Washington

My prediction for the Washington Nationals Opening Day Lineup

Published

12 months ago

March 13, 2025

My prediction for the Washington Nationals Opening Day Lineup

The Washington Nationals Opening Day matchup against the Phillies is just two weeks away! With that in mind, I thought it was time to make my prediction for the Opening Day lineup. One important thing to keep in mind is that the Phillies Opening Day starter, Zack Wheeler is right handed.

1: CJ Abrams, SS

This one is a slam dunk. Manager Davey Martinez has already confirmed that Abrams will be the leadoff man. Despite his tumultuous second half, the Nationals still have faith in their young shortstop. The best stretches of CJ’s career have come from the leadoff spot, and it has always felt like he has been more confident at the top of the order. He will take the first at bat of the season for the Washington Nationals.

2: Dylan Crews, RF

This might be slightly bold due to Crews’ lack of MLB production, but I think the Nats are going to stick him in the 2 hole. A big reason for this is his right handed bat. The Nationals lineup is very left handed heavy at the top as we will discuss. Davey Martinez will want a right handed bat in between those guys and Crews fits the bill. Martinez has a history of not liking too many same sided hitters in a row, so Crews is a good bet at in the 2 hole.

3: James Wood, LF

The Nationals highest upside hitter will hit in the three hole. There are high hopes for the towering slugger in 2025. Andrew Golden said he had a chance to hit 35 homers this season, while Grant Paulsen said 30 was within reach. Wood certainly has the raw power to get that done. He hits the ball hard a ton, and it goes a long way when he elevates the ball. Right now he hits the ball on the ground too much, but even with that, he had a productive half season at just 21 years old.

4: Nathaniel Lowe, 1B

The first of a few new additions, Nathaniel Lowe was the biggest move of the Nationals offseason. He has been a stalwart in a stacked Texas Rangers lineup the past few years. While he hasn’t hit for the power of your prototypical cleanup man the past couple years, he is a well above average bat. He gets on base a ton and provides some thump to go along with it. Lowe should be a leader in the young Nats lineup.

5: Josh Bell, DH

While I would consider Luis Garcia Jr here, I know Davey wouldn’t love three lefties in a row. That is why the switch hitting Bell is going into the five hole. Bell is looking to get back to hitting for more power, something the Nats need him to do. The Nats are hoping he can be a 25 home run bat. He has also a beloved member of the community in his first stint with the club, so it will be nice to get him back in town.

6: Luis Garcia Jr., 2B

Luis Garcia had a breakout year in 2024. He was arguably the Nationals best hitter last season. You can certainly argue that he should be hitting higher in the lineup, but this is what I think will happen. Having Garcia in the 6 hole shows the improved depth of the lineup. He can establish himself as one of the better second baseman in baseball if he can repeat or improve upon his 2024 campaign. Garcia has been swinging a hot bat this spring.

7: Keibert Ruiz, C

Speaking of swinging a hot bat, Keibert Ruiz has looked excellent this spring. He is tapping into his power, with three home runs and his approach looks improved. Those were the two things Ruiz needed to do to bounce back from a brutal 2024 season. The bat to ball skills have never been in doubt, he has just given away too many at bats and there has been too much weak contact. 2025 is a massive year for the 26 year old catcher.

8: Paul Dejong, 3B

I think Paul Dejong is going to be the opening day third baseman. He signed just before Spring Training on a one-year deal, but the veteran has impressed. Dejong has looked very strong defensively at third base and has showed off some of his famous power. He hit 24 homers last year and the Nationals need power bats.

9: Jacob Young, CF

Jacob Young will be like a second leadoff man for the Nats. His speed and solid contact ability make him a pesky hitter at the bottom of the order. Hopefully his new strength can translate to a bit more power. Young will never be a slugger, but even if he could hit 8 homers a season, it would go a long way. He is a phenomenal defensive center fielder, but if the bat doesn’t improve, his job will be under pressure with all of the outfielders the Nats have in the upper minors.

This is my Opening Day lineup prediction. We will see how I did in two weeks when the Nats host the Phillies on March 27th for Opening Day.

