MLB Manager Clearly Blames Players After 7 Straight Losses

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Joshua Valdez | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 7:08 PM ET

August is often called the "dog days" part of the baseball season, but it came early for the Washington Nationals this season.

The Nationals are embroiled in an MLB-high seven-game losing streak after their 4-3 home defeat to the Miami Marlins on Saturday. They've lost five of those contests by two runs or less, and are now in danger of getting swept for a third straight series.

Washington must beat Miami on Sunday to avoid that scenario. Ace hurler Mackenzie Gore (3-5, 2.88 ERA) will start on the mound against Marlins right-hander Eury Perez (0-1, 12.00 ERA). The Nationals have the pitching advantage on paper, but that doesn't guarantee anything.

Manager Dave Martinez sounded off after their loss on Saturday, via The Washington Post's Spencer Nusbaum.

"It's never on coaching...We're not going to point the finger and say it's on the coaches...They work hard...Sometimes you got to put the onus on the players," he said.

"They've got to go out there and they got to play the game. And play the game the right way," he continued. "We can't hit for them. We can't catch the balls for them. We can't pitch for them. We can't throw strikes for them. They got to do that."

Full Q & A from Nationals Manager Dave Martinez on where the blame lies for the offensive swoon. "It's never on coaching. It's never on coaching. Coaches work their asses off every single day." pic.twitter.com/yNH9u1Q30h
— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) June 14, 2025

Washington is now in fourth place in the NL East and two games ahead of last-place Miami. It's also 15 games behind the first-place New York Mets and nine out of a Wild Card spot.

Next up after Sunday's contest is a four-game home set with the Colorado Rockies.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: