Rock Bottom: Why The Washington Nationals Will Be BETTER In 2026

Ryan Clary investigates the highs and lows of Nationals baseball, including MacKenzie Gore's opening day dominance and an 11-game losing skid that led to the firing of longtime manager Davey Martinez and president Mike Rizzo. Key topics cover player development struggles, bullpen woes, and the arrival of Blake Butera and Paul Toboni. Plus: reflections on Anthony Rendon’s legacy in D.C. and bold predictions for 2026. Will Washington Nationals fans finally see the light at the end of the tunnel? 00:00 "2025: Nationals' Biggest Disappointment" 05:53 Nationals' Future: Changes Ahead 07:44 "Team Rebuild and Leadership Shift" 14:57 Nationals' Struggles and Coaching Changes 18:09 "Nationals' Highs and Lows" 20:36 End of Nationals' Dominance 23:18 "Anthony Rendon’s Nationals Legacy" 27:24 "Anthony Rendon Farewell Reflections" Follow Ryan Clary on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ryanclary11 Follow Locked On Nationals on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LO_NationalsSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Every Friday night, before the games tip off, FanDuel gives fans a new way to kick off the weekend with NBA Happy Hour. Check the FanDuel app and see what’s dropping during NBA Happy Hour — every Friday from 6 to 7:30 PM Eastern. FanDuel — the Official Sportsbook Partner of the NBA.  FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.