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Washington

Utah Starts Road Trip with Win in Washington | Utah Mammoth

Published

10 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Utah Starts Road Trip with Win in Washington | Utah Mammoth

Both of Utah’s power play units scored in the win. Sergachev scored his 10^th goal of the season on the power play 13 and a half minutes into the first period. Peterka scored his 21^st of the season, on the man-advantage, in the final two minutes of the middle frame.

Peterka has three power play goals in the 2025-26 campaign while Sergachev has matched a career-high with five power play goals this season. Overall, Utah’s power play has scored six goals in the last six games. That output matches the Mammoth’s total from their previous 18 games (per Mammoth PR). Tourigny discussed what’s changed with the team’s performance in recent games.

“(The) puck gets in,” Tourigny laughed. “But, no, I think there’s a number of things. The most important thing is we’re aggressive. We’re attacking.

“…If you look at our goal, the first one, it’s a direct play to the net and then on the loose puck recovery we take a shot with traffic and we score,” Tourigny continued. “On the second one, it’s a slot pass, a great shot by (Peterka). I think we had that attack mindset.”

Guenther, who is on the Mammoth’s top power play unit, agreed with Tourigny’s assessment of attacking more.

“I think just attacking, less predictable,” Guenther explained. “Shooting it more, I think (it is) just work really. Trying to play like a 5-on-5 mindset but on the (power play).”

The Mammoth made several line changes for tonight’s game and the new lines started to find chemistry, despite it being the first game with these changes.

“I like them,” Tourigny said of the changes. “Obviously (Guenther) got a goal, but Cooley’s line was really good. I was looking at the expected goals at the end, I think they were above 90%. So that’s pretty, pretty awesome. Then I think (Barrett Hayton’s) line worked really hard. They’re heavy on pucks and they play well defensively. I did like (Michael Carcone’s) line in (the) previous three games, and I did like them again tonight.”

When Washington pushed back with a power play goal and multiple close chances in the third period, Utah fought hard against the momentum swing to secure the win.

“I thought we did a pretty good job,” Keller explained. “Weathering the storm as much as we could. They’re a great veteran team. They made it hard on us. They pressured us all over the ice, but I was proud of the way we fought there towards the end.”

Utah’s bench was positive and calm throughout the game, especially late in the third. This helped the Mammoth through the momentum swings. Keller, who had two assists in the win, was one of the key voices for the Mammoth.

“He’s one of the guys who was really positive on the bench,” Tourigny explained. “(All the players) were but (Keller) was really vocal. He was really good energy on the bench. So that was really good.”

Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)

Guenther had two points in the win (1G, 1A) and the forward has earned a team-high nine points (5G, 4A) through six road games in 2026. He has become the third Mammoth skater to reach the 50-point mark this season (28G, 23A) and established a new career-high in goals.

Sergachev has 18 power play points this season (5G, 13A) and is tied with Keller for the team lead this season.

Keller has recorded multiple primary assists in a game for the seventh time this season and the 27^th time in his NHL career. He has now tallied multiple points in four of his last six contests (2G, 8A), with three multi-assist outings over that span.

The Mammoth continue their five-game road trip in Philadelphia on Thursday night. Game time is 5 p.m. MT and available to watch on Mammoth+ and Utah16.

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Washington

Commanders 2026 Mock Draft Madness 5.0

Published

22 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of the team.

In anticipation of the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held April 23 – 25 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, here’s a compilation of various league experts’ predictions about what the Washington Commanders will do with the No. 7 overall pick. Check back weekly until the draft for more updates.

Expert: Nate Davis, USA Today

Selection: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (March 2)

Analysis: Is he the best defender in this draft? Arguably. Can he play exceptionally in the slot, box or center field? Yep. And Washington could need a leader who can make plays behind the line given the potential departure of LB Bobby Wagner, who will be 36 next season, in free agency.

Expert: Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report

Selection: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (March 2)

Analysis: At Miami last season, he was easily one of the top two or three players in all of college football. He has explosive power and quickness to work up and down the line of scrimmage. His play is everything a team wants in a high first-round selection.

