Best Mark Zuckerman Podcasts (2025)

1
Short Outing for Gore in Atlanta 33:25

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1h ago33:25

33:25

The Nats were no match for the Braves in Monday's 11-5 loss. Al & Tim convene after the Nationals pitching staff needed six pitchers just to make it through six innings and combined for nine issued walks. (06:00) MacKenzie Gore was pulled in the top of the 3rd after having already thrown 71 pitches. The Braves lineup fouled off 24 of them and now G…

1
Nats Add to the Mets Miserable September 26:30

6h ago26:30

26:30

The Nats took the weekend series in Queens as they held off the Mets 3-2 on Sunday afternoon. Before we get to Mark & Al's analysis, Executive Producer Tim Shovers comes on to deliver an annual end of season message. If you would like to donate to the podcast, visit natschatpodcast.com and click on Merch to get directed to our Donation page. (04:30…

1
Lile's 11th Inning Inside-the-Park-Homer Stuns Citi Field 39:24

2d ago39:24

39:24

The Nats handed the Mets a crucial defeat on Saturday afternoon in Queens. Mark (From NYC) & Al meet after the Nationals blew an early 3-0 lead, but Daylen Lile's exciting 2-run Inside-the-Park-Home run put them ahead for good 5-3. (05:00) It looked initially that Lile's big hit would be a triple as he is one away from setting a franchise record. L…

1
Lile Triples Again in New York Loss 36:19

3d ago36:19

36:19

The Nats dropped their 5th straight on Friday night as they were beaten by the Mets 12-6. Mark (From NYC) & Al gather after Washington guaranteed itself of having more losses this season than the previous two years. (04:30) The pattern of sloppy defense continued on Friday as the outfield combined for three errors; two of which were on Dylan Crews.…

1
Swept by the Braves 33:18

3d ago33:18

33:18

The Nats lost 9-4 on Wednesday and dropped all four games this week against the Braves. Mark & Al evaluate the team's tired legs as they have shown recent signs of fatigue. It has been a busy stretch for the team as they have played 14 games in the past 13 days. (07:30) James Wood had a RBI double and a single on his 23rd birthday. Wood did strikeo…

1
Braves Take Both Games in the Doubleheader 25:29

5d ago25:29

25:29

Tuesday was a long one on South Capitol Street and neither game went the home team's way. Al & Tim convene following a day/night doubleheader where the Braves won 6-3 in the afternoon and then took the evening session 5-0 in extras. (05:45) James Wood struck out four times in the Game 1 loss. Wood sat out Game 2 and is now up to 209 strikeouts this…

1
Lile Homers but Routed by Atlanta 26:09

7d ago26:09

26:09

The Nats were pounded 11-3 by the Braves on Monday night in Navy Yard. Mark & Al begin with Daylen Lile yet again impressing as he homered and lifted his OPS to .816, just six points behind James Wood. Lile has the highest OPS of any NL Rookie with 300+ at-bats. (05:45) Dylan Crews went 0 for 3 and his batting average is now down to .202. (08:00) M…

1
Nats Rally to Take the Series Over Pittsburgh 31:12

8d ago31:12

31:12

The Nats took the series rubber match in Sunday afternoon's 4-3 win over the Pirates. Mark & Al note that the Nationals are 9-4 to start September and need only one more victory to avoid a 100 loss season. (04:35) Daylen Lile was the offensive hero as his 8th inning RBI double put Washington ahead for good. Lile reached base four times and his OPS …

1
Bullpen Falters After Alvarez's Gem 34:54

9d ago34:54

34:54

The Nats lost 5-1 on Saturday afternoon to the visiting Pirates. Al & Mark convene after the offense was only able to muster one run in the defeat. (06:00) Dylan Crews had multiple instances of aggressive and heads up base running in the bottom of the 6th. His play that inning is emblematic of the kind of player Crews wants to be. (13:10) Andrew Al…

1
Wood's Throw Home Preserves Comeback Win 28:45

10d ago28:45

28:45

The Nats opened the homestand with a 6-5 victory over Pittsburgh despite an early three run deficit. Mark & Al begin with the defensive exploits by James Wood in the top of the 9th as his perfect throw nailed the tying run at the plate. It was an up and down evening for Wood as he doubled twice, but also struck out twice, thus setting a single seas…

