2025 Nats media season predictions

Alright, the time has come. We survived a long, cold winter. We endured through six weeks of spring training. We fretted over transactions made and transactions not made. We thought we knew what the roster would look like, then we had to make last-minute adjustments due to injuries and a few surprises.

But there’s no more time to decipher, agonize or evaluate. Opening Day has arrived, and that means it’s time for predictions.

For the 16th consecutive season, we proudly present the Nationals media Opening Day predictions. We’ve got several familiar names here who have been participating through the entire run of this annual tradition. We’ve got several more who have joined us in recent years. And we’ve even got a few new entrants this season who are excited (or is that terrified) to reveal their picks.

The most important thing to remember about this exercise: We will republish all of the predictions at the end of the season and find out who knew what they were talking about and who had no clue. (Spoiler alert: Usually, we’re proven to have had no clue.)

And with that, away we go …

WHICH NATIONALS WILL BE SELECTED FOR THE ALL-STAR GAME?
Bobby Blanco (MASNsports.com) – MacKenzie Gore, James Wood
Jessica Camerato (MLB.com) – Luis García Jr., James Wood
Al Galdi (Nats Chat Podcast) – MacKenzie Gore, James Wood
Andrew Golden (Washington Post) – Michael Soroka, James Wood
Craig Heist (106.7 The Fan) – CJ Abrams, James Wood
Chelsea Janes (Washington Post) – Luis García Jr., MacKenzie Gore
Bill Ladson (MLB.com honorary) – MacKenzie Gore, James Wood
Tim Shovers (Nats Chat Podcast) – MacKenzie Gore
Spencer Nusbaum (Washington Post) – Luis García Jr., James Wood
Mark Zuckerman (MASNsports.com) – CJ Abrams, James Wood

WHAT WILL TOTAL ATTENDANCE BE AT NATIONALS PARK?
Bill Ladson – 2,200,000
Craig Heist – 2,100,000
Bobby Blanco – 2,033,963
Al Galdi – 2,020,000
Spencer Nusbaum – 2,002,009
Tim Shovers – 2,000,021
Chelsea Janes – 1,999,999
Jessica Camerato – 1,986,320
Andrew Golden – 1,954,272
Mark Zuckerman – 1,927,685

HOW MANY HOME RUNS WILL JAMES WOOD HIT?
Al Galdi – 35
Spencer Nusbaum – 30
Mark Zuckerman – 28
Chelsea Janes – 27
Andrew Golden – 26
Bobby Blanco – 25
Craig Heist – 25
Bill Ladson – 25
Tim Shovers – 22
Jessica Camerato – 21

WHAT WILL DYLAN CREWS’ OPS BE?
Tim Shovers – .893
Al Galdi – .812
Mark Zuckerman – .804
Bobby Blanco – .793
Jessica Camerato – .790
Chelsea Janes – .775
Spencer Nusbaum – .773
Craig Heist – .767
Andrew Golden – .763
Bill Ladson – .645

WHAT WILL CJ ABRAMS’ COMBINED HOME RUN AND STOLEN BASE TOTAL BE?
Mark Zuckerman – 65
Andrew Golden – 64
Bobby Blanco – 60
Spencer Nusbaum – 56
Jessica Camerato – 55
Al Galdi – 55
Chelsea Janes – 55
Tim Shovers – 55
Craig Heist – 53
Bill Ladson – 50

HOW MANY BASES WILL JACOB YOUNG STEAL?
Al Galdi – 44
Bobby Blanco – 43
Jessica Camerato – 37
Craig Heist – 35
Chelsea Janes – 35
Bill Ladson – 35
Andrew Golden – 32
Mark Zuckerman – 27
Spencer Nusbaum – 25
Tim Shovers – 23