Expert: Jordan Reid, ESPN

Selection: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (March 3)

Analysis: Downs is one of the smartest football players I’ve ever studied. His football IQ, versatility on the back end and sure tackling ability make him a worthy selection at this spot even though a safety hasn’t been drafted in the top 10 since 2017 (Jamal Adams). Washington gave up a lot of explosive passing plays last season, with opponents averaging 8.1 yards per attempt (third worst in the NFL). The Commanders also had a mere eight interceptions in 2025, which was the fourth worst in the league. Downs could help them improve in both areas.

Expert: Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Selection: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (March 2)

Analysis: This pick would fade the historical norm for edge defenders with shorter arms, but Bain can rush the passer and is a block destructor against the run. Just a damn-good football player.

Expert: Jaime Eisner, The Draft Network

Selection: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State (March 2)

Analysis: Sonny Styles is the kind of dynamic player the Commanders desperately need on the second level. He offers a rare combination of energy, versatility, and pass-rush ability. The fact that he’s already excelled as the green dot for Ohio State proves he has the leadership and high football IQ to be an instant starter and the commander of the Washington defense. Styles wowed with his measurables and athleticism at the NFL Combine.

Expert: Nate Tice and Charles McDonald

Selection: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (March 2)

Analysis: As tempting as it will be to add an offensive player of some kind here, with tasty options at offensive line, wide receiver, tight end and running back, the Commanders instead add firepower to a defense that has to get faster, younger and just straight up better. Bailey is an explosive pass rusher who is constantly attacking offensive tackles. He will never be a strong run defender, but he has long arms (measured at 33 ¾ inches at the combine) and has improved in that area. Bailey is the exact type of talent injection this defense needs.

Expert: Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports

Selection: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State (March 2)

Analysis: Could Reese fall to No. 7? It seems like a long shot, but if the Bills trade up for a WR, things can get interesting quickly. This is a best-case scenario for the Commanders, who have to upgrade their pass rush.

Expert: Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus

Selection: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami (March 2)

Analysis: Bain measured in with short arms (sub-31 inches), but we already knew that would happen. That doesn’t change his tape or the fact that he is one of the top three-down defensive linemen in the class. He would immediately be the biggest difference maker on the Commanders’ defensive line after racking up the most pressures (83) in college football this past season.

Expert: Henry McKenna, FOX Sports

Selection: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State (Feb. 26)

Analysis: Dan Quinn was in Dallas when the Cowboys had the inspired idea to convert Micah Parsons into a pass-rusher. Can Quinn do it again with Reese?

Expert: Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News

Selection: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (March 2)

Analysis: The Commanders should be prepared to jump on Bailey should he fall here after his freakish athletic profile was on display at the Combine. Dan Quinn needs this level of dynamic pass rusher who also has rare dropback coverage skills outside.

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Washington

Tulip Day Washington draws buzz as sign-up site goes down

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

WASHINGTON – Coming up this month, spring’s most colorful new event: Tulip Day Washington.

What we know:

On March 15, 2026, Tulip Day Washington will transform DC’s National Mall into a vibrant tulip-picking garden beautiful views of U.S. Capitol

This one-day event will take place from 11:15 AM – 4:15 PM, offering a floral showcase of approximately 150,000 tulips; visitors are invited to pick their choice of 10 tulips for free upon arrival.

Dig deeper:

The registration site for Tulip Day is currently down, showing users “This site is currently unavailable. If you’re the owner of this website, please contact your hosting provider to get this resolved.”

Users on social media say the event may be sold out.

Check tulipday.eu for updates.

The backstory:

The event is organized by the Embassy of the Netherlands and Royal Anthos, a Dutch trade association, in honor of America’s 250th birthday. The display of tulips will be in the shape of the number 250.

The bulbs come from the Netherlands, but are being grown in Virginia and New Jersey.

These won’t be the first tulips on the National Mall, however. The Floral Library, also known as the Tulip Library, features 93 beds of flowers near the Tidal Basin. The Floral Library was established in 1969, and is maintained by the National Park Services. These flowers, though, are to be enjoyed only – not to be picked.

Things To Do in the DMVNewsWashington, D.C.

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