1
Gore Takes the Mound but the Offense Gets Shutout 31:05

11d ago31:05

31:05

The Nats had to settle for a series split in Miami after dropping Thursday night's finale 5-0. Al & Tim gather after Washington was shutout for the 12th time this season to conclude their otherwise winning road trip. (04:00) MacKenzie Gore returned from the 15-Day IL to toss five innings in the loss. Gore allowed two runs in the first inning and st…

1
Gore Returning but Win Streak Snapped 36:34

12d ago36:34

36:34

The Nats led 3-0 entering the bottom of the 6th, but an ensuing comedy of errors tilted the evening in the Marlins direction for an 8-3 loss on Wednesday. Mark (From Miami) & Al though begin with the very encouraging news that MacKenzie Gore not only is coming off the IL, but will take the mound on Thursday night in South Florida. (08:00) Jake Irvi…

1
Bell Homers Again in 4th Straight Win 34:09

13d ago34:09

34:09

The Nats scorching start to September continued on Tuesday night as they held off the Marlins 7-5 for a 4th straight victory. Mark (From South Florida) & Al take note that Washington is now within striking distance of both Atlanta & Miami in the NL East. The Nationals are six wins behind the Marlins with 18 games remaining. (06:30) Josh Bell crushe…

1
Crews Among the 4 Homers Hit in Rout of the Marlins 34:14

14d ago34:14

34:14

The Nats hot start to September continued on Monday night in their 15-7 pasting of the Marlins. Mark (From Miami) & Al have four Nationals homers (two by Josh Bell) to sort through as the team has won six of their past seven games. (05:00) Dylan Crews hit his first homer since May 20th, which came just before he landed on the IL all summer. Crews h…

1
Bell's Pinch-Hit Homer Stuns Wrigley in Comeback Win 30:04

16d ago30:04

30:04

The Nats trailed the Cubs 3-1 entering the 9th inning, but a couple of homers later, they emerged victorious by a score of 6-3 Sunday afternoon in Chicago. Mark (From Wrigley Field) & Tim recap the Nationals 5th win in the past six games to take their second straight series. (03:00) Josh Bell's gave Washington the lead for good with a pinch-hit 3-r…

1
Davey Johnson, 1st Division Winning Skipper, Passes Away at 82 38:51

16d ago38:51

38:51

We learned on Saturday morning that Davey Johnson, the Manager of the Nationals when they won their first NL East title in 2012, peacefully passed away the previous day at age 82. Mark (From Wrigley Field) & Al note that some of Johnson's managerial traits were utilized by Miguel Cairo in the Nationals 2-1 afternoon victory over the Cubs. (05:00) J…

1
Irvin Gets Crushed at Wrigley 30:20

15d ago30:20

30:20

The Nats three game win streak came to an abrupt halt during Friday afternoon's 11-5 loss to the Cubs. Mark (From Wrigley Field) & Al convene after the Chicago warm wind was flying out towards the lake; leading to four Cubs home runs. (04:45) Jake Irvin gave up two of those homers and allowed seven runs in his brief outing. Irvin's ceded five runs …

1
Nasim Nunez Stuns w/ 2 Homers in Sweep of Miami 37:31

20d ago37:31

37:31

The Nats turned an eight game skid into a three game sweep of the visiting Marlins. Al & Mark convene after the Nationals pulled off their 2nd sweep of the season and just like the one in Baltimore back in May, there were major contributions by Nasim Nuñez. (04:00) Nuñez entered the day with zero career MLB homers and shocked everyone by going deep…

1
Cavalli Bounces Back to Beat Miami 33:22

19d ago33:22

33:22

Make it two straight victories for the Nats over Miami after Tuesday's 5-2 triumph. Mark & Al discuss Cade Cavalli's successful outing on the heels of getting hit hard at Yankee Stadium last week. Cavalli struck out six Marlins and this was his sixth start since getting called up from AAA last month. (12:00) The bullpen continued their strong run a…

1
Andrew Alvarez Impresses in Winning Debut 31:57

22d ago31:57

31:57

The Nats 8-game losing streak ended on Labor Day as Andrew Alvarez tossed five shutout innings in his MLB debut in Navy Yard. Mark & Al throw plenty of flowers to the lefty who earned the 2-0 victory over Miami. Alvarez was called up from AAA-Rochester and was drafted out of Cal Poly in the 12th Round of the 2021 Draft. (08:45) Alvarez's battery ma…

