There are a few good outlets that cover the Nats that have arose this year, with some new faces and some vets on the beat. I try to read them all and support where I can.
Mark is - by far - the best of them! He's been on the beat since (almost) day one. He knows the team inside and out. Reading his thoughts and reporting on the team and hearing him chat with Al Galdi almost every day, it almost feels like he's a part of my family (slight hyperbole).
I encourage everyone to become a paid subscriber and support him so he can continue giving us the coverage we all crave!
Good morning, Mark. As a loyal subscriber, here’s an idea: how about you meet in-person twice a year over coffee with subscribers who might be at the $250 level (or some other $ figure). Have a Q & A for 90 minutes with 20-30 fans, perhaps end of the season and again beginning of Spring Training. Count me in if you decide to do something like this. And thanks for your great work during this exciting and maddening 2026 season!
Thanks for the suggestions! I've definitely been thinking about a subscriber get-together after the season ends, but I also like your idea of a Zoom, especially for those who don't live in the immediate area!
Mark, count me in with whatever you decide to do. PS. Hope Toboni doesn’t break our Nats hearts in the next two weeks! Please tell him not to lose the gifts that keep on giving!
Will we receive a notice when it is time to renew our subscription (so that it doesn't lapse)? That would help me, perhaps others as well. Thanks for all of your hard work. I love what you're doing.
Please support Nats Journal! I thought the end of the Wpost sports secction would be terrible news for Nats fans but it turns out that Mark does a great job here as well as on the Nats Chat podcast with Al Galdi. (Spencer Nussbaum at The Athletic is also worth reading.)
BIG Thanks to MARC GUNTHER for turning me on to Mark Zuckerman. My Baseball IQ has gone up twenty points! I wish Mark could dramatically improve our bullpen but I understand that’s not in his portfolio. :-)
There are several good Nats beat writers around these days but Mark is the gold standard and has been ever since 2005. I would strongly encourage everyone to sign up for a paid subscription—journalism like Mark’s is well worth paying for.
Welcome to the 2nd half, folks! The dog days (or some alien creatures with this climate) are upon us.
Thanks, Mark, for your steadfast and informative reporting on all things Nats. Agree with others: if you are not a paid subscriber please join us by stepping up to the plate.
I went to Minneapolis last summer to see the Nats play three at Target Field. The wild fires from Canada were hot and heavy the weekend I was there. Driving in from the airport it looked like a post-apoclypse scene.
If you'll believe it, the smoke was worse here yesterday.
The record AQI in MN was 490 before yesterday. As of today, the top ten are all over 1,000. Here in Minneapolis, I think it topped out at 530. It was enough to completely obscure the downtown skyline from where I live.
I'm dismayed that this seems like a regular thing now.
Definitely worth the cost for your journal, Mark! I suspect that many of us miss what was regularly reported on the Post’s sports page until mass firings. Glad to report that Nats reporting has resumed on the paper, but I suspect that the journalist (who is good) does not travel with the team. Makes a difference. Thanks again for your thorough knowledge and fine reporting!
Thanks for the great information as always Mark. Please support Mark by becoming a paid subscriber. $72.00 for a full year is very little to help support an independent journalist.
Who woulda thunk it just 5 months ago, but Nationals coverage is now better than it's ever been.
But that is ENTIRELY because of Mark Zuckerman. Yes, Spencer is doing great work at the Athletic. Andrew and Kyle are writing Nats pieces for the Banner. Jesse Dougherty is now at NOTUS and writing dinner great feature stories. Even the Post inexplicably has a Nats writer again . . .
But Mark Zuckerman remains the ONLY beat reporter covering every game and traveling with the team to most games, and is the one person on this list doing it without collecting a salary or having any of his expenses paid!
So if you haven't signed up as a Founding Member, or at least an annual subscriber, just freaking do it. Do the math. This man has a family to support. This coverage is worth much more than a few pennies a day.
It's worth adding the folks at Federal Baseball to this. It's free and regularly features insightful information. The community is pretty active, too. I think Sam and Paul belong in the discussion of Nats coverage options, even if it's less traditional media.
I generally agree. They have been at it for almost as long as Mark, and they do a good job given that they are, still, fans like us (as opposed to credentialed beat reporters actually in the locker room).
Don't get me wrong. I read a lot of independent blogs. But a lot of people fail to recognize the distinction, and that's bad for the world. We need to support journalism.
Really enjoy both your articles and Nats Chat. Always great insight. Look forward to reading off season articles
as well. You’re the best.
Vic S.
I agree on that:))
I saw Ford in person all four games he caught for Great Britain in the WBC in the Spring. Great batting eye/does not chase.
Zuckerman always nails it ⚾️ Try a subscription if you have not do so already ⚾️ Play Ball…..Steve W
Thank you for all you do, Mark! Happy subscriber here.
I forgot to ask the other day, what is the current status of Josiah Gray? Any timetable for his return?
Gray recently posted a video of himself throwing off a mound in West Palm Beach, so that's somewhat encouraging progress.
There are a few good outlets that cover the Nats that have arose this year, with some new faces and some vets on the beat. I try to read them all and support where I can.
Mark is - by far - the best of them! He's been on the beat since (almost) day one. He knows the team inside and out. Reading his thoughts and reporting on the team and hearing him chat with Al Galdi almost every day, it almost feels like he's a part of my family (slight hyperbole).
