SHIFT: The Washington Nationals 30-Year Old's Have Turned This Team Around SWIFTLY

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The 30 year olds have changed a lot with the Washington nationals.

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And later on in today's show, we have got a new series to start tonight.

The giants are at NDC against Washington nationals.

It's going to be a good one and we'll preview for that because I do think this is a good

match up for the nationals.

We'll tell you why later on in the show today that the second segment is our new Friday

staple.

We are going farming with the Washington nationals who is growing and who is blowing down in

the farm system.

So stay tuned, I'll get you count up with all things nationals prospects, but we start

off with talking about the national splitting the series against Pittsburgh pirates and

really it's because of these 30 year olds.

And if you do not know and understand that cold open, the Wall Street Journal kind of

wrote a weird slam piece on the nationals, hiring a bunch of 30 year olds and how they're

the guys that are supposed to save this team and whatever, it was a weird piece.

And I think it kind of maybe was a disgruntled former front all fist member of the nationals.

I don't know, it's really weird.

And they kind of went in and it was a weird time to do that because the nationals are,

as we know, pretty hot right now.

And they're looking a lot better than what people really thought entering this season.

So I love that was kind of a funny piece, didn't understand it whatsoever and it makes

no sense whatsoever.

But let's talk about yesterday's game and what these 30 year olds have done for the Washington

nationals.

They're coming off a very impressive, very, very impressive seven game set against NL

Central teams, a sweat Milwaukee three games and then of course split in Pittsburgh.

They were five and two on this road trip and the Washington nationals, they're red hot

at this point like this may sound insane to say, but like they look probably as good

as we have seen them since 2021, the stretch that they have been on right now.

How does this not give you hope for the future?

How do you not think to yourself like, hey, this team is possibly ahead of the schedule,

but also they just have a new belief.

And I thought Paul DeBoney hit on this the other day really well.

He was doing an MLB network hit with Brian Kenny of MLB Network and they were asking

about like, hey, when will you be around 500 like, when could you get to that point?

And I don't really know exactly what he said, but Paul DeBoney then went into the clubhouse

and then players were like 500 like kind of referencing like, hey, man, we can be even

better than that.

They have this new sense of belief and it's because of the 30 year olds with Taboni

and butara and on a Columbia GM, you have got this team believing in themselves.

And if you look at the stats, well, the stats, offensively speaking, show a top five

hitting team in all of baseball.

Now for pitching, it shows a bottom five team in all of baseball and that is why the Washington

Ashles are at nine and 10 and that's probably why they aren't, I don't know, 13 and six

on the year.

That's kind of where they stand.

But I think it shows you that these guys actually do believe in themselves and it's not

to say that they didn't believe in themselves in 2025 or in 2024 or 2023, but there is something

that I think fans have bought into and we're seeing the results like it's kind of funny.

When you go to Pittsburgh last few years, they're kind of in that same category as well.

You go to Pittsburgh and everyone's like, okay, this is now the break.

It's not that anymore.

And so splitting four games against a good team with one of the best young players in baseball

with Connor Griffin facing Paul Skane's night one, you feel good about where the nationals

are.

Like that is a very hard week of baseball that you just played and it's the Brewers and

then four games in the Pirates.

You swept the Brewers, one of the best teams in baseball last year and then you just split

a four game series against probably the second best team in the NL Central right behind

the Brewers.

I feel good about where the nationals are through 19 games.

How could you not at this point?

Looking at what the offense did, scoring eight runs in yesterday's game and doing it in

a very casual way it felt like.

And of course, you had that fifth inning blender by Connor Griffin, spiking a ball, allowing

three runners to score.

That doesn't really happen too much.

In fact, that is like a very much so nationals thing to do, except they were the benefactor

of that.

It was just one of those games yesterday where everything that could go wrong for the Pirates

seemingly went wrong.

But you saw the nationals kind of just pushed through it and they continue to win the game.

They got an extra headings in our King James Wood.

He delivered.

Like this team is so much more fun to watch and this team is so much more watchable.

Like the offseason acquisitions this year.

How about Foster Griffin yesterday?

Now of course, if you look at his final line, you're like, okay, it wasn't that impressive.

Talk about the first four innings.

The first four innings were immaculate by him.

And he continues to be the nationals best starting pitcher right now.

Not even on paper.

When you watch him, he is sometimes like unhittable seven strikeouts over five and a third innings

pitch yesterday, continues to be on like this monster type of level.

And again, I think that this is real when it comes to Foster Griffin.

Someone who we kind of poked fun at and he was, we were kind of talking this offseason

like, hey, is this guy really for real?

Is he really going to be in our starting rotation?

Hand up.

I was wrong for even questioning that.

It's early in the season.

It's April 17.

But I'm willing to say, I was wrong.

And I think a lot of people out there who may have kind of questioned that move to put

them in the rotation.

