54 Comments
User's avatar
Tim K's avatar

Slugfest kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Nice closeout in 9th for the win

DCSportsfan63's avatar

Thank you Beeter🙏

peter wood's avatar

Beeter came through nicely!!

Mark's avatar

Is this the biggest offensive comeback this year? Sure felt like it. Glad Beeter was able to preserve this one. They deserved the win despite some very shaky pitching performances.

Travis McGavin's avatar

Thank you Beeter! Ask Butera why he keeps throwing relievers 50 pitches

Mark P's avatar

Who can you trust? I don't envy Butera's job when it comes to managing the bullpen.

Travis McGavin's avatar

If we can’t trust our relievers, we definitely can’t trust them when we push them past their pitching limits

Mark P's avatar

In other words, there are zero options. Lol.

Travis McGavin's avatar

Cole Henry pitched 16 times in the minor leagues. 1 inning every time. He was good in 7th. This one is on Butera

Tegwar's avatar

Yes, Butera should do what's right by his players not beat them like rented mules and then wonder why they can't get the third strike.

Travis McGavin's avatar

Yeah, the Toboni strategy of pitching guys 50+ and then sending them to minors has grown stale. Why was Yean sent down he looked good?

Mark P's avatar

Nats had a 5 run lead. Pen had been taxed after the last two blowout losses to Pittsburgh. Who would you have called on in the 8th? Again, I don't envy Butera's job in managing this flawed unit called the Nats bullpen.

Tegwar's avatar
4hEdited

Beeter for the 8th and Lawrence for the 9th. Otherwise there is no reason for them to be on the team. I highly doubt those two together would've done a worse job and if they did Lawrence shouldn't be in the bullpen. The decision to destroy Cole was a worse option in my opinion.

natsclop's avatar

Henry was gassed, he looked dominant the first inning, but tough to blame him for that three-run homer when the coaching staff seemed intent on flirting with fire and not burning more arms than necessary

Mark P's avatar

Again, I can't fault Butera with the slow hook. He doesn't exactly have great options to choose from. Who can you trust in the Nats pen on a daily basis?

natsclop's avatar

Oh, I 100% agree, it’s the risks of the game. Meant moreso they had a plan and stuck to it. Astros are hot right now and the Yankees are up, no need to burn another arm

Tegwar's avatar
4hEdited

Except it’s not really working. Tomboi and the Lerners have clearly decided to build for the long run. I guess I’ll just have to accept that.

Mark P's avatar

As the great Dusty Baker once said to a reporter asking why he kept putting Danny Espinosa in the lineup, "Who else do I got?"

Tegwar's avatar

Position players are a little different. You can survive with an automatic out in the lineup. But pitchers in high-leverage situations are giving everything they have, and you can damage a pitcher much more easily than a position player. One loses confidence; the other can wind up with arm trouble. I know you know this, I’m just venting.

Mark P's avatar

I hear you, Teg. No worries. 👍🏼

Carl Rosendorf's avatar

Holy cow

As the Stros announcers said:

"Imagine if the Nationals had a few more strong starters and bullpen players"

Mr. Lerner please come through

Tegwar's avatar

The 2026 Nationals have answered the age-old question: What if you paired the 1927 Yankees’ bats with the 1962 Mets’ pitching staff? 😄

Mark's avatar

You nailed it!

tulku sherdor's avatar

have we ever fielded a team with three different players topping 100 RBIs?

Mark P's avatar

Again, the Nats win by outslugging the opposition. They don't do it the traditional way (pitching and defense). Lol

Geology of Wine's avatar

Just thinking back to spring training and our offense was so bad and could not score a run. How on earth did this happen? It is truly remarkable what these guys are doing….number one in scoring runs in all of MLB into July seriously? I hear and I understand all of the pitching issues but dam let’s enjoy these bats. Just wow.

Tegwar's avatar
4hEdited

The Nationals are 1st in MLB in runs, and in the NL they’re 1st in homers, 1st in RBI, 5th in hits, and 2nd in stolen bases. They’ve played 92 games. This is who this team is.

It would be a shame to waste it. They already have 23 blown saves through 92 games, which puts them on roughly a 40-blown-save pace. The all-time record is 34. If they even had a merely bad bullpen instead of a historically bad one, they’d definitely be in the Wild Card race.

John walker's avatar

Beeter’s K of Alvarez on the full count curve to lead off the ninth was SOOOO clutch. I for one think we’ve found our closer (again).

baseball-birthdays's avatar

didn't see the game due to date night with my lovely wife... box score looks like just one more typical 2026 Nationals game though.

MacMom54's avatar

Felt like a crazy game- now it’s just another curly W in the books.

Mike Browning's avatar

I attended a similar game at Camden Yards 30+ years ago in which Mike Mussina gave up 6 runs in the 1st against the A's, then settled down and got the win after the O's bats got going. Thank goodness Beeter was on his game tonight.

Vel20's avatar

Why oh why did Buttera leave Henry pitching in the eighth when it was clear he was struggling, especially with Astros on the bases? And didn’t you know, one missed pitch and it was suddenly a one run game.

Saved by Clayton Beeter!

MacMom54's avatar

As fans, we just want to win. But I think this current staff has also been tasked with evaluating the existing talent. Sometimes they just need to put guys to the test and see what they can do. Can they learn to get out of jams? Can they reach down and get that third out, despite traffic on the bases? Young players have to learn by being put in tough spots. It’s exhausting to watch. Can’t imagine what it’s like for the coaches.

Tegwar's avatar

Yes, if they don't want to trade for a decent reliever than play to develop their players. They either want to compete this year or they want to hold back and develop the team for the future. Make a choice.

GLH aka NatsFan4Ever's avatar

LET'S GO NATS!! KEEP THE OFFENSE EXPLOSIONS COMING AND SOME HOW GET SOME QUALITY DUDES ON THE MOUND!! ESPECIALLY THE 🐂🖋!!