The Washington Nationals have etched their name into MLB history, but for all the wrong reasons. No one voiced the frustration more bluntly than Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore, who didn’t hold back after the team’s latest collapse. “This is embarrassing,” Gore said following the blowout loss to the Athletics. “What happened this homestand, it's hard to watch.” MacKenzie Gore has stood out as a rare bright spot in the Nationals rotation while the rest of it has imploded. But even his competitive fire hasn’t been enough to stop the bleeding.
After a disastrous homestand, the Nationals made MLB history for all the wrong reasons. They became the first team to allow 80 or more hits, 50 or more runs, and 10 or more home runs over a four-game span. What was once a promising rebuild has quickly spiraled into a showcase of historically poor pitching. Frustrated fans and players alike are now searching for answers.
The carnage has been widespread. Over the four-game nightmare, opposing hitters repeatedly tagged Washington’s pitchers, putting up crooked numbers in nearly every inning. Bullpen arms have offered little resistance, and defensive miscues have only magnified the struggles. In a stretch that defies belief, the Nationals have looked overmatched at nearly every level. This is not just a bad run, it’s a historically awful one.
As the team scrambles for answers, help is on the way, at least in theory. The Nationals have promoted former first-round pick Cade Cavalli, who is set to start their next game. It’s a much-anticipated Nationals roster move. Cavalli is returning from Tommy John surgery and could bring a glimmer of hope to a pitching staff in shambles. But the pressure is immense.
With the Nationals making MLB history for the wrong reasons, Cavalli enters not just to compete, but to stop the bleeding.
Still, the question remains: Will one promising arm be enough to shift momentum? Or will this stretch mark a deeper unraveling of the Nationals’ rebuild?
