2026 Nats Media Season Predictions

The location has changed and some of the names have changed, but it's time to continue our annual tradition and make some predictions!

CHICAGO – The time has come. Spring training is over. The roster is set. It’s Opening Day for the 2026 Nationals.

And in keeping with tradition, that means it’s time for those of us who cover the team to make some predictions about the upcoming season. This is the 17th consecutive year I’ve polled my colleagues and published their answers. And as always, I’ll re-publish them after the season ends, just so we can see how wrong – er, right! – we were.

Some of the people who are participating have been doing this for years. Some of them are brand-new to this exercise. Some of them are working for new outlets in 2026. Some of them don’t even live in the D.C. area anymore, but that’s OK because this just wouldn’t be the same without them.

Hope everyone enjoys these predictions. And if you’re bold enough to make your own, drop them into the comments section below!

WHICH NATIONALS WILL BE SELECTED FOR THE ALL-STAR GAME?
Danielle Allentuck (Washington Post) – Daylen Lile, James Wood
Tobi Altizer (106.7 The Fan) – James Wood
Bobby Blanco (MASNsports.com) – Cade Cavalli, James Wood
Jessica Camerato (MLB.com) – James Wood
Al Galdi (Nats Chat Podcast) – James Wood
Andrew Golden (Baltimore Banner) – Cade Cavalli, James Wood
Chelsea Janes (SNY) – Cade Cavalli, James Wood
Bill Ladson (MLB.com) – Daylen Lile
Paige Leckie (MLB.com) – Jacob Young
Spencer Nusbaum (The Athletic) – CJ Abrams, Cade Cavalli, James Wood
Grant Paulsen (106.7 The Fan) – James Wood
Danny Rouhier (106.7 The Fan) – James Wood
Tim Shovers (Nats Chat Podcast) – James Wood
Mark Zuckerman (Nats Journal) – CJ Abrams

WHAT WILL TOTAL ATTENDANCE AT NATIONALS PARK BE?
Jessica Camerato – 2,023,650
Chelsea Janes – 1,950,000
Andrew Golden – 1,924,341
Bobby Blanco – 1,905,333
Al Galdi – 1,900,000
Danny Rouhier – 1,866,742
Grant Paulsen – 1,860,795
Spencer Nusbaum – 1,819,967
Tobi Altizer – 1,815,875
Mark Zuckerman – 1,782,936
Danielle Allentuck – 1,750,000
Bill Ladson – 1,700,000
Tim Shovers – 1,300,000
Paige Leckie – 1,022,069

HOW MANY HOME RUNS WILL JAMES WOOD HIT?
Al Galdi – 40
Spencer Nusbaum – 39
Grant Paulsen – 39
Jessica Camerato – 38
Andrew Golden – 37
Tobi Altizer – 36
Bobby Blanco – 35
Tim Shovers – 34
Mark Zuckerman – 34
Danny Rouhier – 33
Chelsea Janes – 31
Danielle Allentuck – 30
Paige Leckie – 21
Bill Ladson – 20

RANK THESE PLAYERS FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST OPS: CJ ABRAMS, DYLAN CREWS, LUIS GARCIA JR., BRADY HOUSE, DAYLEN LILE
Chelsea Janes – Lile, Abrams, García, House, Crews
Danny Rouhier – Lile, Abrams, García, House, Crews
Andrew Golden – Lile, Abrams, García, Crews, House
Paige Leckie – Lile, Abrams, García, Crews, House
Grant Paulsen – Lile, Abrams, House, Crews, García
Danielle Allentuck – Lile, Abrams, House, García, Crews
Bill Ladson – Lile, Abrams, Crews, García, House
Tim Shovers – Lile, House, Crews, Abrams, García
Tobi Altizer – Abrams, House, Crews, Lile, García
Jessica Camerato – Abrams, Lile, García, Crews, House
Spencer Nusbaum – Abrams, Lile, García, House, Crews
Mark Zuckerman – Abrams, Lile, Crews, House, García
Bobby Blanco – Abrams, Lile, House, García, Crews
Al Galdi – House, Abrams, Crews, Lile, García

WHO WILL START THE MOST GAMES AT FIRST BASE? HOW MANY?
Chelsea Janes – Luis García Jr., 115
Jessica Camerato – Luis García Jr., 98
Bobby Blanco – Luis García Jr., 93
Tim Shovers – Luis García Jr., 93
Mark Zuckerman – Luis García Jr., 90
Paige Leckie – Luis García Jr., 88
Andrew Golden – Luis García Jr., 87
Bill Ladson – Luis García Jr., 80
Spencer Nusbaum – Luis García Jr., 77
Grant Paulsen – Abimelec Ortiz, 76
Tobi Altizer – Luis García Jr., 75
Danny Rouhier – Luis García Jr., 73
Al Galdi – Luis Garcia Jr., 70
Danielle Allentuck – Luis García Jr., 50

