoff hunt an advantage. Well, the Mets and Nats are not playoff bound — and based on the weather forecasts, MLB moved the game time up just like they did yesterday. For those paying attention, the Mets had playoff aspirations to start the season and clinched last place in the NL East on Friday when the Nats beat them. The NL East standings are set: Atlanta Braves Philadelphia Phillies Miami Marlins Washington Nationals New York Mets What those standings show in part, that…
BRUINS BRUISE TERPS: UCLA EMBARRASSES MARYLAND 54-3 IN COLLEGE PARK
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — What started as a dark and rainy defensive stalemate quickly turned into one of the most lopsided disasters in recent Maryland Terrapins football history. The UCLA Bruins completely dismantled Maryland, 54-3, at a rain-soaked SECU Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The loss marks a painful Big Ten conference opener for head coach Michael Locksley’s squad, prompting a thinning crowd and explicit frustration from the home student section as the game imploded. Things got so bad that the student section started chanting to fire Locksley. With this embarrassing loss, nothing would have surprised any of us if Locksley was fired after the game. But he wasn’t and as of today, he is still the head coach of the University of Maryland. Following the crushing loss, head coach Mike Locksley shouldered full accountability for the team’s total collapse: “Obviously, very disappointing results. Just wasn’t good enough. Period. We didn’t…
Great season Rochester! Hold your heads high!
LAS VEGAS, NV — If you stayed up to 10:30 p.m. local (1:30 a.m. ET), you saw Triple-A Rochester lose the championship game in the most “Nats” way ever with a blown-save that turned into a bullpen loss. Familiar names, attached to the blown-save ( Eddy Yean) and the loss ( Clayton Beeter), were a shame because Rochester pitched EIGHT innings of zeroes, and kind of nine if you count the no-out mess that Matt Krook had to clean-up in the 10th inning that Beeter left behind. Let’s give it to Rochester for an amazing season where they had the best record in all of Triple-A baseball at 90-58 plus their wins in the postseason. In fact, Rochester was the home team due to having the best record — and could have had a walk-off with a clutch hit in the 9th inning with that runner-in-scoring position (RISP) and just one out. That wasn’t meant to be. Rochester scored one of their two runs in regulation via a Liover Peguero homer. They had nine hits, and held the other team to just eight. Rochester’s other run in regulation scored via a Leandro Pineda RISP hit. Other than that clutch hit, Rochester was 1-7 in RISP spots (an infield hit). In extra innings, the only run that scored was via a Riley Adams double play ball in the 5-3 loss. Let’s face it, Rochester was facing a stacked affiliate of the L.A. Dodgers. They boast some real star power that we…
Game #3: Seattle
Hall of Famer Steve Largent hauls in one of his 819-receptions. His career spanned from the beginning of the franchise in 1976 through 1989. He was the leading receiver on the team for all but the last two-years of his tenure in Seattle. This was before a Salary Cap and wide-open Free Agency began. It would be hard to imagine such a star Receiver remaining with one franchise in the current environment. Here come the World Champions. You didn’t think this thing was going to get easier, did you? If there was any solace looking at this game it was that starting Quarterback Sam Darnold would be on the sideline in street clothes. That was somewhat misplaced hope from the starting gun. His backup, the much maligned Drew Lock is the backup there. He’s throwing completions at a rate of 72.9%; has 4-Touchdowns; has 0-Interceptions; and has been sacked twice in 52-Dropbacks for a rate of 1-Sack every 26-Dropbacks. Those are fine numbers. Honestly, Darnold would be hard-pressed to do better. Oh, and the Defense? It’s #2 in the League. They’ve allowed all of 17-points while Lock’s Offense scored 44-points. Yikes! This is tough terrain the WFT is entering…with a backup QB. Home Opener Washington is one of only 5-teams to not have a home game in the first two weeks. It joins Cleveland, Green Bay, Miami, and New Orleans in that category. All five get their delayed home schedule started this week. The League should do better to get every team a home game in the first two-weeks. If we’ve learned nothing this year so far we’ve learned that the trajectory for teams can go South quick, fast, and in a hurry. Exhibit A is our Washington Football Team. Exhibits B and C are out there NY Giants, and…
Rochester goes for the Triple-A championship; Early gets promoted from Triple-A!
As expected, LHP Connelly Early was promoted from Triple-A Rochester to the Washington Nationals today. Early could have started today for Rochester in the Triple-A championship. But the team wanted to see Early in his debut game for the Nats — and he didn’t disappoint. Early threw 3.0 scoreless innings giving up just one hit, no walks, and had one strikeout. He lowered his ERA on the season to 3.33 in his 18 MLB games (17 with Boston) this season. Rochester is showing that Jack Cebert will be their starter in their Triple-A Championship game tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada between the Oklahoma City Comets (Dodgers) and the Red Wings at Las Vegas Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 10:05 pm ET and televised on MLB Network. Here is what the Dodgers Comets lineup will look like: Oklahoma City Comets: 1. Zach Ehrhard — RF 2. Josue De Paula — LF 3. James Tibbs III — 1B 4. Mike Sirota — DH 5. Alek Thomas — CF 6. Ryan Fitzgerald — 3B 7. Noah Miller — SS 8. Hyeseong Kim — 2B 9. Ben Rortvedt — C SP – Emmet Sheehan — RHP Rochester Red Wings: 1. Seaver King — SS 2. Trey Lipscomb — LF 3. Cayden Wallace — 3B 4. Riley Adams — DH 5. Leandro Pineda — RF 6. Andrew Pinckney — CF 7. Max Romero — C 8. Liover Peguero — 1B 9. Cortland Lawson — 2B SP – Jack Cebert — RHP This start is…
Game #161 Nats will finish ahead of the Mets in 2026!