1
Rays Extend Nats Losing Streak to 8 38:36

23d ago38:36

38:36

August concluded at Nationals Park with a Rays sweep and an 8th consecutive loss for the home team. Mark & Al spend plenty of time sorting through another awful month and what this means big picture for the organization. If you've taken some time off from the podcast due to the rough state of affairs, this is a good one chance to check back in. (08…

1
Gore to the IL Before a 7th Straight Loss 33:34

23d ago33:34

33:34

It was a not so fun Saturday in Navy Yard as the Nats dropped their 7th consecutive game. Mark & Al react to the 4-1 loss to the visiting Rays that bizarrely saw multiple instances of fans running onto the field during play. (05:30) MacKenzie Gore was placed on the 15-Day IL prior to the game due to left shoulder inflammation. Gore told reporters t…

1
12 Hits Yet Only 1 Run Scored 32:31

24d ago32:31

32:31

The Nats losing streak was extended to six after Friday night's 4-1 defeat by the visiting Rays. Al & Tim begin with the offense going 0 for 12 w/ RISP and not taking advantage of opportunities to score. The two worst offenders were Riley Adams (0 for 4) & Robert Hassell III (0 for 3). (06:25) Chris Johnson, Assistant Hitting Coach, was surprisingl…

1
Embarrassed & Swept at Yankee Stadium 29:09

25d ago29:09

29:09

The losing streak is extended to five after the Nats were crushed 11-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. New York hit six homers in the series finale and out-homered Washington 10-2 in the three game series. (06:30) Cade Cavalli fell apart in the bottom of the 3rd as he gave up a trio of homers and seven earned runs in his outing. The Yanks…

1
More Bad Base Running in New York Loss 31:46

26d ago31:46

31:46

The Nats dropped their 4th straight on Tuesday night in New York. Mark & Al have even more instances of poor base running decisions by Washington in their 5-1 defeat. James Wood didn't strike out in the affair, but he was egregiously thrown out at the plate in the top of the 5th inning. (10:20) The coaching staff will likely almost completely turn …

1
Lord Gets Rocked in the Bronx 31:20

27d ago31:20

31:20

The recent three game Nats win streak has morphed into a three game losing streak after Monday night's 10-5 defeat in Yankee Stadium. Al & Mark begin with Jacob Young's eventful evening that saw him get picked off and also hit a 9th inning Grand Slam. (06:15) Young getting picked continues a recent pattern for him. His base running deficiencies are…

1
Brief Outing for Irvin in Narrow Philly Loss 33:17

29d ago33:17

33:17

The Nats held another late rally that came up short on Sunday afternoon on Broad Street. Mark (From Philadelphia) & Al note how the team continues to lose when either Jake Irvin or Mitchell Parker take the mound. (05:10) James Wood went 0 for 4 with 3 Ks and hit into a costly double play in the top of the 8th. Wood has astonishingly struck out 35 t…

1
Parker's Awful August Continues 31:29

29d ago31:29

31:29

The win streak ends at three as the Nats lost 6-4 on Saturday night in Philly. Mark (From Philadelphia) & Al have another busy top of the 9th to discuss, but this time Washington's rally came up short. There were runners on the corners with one out, but both James Wood & CJ Abrams could not come through. (07:45) James Wood struck only three times i…

1
Crews & Lile Lead the 9th Inning Rally 36:41

1M ago36:41

36:41

The Nats won their 3rd in a row on Friday night in Philadelphia. Mark (From Philly) & Al speak after the 5-4 victory that saw Washington score a pair of runs in the top of the 9th. (03:30) Dylan Crews had a pair of hits and scored the tying run on a tight play at the plate. The team has a winning record this year with Crews in the lineup at 27-26. …

1
Nats Score 9 Unanswered in Win Over the Mets 30:49

1M ago30:49

30:49

The Nats overcame an early 3-0 deficit for a 9-3 victory over the Mets in Thursday's series rubber match. Al & Tim gather after Washington completed a winning home stand against the top two teams in the NL East. It was a costly defeat for New York as they lead Cincinnati by only half a game for the final NL Wildcard spot. (05:30) James Wood had a b…