I think we all kind of say, hey, we understand why this was the plan.

And I think that's the key point here with just the big picture nationals in 2026.

The plan has been very clear.

They want to win games by having this offense completely break out.

And that's the way that it should be.

You shouldn't be trying to finesse your way into wins with savvy bullpen moves.

You shouldn't be trying to pitch your way into the six and seven thinnings.

You should try to utilize your bullpen.

But also, they are going to win games by scoring more runs now.

And that is what they have done.

This offense is legit good.

It is good.

CJ Abrams is on a tear.

James Wood is on a tear.

Dale and Lyle, don't look up now.

He's starting to hit the baseball a little bit better.

Luis Garcia Jr.

How about Curtis Media yesterday?

The nationals are getting things done at this point.

And I think that we can all sit here and say the product that has been put on paper in

2026 with this offense.

We would not have seen that with the old regime.

I don't, I think maybe you would have gotten to a point where, you know, the national would

be playing better because this offense is talented, like Brady House for our first round

pick.

Jacob Young.

He's hitting the baseball.

Derby Vibas.

He's hitting the baseball.

Someone now is like, why are we trading for him?

Well, he's hitting them all right now.

The nationals are getting things done.

And that is the exciting part for this team.

But the nationals did actually make a move yesterday.

Ken Waldechuk has been placed on the 60 day I L.

I think it is looking very much so likely.

I don't think we've heard about the second opinion yet, but it feels like he'll be on his

way to Tommy John surgery.

But they did trade for Richard Lovelady, someone who the nationals actually defayed back

in spring training.

And they traded him from the New York Met, traded the New York Met, traded him to the

nationals for cash considerations.

So he'll be back in the bullpen for the nationals.

I like that move.

He's actually put up some good numbers over the years.

And he's kind of been like a Met's legend, so to speak, like people talk about him as

if like he's some monster bullpen guy because he's been defayed by them countless times

over the last few years.

And he's just kind of one of those guys again, Richard Lovelady, you do the math there.

So it's a funny move to say the least.

So it's good to see him back in this Nats bullpen.

I ultimately think he will help.

And also Orlando Revolta yesterday, I wanted to mention this got his first career MLB save

and look good in action.

So that was just his second appearance this season.

Hopefully he stays up in the bullpen, he's a young guy.

He showed promise and he has got some stuff that kind of intrigues you.

So keep an eye on him with Cole Henry on the shelf.

And of course, Richard Lovelady is making his return to this nationals bullpen.

But next, it's time to go farming with the Washington Nationals.

And we got to talk about it because there have been some really impressive performances.

One guy in particular has not been great, but we'll talk about that after this.

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Tap the link in the show notes or go to locked on nationals dot supercast dot com again

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So it's now time to go farming where we give you the latest individual performances on

your Washington nationals top prospects and just kind of takes a look down the minor

leagues.

Some guys are not prospects, but we will be starting out with Devin Fitzgerald.

One of the main pieces of that McKenzie Gore trade this off season.

By the way, I haven't heard too much about McKenzie Gore.

He doesn't look bad for the Rangers at this point, but he's not looking like the

ace, I would say, still having some big strikeout numbers, but let's talk about Devin Fitzgerald,

one of the key guys that you get back in that deal.

He has always been a very intriguing prospect.

And I think that the nationals may have found something with the 20 year old former fifth

round pick by the Texas Rangers back in 2024.

So through the first 10 games of the season so far, he is growing.

He is batting 300 with a 451 OBP, a 525 slug, a 976 OPS.

And what's most impressive has two home runs and eight stolen bases.

For someone who plays a premier position at shortstop, he'll probably be a second basement

or maybe a third basement at the next level.

So I wouldn't really consider him a shortstop, but he is playing that for Wilmington right

now.

And he is looking really good.

He's got a very smooth, very, very smooth swing from both sides, he's switch hitter,

a righty and a lefty, I actually think his left hand swing feels more natural for him,

but we'll see kind of how that progresses down the line.

I just think that this is a very good player.

And his profile, like I would be willing to bet that if you ask people inside the front

office, they would probably point to him as like a sleeper prospect to really watch.

He's not going to be a sleeper prospect for long because I think this guy is really

good.

He's got power, he's got speed, like we talk about this all the time.

That power speed combination is something that we all want to see in Major League Baseball.

So Devon Fitzgerald, he has been growing at this point.

And I think that with where the nets are today, do not be surprised to see him kind of fly

up through the system.

And it would not totally surprise me if we see him in AA by maybe mid-June, if he continues

to crush the baseball.

And if he starts to hit the ball in Harrisburg, who by the way, the guy who's kind of in front

of a receiver king, he's also crushing the baseball, don't be surprised if he's moved

up to AAA by at some point early this summer.

Keep your eye out for both those things because I think all those things are in play at this

point.