WHO WILL START THE MOST GAMES AT SECOND BASE? HOW MANY?
Chelsea Janes – Nasim Nuñez, 126
Bill Ladson – Nasim Nuñez, 100
Tim Shovers – Nasim Nuñez, 100
Tobi Altizer – Nasim Nuñez, 95
Paige Leckie – Nasim Nuñez, 95
Al Galdi – Luis Garcia Jr., 90
Andrew Golden – Nasim Nuñez, 82
Bobby Blanco – Nasim Nuñez, 80
Danny Rouhier – Nasim Nuñez, 78
Spencer Nusbaum – Nasim Nuñez, 77
Grant Paulsen – Nasim Nuñez, 72
Mark Zuckerman – Tie: Nasim Nuñez and Jorbit Vivas, 68
Jessica Camerato – Nasim Nuñez, 65
Danielle Allentuck – Nasim Nuñez, 42

WHO WILL START THE MOST GAMES AT CATCHER? HOW MANY?
Tim Shovers – Harry Ford, 105
Jessica Camerato – Keibert Ruiz, 100
Grant Paulsen – Harry Ford, 92
Bobby Blanco – Harry Ford, 90
Paige Leckie – Keibert Ruiz, 90
Al Galdi – Keibert Ruiz, 84
Chelsea Janes – Keibert Ruiz, 84
Danny Rouhier – Keibert Ruiz, 84
Mark Zuckerman – Harry Ford, 81
Bill Ladson – Harry Ford, 80
Spencer Nusbaum – Harry Ford, 77
Danielle Allentuck – Keibert Ruiz, 75
Tobi Altizer – Harry Ford, 68
Andrew Golden – Harry Ford, 68

WHO WILL START THE MOST GAMES IN CENTER FIELD? HOW MANY?
Bill Ladson – Jacob Young, 140
Tim Shovers – Jacob Young, 134
Paige Leckie – Jacob Young, 122
Jessica Camerato – Jacob Young, 114
Bobby Blanco – Jacob Young, 110
Chelsea Janes – Jacob Young, 110
Danielle Allentuck – Jacob Young, 100
Andrew Golden – Jacob Young, 96
Spencer Nusbaum – Jacob Young, 93
Danny Rouhier – Jacob Young, 93
Grant Paulsen – Jacob Young, 85
Mark Zuckerman – Jacob Young, 81
Al Galdi – Dylan Crews, 90
Tobi Altizer – Dylan Crews, 71

HOW MANY DIFFERENT BATTING ORDERS WILL BLAKE BUTERA USE?
Bobby Blanco – 162
Mark Zuckerman – 161
Jessica Camerato – 149
Grant Paulsen – 146
Spencer Nusbaum – 141
Danielle Allentuck – 138
Andrew Golden – 124
Tim Shovers – 117
Danny Rouhier – 114
Al Galdi – 100
Tobi Altizer – 98
Chelsea Janes – 80
Paige Leckie – 51
Bill Ladson – 8

WHO WILL LEAD THE PITCHING STAFF IN WINS? HOW MANY?
Bobby Blanco – Cade Cavalli, 12
Bill Ladson – Jake Irvin, 12
Al Galdi – Cade Cavalli, 11
Tim Shovers – Cade Cavalli, 11
Danielle Allentuck – Cade Cavalli, 10
Jessica Camerato – Cade Cavalli, 10
Tobi Altizer – Cade Cavalli, 9
Paige Leckie – Cade Cavalli, 9
Spencer Nusbaum – Cade Cavalli, 9
Chelsea Janes – Zack Littell, 9
Grant Paulsen – Zack Littell, 9
Mark Zuckerman – Foster Griffin, 9
Andrew Golden – Cade Cavalli, 7
Danny Rouhier – Foster Griffin, 7

HOW MANY STRIKEOUTS WILL CADE CAVALLI RECORD?
Andrew Golden – 192
Tim Shovers – 187
Al Galdi – 175
Jessica Camerato – 168
Chelsea Janes – 158
Danny Rouhier – 156
Bobby Blanco – 150
Spencer Nusbaum – 150
Grant Paulsen – 144
Mark Zuckerman – 137
Paige Leckie – 122
Danielle Allentuck – 120
Bill Ladson – 120
Tobi Altizer – 115