1
Bullpen Preserves Lord's Lead 32:52

1M ago32:52

32:52

The Nats held off the Mets 5-4 on Wednesday night as the bullpen stepped up for 3+ frames. Mark & Al open with Miguel Cairo's curious ejection that came within a blink of an eye while he was still in the dugout. Bench Coach Henry Blanco took over skipper duties after Cairo's ejection for the final few innings. (07:00) The offense jumped all over Ne…

1
Irvin Torched Again 30:56

1M ago30:56

30:56

The Nats were pounded 8-1 on Tuesday night as Jake Irvin was no match for the Mets. Mark & Al contrast that with New York starter David Peterson, who continued his dominance vs. Washington. Peterson didn't allow a run until the 8th, after throwing a complete game shutout against the Nats earlier this summer. (08:45) Andres Chaparro collected two hi…

1
Parker Hammered Again in High Scoring Loss 28:55

1M ago28:55

28:55

The Nats 9th inning comeback came up short in Sunday's 11-9 loss to the Phillies. Al & Mark open with the performance of Dylan Crews who singled, doubled, and threw out a runner at the plate from RF. The offense collected 13 hits on a day when James Wood & Josh Bell were each given the day off. (12:30) Mitchell Parker was awful again as he was pull…

1
Cavalli & Ferrer Shutout the Phils 32:30

1M ago32:30

32:30

The Nats had one of their best days in awhile in Saturday's 2-0 victory over the visiting Phillies. Mark & Al discuss the young building blocks that contributed to the win; headlined by Cade Cavalli, who tossed seven shutout frames. Miguel Cairo showed trust in the young right-hander by allowing him to pitch the top of the 7th and last 90 pitches. …

1
Schwarber & Harper's Blasts Sink the Nats 35:13

1M ago35:13

35:13

The Nats and Phillies were tied entering the 7th, but Kyle Schwarber & Bryce Harper went Back-to-Back to put Philadelphia up 6-2 for good. Mark & Al gather after a Friday night that saw a repeat Opening Day pitching matchup between MacKenzie Gore & Zack Wheeler. (06:10) Daylen Lile homered while getting the start in LF. Lile is having a very good A…

1
Crews Has a Winning Return + Lowe DFA'd 36:45

1M ago36:45

36:45

The Nats topped the Phillies 3-2 on Thursday night to open a four game set in D.C. Al & Tim have a lot to get to as prior to the game Dylan Crews was not only activated, but the corresponding roster move likely raised a few eyebrows. (04:30) Crews returned from his minor league rehab assignment and made a diving catch in RF in his first fielding op…

1
Lile's Late RBI Lifts the Nats + Crews Returning 31:32

1M ago31:32

31:32

The Nats won a wild one on Wednesday afternoon as they prevailed 8-7 at the Royals to avoid the sweep. Mark (From KC) & Al convene after Washington immediately jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Kansas City tied it up in the bottom of the 8th. Daylen Lile's RBI single scored Luis Garcia Jr. to take the lead for good in the top of the 9th. (05:00) The …

1
Parker Beaten by the Royals 29:06

1M ago29:06

29:06

The Nats fell 8-5 on Tuesday night in Kansas City in a game that saw a bizarre pitching line. Mark (From KC) & Al examine Mitchell Parker's outing where he only allowed two hits, but ultimately gave up five runs. It was Parker's 13th loss of the season and his WHIP is the worst among qualifying pitchers in all of MLB (1.46). (06:00) James Wood cont…

1
Cavalli Gives up 4 Runs in KC Loss 30:03

1M ago30:03

30:03

The Nats lost 7-4 on Monday night at Kansas City as they begin a new phase of the road trip. Mark (From KC) & Al open with Cade Cavalli's first road outing where he allowed four runs in five plus innings of work. Cavalli gave up a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 6th to mar his pitching line. (12:30) Josh Bell hit his 15th homer on the season early…

1
Gore Whiffs 10 Giants in Shutout Victory 26:55

1M ago26:55

26:55

The Nats cruised past the Giants 8-0 on Sunday afternoon for their first series win since the trade deadline. Mark (From San Francisco) & Al have another all positive set of topics to dissect as both James Wood & MacKenzie Gore had big days. (04:10) James Wood continued his strong weekend from the lead-off spot as he had a pair of RBI doubles. Wood…