The Washington Nationals needed one win in this series against the Mets this weekend to guarantee they would finish ahead of the Mets in the standings, and the Nats wasted no time in getting that win on Friday night. With the Marlins winning their game tonight, the NL East standings are set: Atlanta Braves Philadelphia Phillies Miami Marlins Washington Nationals New York Mets Another note is today’s game was moved up to beat the storms headed to the DC area in the late afternoon. First pitch shifts from 4:05 p.m. to 12:35 p.m. The Nats will have Connelly Early as their opener with Jake Irvin as their bulk reliever. The pitching plan for tomorrow is that DJ Herz will start in the season finale on Sunday. With just two games remaining in the season with today’s game and tomorrow’s game, we do get a cool doubleheader with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings playing in a winner-take-all one game championship for the entire Triple-A at 10:05 p.m. ET first pitch in Las Vegas. Officially, Early was activated off the 60-day IL, with Luis Perales optioned to Triple-A, and Chase Hampton DFA’d to clear roster space for him. Can Perales make it to Las Vegas for tonight to meet up with Triple-A Rochester for their championship game? The Nats enter this game with 76 wins on the books, and have already improved 15.2 percent in year-over-year for wins above the 66 total wins from the 2025 season. Each extra win from here…
Postgamer: Nats clinch 4th place with 76th win! Josiah Gray 1st save!
Nats win! Nats win! Win №76 clinched 4th place for the Washington Nationals. Josiah Gray also recorded his first save in a Nats 7-6 win over the New York Mets. ❝When you get that type of ovation when you come into the game, obviously it says a lot about what you’ve done on the mound. But also, there’s more to it than that. I think the fans appreciate good players and also good people, and that’s what JoJo is.❞ — manager Blake Butera on Josiah Gray A crowd of 28,639 filled in Nationals Park for a game of NL East teams. The loser would be perilously close or guaranteed last place in the division. With the Nats winning, they pushed the Mets into the cellar of the NL East. This also becomes a referendum on spending and all of those who think payroll is a guarantee. It’s always about how you spend it. Nats fans were treated to a spectacular 73° evening with fireworks after the game, and a nail-biting Curly W. While it wasn’t a well-played game by either side, the Nats made fewer mistakes. Unfortunately Andrew Alvarez had his worst start of the season and was pulled at 4⅔ innings after he yielded five earnies. Still a great season for Alvarez who finishes with a 3.43 ERA on the season. The bullpen was excellent. Gus Varland pitched 1⅓ perfect innings, and Yovanny Cruz was electric in his perfectly inning. Jack Sinclair gave up two hits but one of…
Game #160 Nats can clinch 4th place with a Curly W!
The Washington Nationals had a day-off yesterday before they start their final series of the season tonight at Nationals Park. They face the Mets in this weekend series, and the Nats have a 2.0 game lead over the Mets in the standings. One win in this series by the Nats would clinch 4th place in the NL East and guarantee the Mets finish in last place. Before the game, President of Baseball Operations, Paul Toboni, will hold his final media session of the season. We should find out his plan for Connelly Early who might pitch this weekend and other tidbits for the offseason. Cade Cavalli will also do a media session. The pitching plan for the Nats is Andrew Alvarez is scheduled to pitch tonight, Jake Irvin tomorrow, and DJ Herz in the season finale on Sunday. Originally, Toboni said that Early would pitch on Saturday. He never said he was going to start. Again, let’s see what Toboni has to say today. Before this game, the Nats will give out Nats’ football jerseys, and after the game will have fireworks. This is all part of fan appreciation weekend. Fans can snap a picture with the 2019 World Series Trophy in the Team Store until 6:30 p.m. tonight. The Nationals also promise to have a fun-filled weekend of other activations and surprises! The Nats enter this game with 75 wins on the books, and have already improved 13.6 percent in year-over-year for wins above the 66 total wins from…
Rochester Wins the International League Championship; Advances to Triple-A National Championship Game
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In a come-from-behind “Never say die” win as Triple-A Rochester Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy said after his team won the Triple-A International League championship last night with a 3-2 victory over the Memphis Redbirds at AutoZone Park. Rochester took games one and three of the best-of-three International League Championship Series and by doing so, will now head to Las Vegas for a winner-take-all championship game on Saturday night. With Rochester’s win as a team with multiple MLB affiliations in their long and storied history, this was their first International League title since 1997, ending a 29-year drought and earning their first championship as a Washington Nationals Triple-A affiliate. This marks the team’s 20th league title overall. Rochester won its first nine titles (1899–1931) based solely on regular-season records before playoffs existed, followed by 10 playoff titles under the long-running Governors’ Cup playoff format (started in 1933). This is their first playoff crown under the current format, introduced in 2023, where the winners of the season’s two halves face off in a quick best-of-three series. Rochester entered the postseason as the International League Second Half Champion after finishing the half 45-30 with a.600 winning percentage and closing the regular season with a 90-58 overall record. The Wings opened the Championship Series Tuesday night with a 4-3 victory over Memphis, and took care of business last night with a thrilling come-from-behind win after trailing 2-1 in the 8th inning. Rochester rallied for two runs in that 8th inning…