And Devon Fitzgerald has been really impressive so far.

Again, one of the main pieces of that McKenzie Gore trade, he has been growing, who also

has been growing is Dylan Cruz.

Just two days ago, yesterday Rochester was rained out, but two days ago against Toronto's

affiliate, Treyas Savage was going against Dylan Cruz who hit an opposite field home run

off of Treyas Savage as we saw last year in the World Series.

One of the key pitching matchups against that Dodgers scene was Treyas Savage.

He was incredible down the stretch in the postseason in October.

Dylan Cruz, listen, the numbers are not overwhelmingly good, but they're also not bad at this point.

And I think when talking about Cruz, listen, we were kind of hinting at the fact like this

might take a little bit longer.

And I still think it might because there are some things to work through.

But he's batting 263, they 798 OPS, and over the last few games, he's been really starting

to hit the baseball.

So maybe something is starting to hit with him, literally and figuratively.

And I think that you got to fix his swing.

You have to fix his approach.

He cannot be striking out the rate that he is, but this is a good sign for what the future

holds for him.

And I think that Dylan Cruz kind of needs that at this point.

And the nationals kind of need his bat at this point as well.

He can only help.

And Joey Weemer, who I still think has put up a solid season, since that opening two

series against the Cubs.

And then I'm blanking on the team.

They played after the Cubs, but you understand the point.

He was crushing the baseball now hasn't only done too much.

He did hit a double the other day, which was nice to see coming off the bench.

But still, Joey Weemer, as much fun as he has been, not really the future for this

team.

And Dylan Cruz, you would like to see him being that opening day or kind of, you'd like

to see Dylan Cruz in the outfield.

That's the point of the conversation here.

So he's been growing so far for the Washington nationals down in the minors.

And who has been blowing?

It has been 19 year old on health police who is down in high a Wilmington.

So far through his first 42 at bats.

He has got six hits and he's got a double in a triple.

He's not really seeing the power at this point.

But he is in a very interesting category of guys who could break out.

He's still very, very young at just 19 years old.

And listen, it's kind of a weird situation for it because he's probably a Fredericksburg

talent at this point.

And I think it's a little premature to have him up in double or in high a.

But he showed pretty well last year and he is a good prospect.

But I think that he is a little overwhelmed with kind of the pitching that he has maybe

been seeing.

And the nationals just unfortunately haven't put him in the best opportunity this year.

He is now playing third base when he was a traditional shortstop.

But as we know, you've got Devin Fitzgerald there.

You've got Seaver King.

You have Eli Willett and you have CJ Abrams up in the bigs.

Like you have got this loaded group at shortstop.

So something has got to give an on health release.

He's kind of the guy who has been pushed over to third base and hasn't really put up the

best of numbers so far and only played 31 games in Fredericksburg last year.

Like it just feels that this 19 year old kind of has been thrown a lot at this point.

And there's a lot in his plate.

I kind of wonder what the future holds for him and kind of where his trajectory is.

But for someone who was a very promising prospect at the beginning of last year and rookie

ball crushed the baseball finished the year in Fredericksburg didn't really do that well.

And now starting in a higher level, he's starting to struggle.

And I think it's starting to show for on healthfully.

So he is blowing right now, but don't be surprised if he is starting to grow.

Speaking of someone who is growing, let's talk about Ronnie Cruz.

Ronnie Cruz in his first 12 games is batting 341.

Only 682 slug that includes three home runs, four doubles and a triple and one is even

more impressive than just 12 games has 10 stolen bases.

Ronnie Cruz for those who may not remember was traded by the Chicago Cubs last year for

Michael Soroka, which seemed like a great deal at the time.

And now with what we are seeing early on this season, certainly seems like a big deal.

So with Soroka, like obviously there is no future there for him in DC.

And he went to the Cubs, dearly impact them got that much, got hurt in the second half.

So that's kind of where it was nationals.

They got that a very intriguing toolsy prospect with some clear power.

And again, has that stolen base ability.

I think that Ronnie Cruz is a slept on prospect number one, but number two, like maybe not

that slept on with them, the organization.

I'd be very intrigued to see kind of what the nationals think of him and kind of what

this regime can do with him.

Like, I always talked about, and we've always talked about that the speed and power combination

is something that you want in a prospect.

And if you had that as a baseline, and if you had that across the board, I feel good

with the nationals developing him.

And Ronnie Cruz has that and he plays a premier position at shortstop and can really kind

of play anywhere in the infield.

It seems like outside of first base, but he's an interesting guy to watch.

And I think that right now in the early portion of the season, like he has been the MVP

for Fredericksburg, especially with Eli Willis in the way that he's kind of been struggling

so far, did just hit his first professional home run and yesterday's game.

So that was good to see.

But Ronnie Cruz has been crushing it in Fredericksburg.

So that's always good to see by the Washington Nationals.