RANK THESE PITCHERS FROM LOWEST TO HIGHEST ERA: CADE CAVALLI, FOSTER GRIFFIN, JAKE IRVIN, ZACK LITTELL, MILES MIKOLAS
Al Galdi – Cavalli, Littell, Griffin, Irvin, Mikolas
Spencer Nusbaum – Cavalli, Littell, Griffin, Irvin, Mikolas
Grant Paulsen – Cavalli, Littell, Griffin, Irvin, Mikolas
Danny Rouhier – Cavalli, Littell, Griffin, Irvin, Mikolas
Bobby Blanco – Cavalli, Littell, Irvin, Griffin, Mikolas
Andrew Golden – Cavalli, Littell, Irvin, Griffin, Mikolas
Tim Shovers – Cavalli, Littell, Mikolas, Griffin, Irvin
Jessica Camerato – Cavalli, Griffin, Littell, Irvin, Mikolas
Mark Zuckerman – Cavalli, Griffin, Irvin, Littell, Mikolas
Danielle Allentuck – Cavalli, Griffin, Irvin, Mikolas, Littell
Bill Ladson – Irvin, Cavalli, Littell, Griffin, Mikolas
Chelsea Janes – Littell, Cavalli, Griffin, Irvin, Mikolas
Tobi Altizer – Littell, Cavalli, Irvin, Griffin, Mikolas
Paige Leckie – Mikolas, Irvin, Littell, Cavalli, Griffin

HOW MANY GAMES WILL JOSIAH GRAY START FOR THE NATIONALS?
Paige Leckie – 17
Tim Shovers – 12
Andrew Golden – 11
Bill Ladson – 10
Danny Rouhier – 8
Spencer Nusbaum – 5
Tobi Altizer – 3
Danielle Allentuck – 2
Grant Paulsen – 1
Bobby Blanco – 0
Jessica Camerato – 0
Al Galdi – 0
Chelsea Janes – 0
Mark Zuckerman – 0

WHO WILL LEAD THE TEAM IN SAVES? HOW MANY?
Grant Paulsen – Clayton Beeter, 24
Tobi Altizer – Clayton Beeter, 22
Al Galdi – Cionel Pérez, 22
Chelsea Janes – Cole Henry, 19
Spencer Nusbaum – Clayton Beeter, 17
Danny Rouhier – Cole Henry, 16
Danielle Allentuck – Clayton Beeter, 15
Bobby Blanco – Cole Henry, 15
Bill Ladson – Brad Lord, 15
Mark Zuckerman – Cionel Pérez, 15
Jessica Camerato – Clayton Beeter, 14
Tim Shovers – Kyle Luckham, 14
Andrew Golden – Brad Lord, 10
Paige Leckie – Gus Varland, 10

WHO WILL HIT THE MOST HOMERS AGAINST THE NATIONALS? HOW MANY?
Bill Ladson – Juan Soto, 12
Danielle Allentuck – Kyle Schwarber, 8
Danny Rouhier – Ronald Acuna Jr., 6
Andrew Golden – Adolis Garcia, 6
Paige Leckie – Matt Olson, 6
Jessica Camerato – Kyle Schwarber, 6
Al Galdi – Kyle Schwarber, 6
Grant Paulsen – Kyle Schwarber, 6
Chelsea Janes – Juan Soto, 6
Tim Shovers – Bryce Harper, 5
Bobby Blanco – Juan Soto, 5
Tobi Altizer – Matt Olson, 5
Mark Zuckerman – Ozzie Albies, 4
Spencer Nusbaum – Kyle Stowers, 4

HOW WILL THE NL EAST FINISH FROM TOP TO BOTTOM?
Chelsea Janes – Mets, Phillies, Braves, Marlins, Nationals
Spencer Nusbaum – Mets, Phillies, Braves, Marlins, Nationals
Danielle Allentuck – Mets, Phillies, Marlins, Braves, Nationals
Mark Zuckerman – Mets, Phillies, Marlins, Braves, Nationals
Grant Paulsen – Mets, Braves, Phillies, Marlins, Nationals
Bobby Blanco – Mets, Braves, Phillies, Marlins, Nationals
Tim Shovers – Mets, Braves, Phillies, Marlins, Nationals
Jessica Camerato – Phillies, Mets, Braves, Marlins, Nationals
Andrew Golden – Phillies, Mets, Braves, Marlins, Nationals
Danny Rouhier – Phillies, Mets, Braves, Marlins, Nationals
Bill Ladson – Phillies, Marlins, Mets, Braves, Nationals
Tobi Altizer – Braves, Mets, Phillies, Marlins, Nationals
Al Galdi – Braves, Mets, Phillies, Nationals, Marlins
Paige Leckie – Braves, Phillies, Mets, Marlins, Nationals

HOW MANY GAMES WILL THE NATIONALS WIN?
Jessica Camerato – 75
Al Galdi – 70
Chelsea Janes – 70
Bill Ladson – 70
Mark Zuckerman – 68
Grant Paulsen – 67
Danielle Allentuck – 64
Tobi Altizer – 64
Danny Rouhier – 64
Bobby Blanco – 63
Tim Shovers – 63
Spencer Nusbaum – 62
Andrew Golden – 59
Paige Leckie – 53