I encourage everyone to become a paid subscriber and support him so he can continue giving us the coverage we all crave!
Hear hear
Good morning, Mark. As a loyal subscriber, here’s an idea: how about you meet in-person twice a year over coffee with subscribers who might be at the $250 level (or some other $ figure). Have a Q & A for 90 minutes with 20-30 fans, perhaps end of the season and again beginning of Spring Training. Count me in if you decide to do something like this. And thanks for your great work during this exciting and maddening 2026 season!
or perhaps four times a year over Zoom?
Nice ideas Anthony. (From your neighborhood Nats fanatic rabbi)
Thanks for the suggestions! I've definitely been thinking about a subscriber get-together after the season ends, but I also like your idea of a Zoom, especially for those who don't live in the immediate area!
Mark, count me in with whatever you decide to do. PS. Hope Toboni doesn’t break our Nats hearts in the next two weeks! Please tell him not to lose the gifts that keep on giving!
Mr. Zuckerman,
Will we receive a notice when it is time to renew our subscription (so that it doesn't lapse)? That would help me, perhaps others as well. Thanks for all of your hard work. I love what you're doing.
Yes, everyone automatically receives an email one week before their annual subscription expires!
Thanks so much. That's a big help.
I really appreciate your work, Mark. Great reporting and awesome insights, all the time. I highly recommend a paid subscription!
What I hope for in the 2nd half is a big batch of CURLY Ws!! GO NATS!!
Please support Nats Journal! I thought the end of the Wpost sports secction would be terrible news for Nats fans but it turns out that Mark does a great job here as well as on the Nats Chat podcast with Al Galdi. (Spencer Nussbaum at The Athletic is also worth reading.)
BIG Thanks to MARC GUNTHER for turning me on to Mark Zuckerman. My Baseball IQ has gone up twenty points! I wish Mark could dramatically improve our bullpen but I understand that’s not in his portfolio. :-)
There are several good Nats beat writers around these days but Mark is the gold standard and has been ever since 2005. I would strongly encourage everyone to sign up for a paid subscription—journalism like Mark’s is well worth paying for.
Yep, and at less than $0.20/day as well!
Welcome to the 2nd half, folks! The dog days (or some alien creatures with this climate) are upon us.
Thanks, Mark, for your steadfast and informative reporting on all things Nats. Agree with others: if you are not a paid subscriber please join us by stepping up to the plate.
Let the games begin!
I saw that because of the heat and air quality alerts, we should stay indoors between 10 am and November 1st!!!
LOL!
I went to Minneapolis last summer to see the Nats play three at Target Field. The wild fires from Canada were hot and heavy the weekend I was there. Driving in from the airport it looked like a post-apoclypse scene.
If you'll believe it, the smoke was worse here yesterday.
The record AQI in MN was 490 before yesterday. As of today, the top ten are all over 1,000. Here in Minneapolis, I think it topped out at 530. It was enough to completely obscure the downtown skyline from where I live.
I'm dismayed that this seems like a regular thing now.
If they trade CJ Abrams, Garcia or Mead, stay inside! And, Lerner Family, please work to keep Foster Griffin.
Yes, welcome to the second half (sorta). Thank God we’re on the road so we can win a few games. 🙂
Definitely worth the cost for your journal, Mark! I suspect that many of us miss what was regularly reported on the Post’s sports page until mass firings. Glad to report that Nats reporting has resumed on the paper, but I suspect that the journalist (who is good) does not travel with the team. Makes a difference. Thanks again for your thorough knowledge and fine reporting!
Mark's timely insight is well worth a subscription
Thanks for the great information as always Mark. Please support Mark by becoming a paid subscriber. $72.00 for a full year is very little to help support an independent journalist.
Who woulda thunk it just 5 months ago, but Nationals coverage is now better than it's ever been.
But that is ENTIRELY because of Mark Zuckerman. Yes, Spencer is doing great work at the Athletic. Andrew and Kyle are writing Nats pieces for the Banner. Jesse Dougherty is now at NOTUS and writing dinner great feature stories. Even the Post inexplicably has a Nats writer again . . .
But Mark Zuckerman remains the ONLY beat reporter covering every game and traveling with the team to most games, and is the one person on this list doing it without collecting a salary or having any of his expenses paid!
So if you haven't signed up as a Founding Member, or at least an annual subscriber, just freaking do it. Do the math. This man has a family to support. This coverage is worth much more than a few pennies a day.
What is a founding member? I have only been a paid subscriber since Spring Training.
"Founding Member" is just the highest subscription level. You pay a little more and get a few extra things, but it's mainly to support Mark.
I didn't know why, but my phone seems to always autocorrect the word "some" to "dinner".
And "don't" to "didn't"
And surely to Shirley.
Shirley must be better looking:))
It's worth adding the folks at Federal Baseball to this. It's free and regularly features insightful information. The community is pretty active, too. I think Sam and Paul belong in the discussion of Nats coverage options, even if it's less traditional media.
I generally agree. They have been at it for almost as long as Mark, and they do a good job given that they are, still, fans like us (as opposed to credentialed beat reporters actually in the locker room).
Don't get me wrong. I read a lot of independent blogs. But a lot of people fail to recognize the distinction, and that's bad for the world. We need to support journalism.