So there it is.

It was time to go farming with the Washington Nationals prospects.

And that is where we stand today.

Next, let's take a look at this giant net series comes along this weekend.

We'll have everything in more after this.

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Water usually wins.

It warps in Rotswood.

It pulls it apart bored by bored.

Unless you build with treks.

Treks marine grade decking is 100% submersible for docs.

Built to last, it resists rot, warping and decay and salt and fresh water.

For homeowners, that means care free days on the water, not constant maintenance.

For builders, it means trusted performance that minimizes callbacks.

Water has met its match, treks decking, performance engineered for your life outdoors.

Visit treks.com slash docs.

Click out the everyday club.

If you have not done so already, that is at locked on nationals dot super cast dot com.

So tonight, the nationals get started with the ace of the San Francisco Giants with Logan

Web.

That is a very tough performance, very tough match up for this nationals team.

And then tomorrow, we have got Kate Cavali and of course tonight, we have Zach Latel,

which should be interesting looks a lot better.

And of course, the nationals do kind of get to see a couple of really good pictures.

Sunday, you go up against Robbie Ray, who was a former Washington nationals 10th round

pick back in 2010, I believe.

And then in Saturday's game, you're going up against a relatively good picture Adrian

Hauser, who has had a very intriguing regular season so far has looked good at times, but

then also has kind of given up a lot.

But here is why I think that this is a pretty good match up for the nationals.

We've talked about this.

That's offense like it is good at this point.

I think we can all agree on that.

And then Giants offense has been kind of weird at this point and with a new manager with

I'm forgetting on his name, the former Tennessee manager, Tony Vittello coming over from

the college ranks with Tennessee, like this offense has kind of been underwhelming at

this point.

Like they only have nine home runs on the young season.

And they've got kind of a weird catcher storyline to watch, Patrick Bailey is not doing

good.

Daniel Susack is coming up, trying to play for more time for them.

So that's kind of one thing to really kind of look at with this Nats lineup or with the

Giants lineup, rather, but I think with a struggling lineup, this helps.

The Nats pitching obviously.

And you've got Kate Kavalli in the mound today who you'd like to see bounce back who

couldn't make it past two innings pitch and Monday start.

But I feel good about this series now called be crazy.

You should win this series.

Yes, you have a tough match up tonight with Logan Wem.

But as we kind of mentioned, the nationals are going to have their lefties in the lineup

and you're going to see Garcia at first base.

You'll see Weemer out of the lineup, James Wood, CJ Abrams, you'd like to see them

probably throw Abrams up in that lineup.

So you have those lucky matchups right away for Logan Webb, who is obviously a very good

pitcher, but has not been the ace kind of guy that he has been in years past so far this

year, which may have to kind of have him kind of bulk up and have that big start today.

But this is a good match up from the Nats this weekend.

Again, a solid pitching staff going up against a good offense with the nationals and then

a bad pitching staff with the nationals going up against a bad offense with the Giants.

Something has got to give.

And I do think that unfortunately it's going to be a very high scoring series as per usual

when the nationals are playing.

So whatever you do, take the over on Fandall when it comes to these run totals.

That is something that I will be doing all week and long.

But it starts tonight with Logan Webb and Zach Latel.

I'm interested to see what Zach Latel can do, how deep does he go.

And as we know, the nationals used a lot of bullpen guys in these past four games.

They split the series.

I'd like to see them win the series.

I mean, with Cavalier in the bump tomorrow, you feel good about your chances.

You have to feel good about him bouncing back.

If he doesn't then kind of start to wonder about his longevity with the nationals and

just kind of where he stands and where his consistency is at.

So you'd like to see the nationals take advantage of these opportunities because these

guys are good pitchers and with Halzer with Webb and Ray.

These are veteran pitchers.

So these are pros that's not going to be going up against some of the pirates, young guys

up in the pen.

And it's not going to be going up against these kind of weird names that we haven't really

heard of with the Brewers.

These aren't openers like these are established names in Major League Baseball.

So you kind of wonder if the nationals offense will continue this hot streak.

I think they will.

I think that this offense is legit and I think this is a really good matchup for a young

Nats offense.

So that's what we'll be watching all weekend long.

Stay tuned right here to Lockdown Nationals on Monday show.

We'll be recapping this series and taking a look at the week ahead.

So I will catch you guys on the flip side.

Have a good one.

Go Nats.

Water usually wins.

It warps in Rod's wood.

It pulls it apart bored by bored.

Unless you build with treks.

Treks Marine Gray decking is 100% submersible for docs.

Built to last it resists Rod warping and decay and salt and fresh water.

For homeowners that means care free days on the water, not constant maintenance.

For builders it means trusted performance that minimizes callbacks.

Water has met its match.

Stocks decking, performance engineered for your life outdoors.

Visit treks.com slash docs.

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