1
Wood Homers in San Francisco Win 31:26

1M ago31:26

31:26

The Nats hit three homers in Saturday afternoon's 4-2 victory at the Giants. Mark (From San Francisco) & Al meet after James Wood leadoff the game with his first home run in a month. Wood is now up to 25 homers on the season and also added a RBI double in the top of the 6th. (07:00) Paul DeJong and Josh Bell went Back-To-Back in the top of the 3rd …

1
Shutout for the 11th Time This Year 25:03

2M ago25:03

25:03

The Nats were blanked for the second straight day in Friday night's 5-0 loss at the Giants. Mark (From San Francisco) & Al examine the new look lineup that saw James Wood double out of the lead-off spot. (06:45) Brady House went 0 for 4 while slotted 3rd in the lineup, House has been up for nearly two months and his OPS so far is a disappointing .5…

1
Wood's Slide Continues in Shutout Defeat 35:22

2M ago35:22

35:22

The Nats were blanked 6-0 on Thursday afternoon by the Athletics to end a dismal 1-5 homestand. Al & Tim convene to marvel at how bad Washington has been in day games this year; a starling 14-34 thus far. (06:30) James Wood struck out twice and went 0 for 4 in the loss. Wood only gathered two hits all homestand and his OPS this season has dipped to…

1
Cavalli Impresses in Walk-off Win 32:08

2M ago32:08

32:08

The Nats got a much needed feel-good win on Wednesday to snap their six game skid. Al & Mark gather after the 2-1 walk-off victory over the Athletics where Cade Cavalli took the Navy Yard mound for the first time in almost three years. Cavalli did not allow a run in just over four innings of work where he struck out six batters. (11:00) Jose A. Fer…

1
Gore Clobbered in 6th Straight Loss 29:58

2M ago29:58

29:58

The Nats were crushed by the visiting Athletics 16-7 on Tuesday night for their 6th consecutive defeat. Mark & Al run through all the awful totals as the Nationals were routed by the last place team in the AL West. (03:20) MacKenzie Gore had a nightmarish start that only lasted three innings. Gore immediately fell behind 5-0 in the top of 1st and e…

1
Stomped & Swept 32:48

2M ago32:48

32:48

The Nats were clobbered by the Brewers 14-3 on Sunday afternoon for their 5th straight loss. Mark & Al point out that Milwaukee is an organization worth emulating as they continue to win every year despite not having a high payroll. (09:00) What is the bigger need for the organization? Pitch depth or offensive firepower? (13:30) James Wood's summer…

1
Hassell Homers in Loss to Milwaukee 35:04

2M ago35:04

35:04

The Nats lost 8-2 to the visiting Brewers for their fourth consecutive defeat. Al & Tim dig into another rough start for Jake Irvin where he allowed five runs in four innings. Irvin immediately allowed three runs; continuing his recent trend of not pitching well in the top of the 1st. (08:30) Shinnosuke Ogasawara tossed three scorless innings befor…

1
Embarassed by the Brewers 34:36

2M ago34:36

34:36

The day after the Trade Deadline did not go well for the Nats in their 16-9 loss vs. visiting Milwaukee. Mark & Al discuss the rough start to August as Washington gave up a franchise most 25 hits on Friday against the Brewers. (5:30) Mitchell Parker was hammered in allowing eight runs off of 12 hits. Parker's ERA has now moved up to 5.35 in what is…

1
TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL: Gore Remains Among Other Moves 32:21

2M ago32:21

32:21

The Nats made a few more trades in the closing hours of the MLB Trade Deadline on Thursday. Mark & Al convene after the Nationals made five trades in total and three in the final 24 hours. They in total shipped away six players and five of them were on expiring contracts (all but Alex Call). (04:45) MacKenzie Gore was not traded away and will remai…

1
Gore Flops & A Pair of Relievers Dealt Away 33:12

2M ago33:12

33:12

The Nats were crushed 9-1 by the Astros on Wednesday afternoon to end their road trip at 3-3. Mark (From Houston) & Al start with the trade that was made prior to the game which sent relievers Andrew Chafin & Luis Garcia to the Angels. Washington in return received a pair of prospects in 1B Sam Brown and LHP Jake Eder. (06:00) A discussion about th…