Washington Nationals: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Nationals RHP Zack Littell closes out stellar May against Padres

Washington right-hander Zack Littell looks to put a bow on a turnaround month of May when the Nationals host the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Littell (4-4, 5.23 ERA) opposes right-hander Griffin Canning (0-3, 7.24) in the series finale after the teams split the first two games with Washington rallying for a 9-4 win on Saturday.

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The Quiz of the Day

Why not the Nats? Why 2026 feels different for the Washington Nationals

Legitimate signs of hope have been few and far between for Washington Nationals fans since the storybook title run in 2019. Pieces being sold, starting pitching being a revolving door of mediocrity (at best) and inconsistency, and the lack of a true team identity for much of the 2020s.

Washington Nationals News / DC Sports King / May 31

Can the Nats’ Explosive Bats Overcome Woeful Pitching for October?

For the first time since the afterglow of 2019 faded into a grueling rebuild, baseball in the nation’s capital is genuinely fun again. As we near June 2026, the Washington Nationals are hovering just over the .500 mark (30-29), firmly in the National League Wild Card mix.

MLB News / Federal Baseball / May 30

Washington Nationals use wild 7th inning rally to beat the San Diego Padres

When you have an elite offense, you are truly never out of a game. Nationals fans, including myself, are learning that this season. Even when the offense has nothing to offer early in the game, they have the ability to turn it on at any moment.

Los Angeles Dodgers News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'Foreign-born 250-HR club' quiz

How many of the 53 Major League Baseball players not born in the United States of America with 250 or more career home runs can you name in seven minutes?

The 'Last 30-HR season by MLB team' quiz

The 'Most K's to start an MLB career' quiz

The 'Active 40-HR MLB seasons' quiz

MLB News / Field Level Media / May 30

Nationals explode for six-run inning, beat Padres

Luis Garcia Jr. hit a two-run single to highlight a six-run seventh inning as the Nationals rallied past the San Diego Padres for a 9-4 win Saturday in Washington.

MLB News / Yardbarker

The 25 greatest rookie seasons in MLB history

Not every all-timer has instant success at the next level. For many baseball players, it takes a few bumps in the road out of the gate before they ever reach stardom.

Andrew Alvarez News / Washington Nationals on SI / May 30

How Nationals Used Andrew Alvarez Against Padres Was Puzzling

When the Washington Nationals put right-handed starter Jake Irvin on the 15-day injured list, that created an opening in the rotation. All signs pointed to left-hander Andrew Alvarez backfilling that spot.

Curtis Mead News / Federal Baseball / May 30

Curtis Mead is living up to his prospect hype with the Washington Nationals

We have talked about him quite a bit this season, but Curtis Mead’s production at the plate continues to amaze me. The Aussie has gone from a short side of a first base platoon to the everyday third baseman on the strength of his bat.

MLB News / Federal Baseball / May 29

The Nationals Head Home To Take On Struggling Padres Squad

The Nats were unable to pull off the sweep in Cleveland, dropping the game Thursday 3-2, but in 2026 Nationals fashion, they went down swinging, scoring one in the 9th and getting the tying run to second base.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / May 29

New Nationals Regime Has Completely Transformed Keibert Ruiz, Jacob Young, Others

When the Washington Nationals hired then-35-year-old Paul Toboni to become the team's new president of baseball operations, there was a lot of excitement about the direction of the organization.

Washington Nationals News / Federal Baseball / May 29

How the looming MLB labor dispute could effect the Washington Nationals

As most baseball fans know by now, Major League Baseball is staring down the barrel of a work stoppage after this season. We have known that CBA negotiations would be tense for a while.

MLB News / Just Baseball / May 29

The White Sox and Nationals Quietly Pulled Off a Perfect Win-Win Trade

When the Washington Nationals and Chicago White Sox lined up on a minor trade in late March, it didn’t exactly garner a bunch of headlines. Both teams entered the 2026 campaign with expectations of finishing at or near the bottom of their respective divisions, so the one-for-one swap meant next to nothing at the time of its announcement.

MLB News / Yardbarker

Which 20 players have hit four home runs in an MLB game?

The only two things rarer in modern-day baseball than the four-homer game is the Triple Crown and the unassisted triple play. The former is, of course, done over an entire season, while there's a large level of lucky in the unassisted triple play.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / May 28

How MLB's Proposed Salary Cap, Salary Floor Would Affect the Nationals

There was a bombshell report on May 28 that would have massive implications for every team in Major League Baseball, especially the Washington Nationals.

MLB News / Field Level Media / May 28

Surging Nationals to test MLB's top offense against Padres

The surprising Washington Nationals return home on Friday night to open a three-game series against the slumping San Diego Padres. The Nationals moved above .500 for the first time since the opening week of the season during a 4-2 road trip when they earned series wins against the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Guardians.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'Men's French Open champions' quiz

The 'Foreign-born 250-HR club' quiz

The 'NBA Coaches of the Year' quiz

The 'Active playoff double-doubles' quiz

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / May 28

Nationals Set to Recall Star Reliever After Extended Absence

The Washington Nationals announced an interesting roster move on Wednesday. Following their series victory over the Cleveland Guardians despite the loss in the finale, the Nationals revealed that left-handed pitcher PJ Poulin had been optioned back to Triple-A Rochester.

PJ Poulin News / Washington Nationals on SI / May 27

Nationals Option PJ Poulin to Triple-A, What This Could Mean for Pitching Staff

The Washington Nationals finished their slate of 16 consecutive games on a positive note. After taking two out of three against their NL East rival Atlanta Braves over the weekend, they turned around and won two out of three against the Cleveland Guardians, too.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / May 27

What Stood Out During Nationals Series Win Over First-Place Guardians

On May 24, the Washington Nationals held on to beat the Atlanta Braves in the finale of their three-game set that resulted in a series victory. It was clear what that meant for the Nationals, as there was emotion displayed on the field when the final out was recorded.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / May 27

Nationals Manager Believes This Offense Won't Slow Down, Here's Why

Entering Wednesday's slate of games, the Washington Nationals lead Major League Baseball with 304 total runs scored. It has been an offensive revolution in the nation's capital, and one that not many people saw coming entering the 2026 campaign.

MLB News / Yardbarker / May 26

Three options for the Phillies to improve right field

Right field has been a black hole for the Philadelphia Phillies ever since Bryce Harper made his transition to first base after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021. Philadelphia signed Nick Castellanos to a five-year ($100 million) contract in March 2022 with the hope of addressing that hole, but he failed to do so.

Phillies' Andrew Painter continues to show growth in loss to Guardians

White Sox back above .500 as Rikuu Nishida shines in MLB debut

MLB News / DC Sports King / May 25

Young Nationals Make Statement Handing Braves First Home Series Loss

If you’ve been waiting for a sign that the Washington Nationals rebuild is turning the corner, look no further than what just transpired down in Atlanta.

Jake Irvin News / MLB Trade Rumors / May 24

Nationals Place Jake Irvin On 15-Day Injured List

Prior to today’s game with the Braves, the Nationals announced that right-hander Jake Irvin had been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a strain in his throwing shoulder. Left-hander PJ Poulin was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.

Washington Nationals News / Yardbarker / May 20