RANK THESE PLAYERS FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST OPS: JOSH BELL, PAUL DeJONG, LUIS GARCIA JR., NATHANIEL LOWE, KEIBERT RUIZ
Al Galdi – García, Lowe, Ruiz, Bell, DeJong
Spencer Nusbaum – García, Lowe, Bell, DeJong, Ruiz
Tim Shovers – García, Lowe, Bell, DeJong, Ruiz
Andrew Golden – García, Lowe, DeJong, Ruiz, Bell
Chelsea Janes – García, Lowe, DeJong, Bell, Ruiz
Bill Ladson – Lowe, DeJong, Bell, García, Ruiz
Jessica Camerato – Lowe, García, Bell, DeJong, Ruiz
Mark Zuckerman – Lowe, Bell, García, Ruiz, DeJong
Bobby Blanco – Bell, Lowe, Ruiz, García, DeJong
Craig Heist – Bell, García, Ruiz, DeJong, Lowe

WHEN WILL BRADY HOUSE MAKE HIS MLB DEBUT?
Tim Shovers – June 3 vs. Cubs
Bobby Blanco – July 1 vs. Tigers
Mark Zuckerman – July 1 vs. Tigers
Al Galdi – July 4 vs. Red Sox
Jessica Camerato – Aug. 1 vs. Brewers
Andrew Golden – Aug. 1 vs. Brewers
Craig Heist – Aug. 12 at Royals
Spencer Nusbaum – Aug. 15 vs. Phillies
Bill Ladson – Sept. 1 vs. Marlins
Chelsea Janes – Sept. 2 vs. Marlins

WHEN WILL ROBERT HASSELL III MAKE HIS MLB DEBUT?
Tim Shovers – May 5 vs. Guardians
Bobby Blanco – May 9 vs. Cardinals
Chelsea Janes – May 20 vs. Braves
Bill Ladson – June 1 at Diamondbacks
Craig Heist – June 1 at Diamondbacks
Spencer Nusbaum – June 15 vs. Marlins
Jessica Camerato – July 18 vs. Padres
Mark Zuckerman – July 18 vs. Padres
Andrew Golden – July 21 vs. Reds
Al Galdi – Aug. 2 vs. Brewers

WHO WILL LEAD THE PITCHING STAFF IN WINS? HOW MANY?
Bill Ladson – MacKenzie Gore, 16
Al Galdi – MacKenzie Gore, 14
Craig Heist – MacKenzie Gore, 13
Bobby Blanco – Jake Irvin, 13
Jessica Camerato – MacKenzie Gore, 12
Tim Shovers – MacKenzie Gore, 12
Andrew Golden – Michael Soroka, 12
Mark Zuckerman – Jake Irvin, 12
Chelsea Janes – Mitchell Parker, 11
Spencer Nusbaum – MacKenzie Gore, 10

HOW MANY STRIKEOUTS WILL MACKENZIE GORE RECORD?
Bobby Blanco – 213
Tim Shovers – 203
Andrew Golden – 202
Bill Ladson – 200
Mark Zuckerman – 198
Craig Heist – 195
Chelsea Janes – 194
Jessica Camerato – 191
Al Galdi – 190
Spencer Nusbaum – 190

RANK THESE PITCHERS FROM LOWEST TO HIGHEST ERA: MACKENZIE GORE, JAKE IRVIN, MICHAEL SOROKA, TREVOR WILLIAMS
Al Galdi – Gore, Irvin, Williams, Soroka
Bill Ladson – Gore, Irvin, Williams, Soroka
Tim Shovers – Gore, Irvin, Williams, Soroka
Bobby Blanco – Gore, Irvin, Soroka, Williams
Andrew Golden – Gore, Soroka, Irvin, Williams
Spencer Nusbaum – Gore, Soroka, Irvin, Williams
Chelsea Janes – Gore, Soroka, Williams, Irvin
Jessica Camerato – Soroka, Gore, Irvin, Williams
Craig Heist – Soroka, Gore, Williams, Irvin
Mark Zuckerman – Williams, Gore, Irvin, Soroka

OUTSIDE OF THAT GROUP, WHO WILL MAKE THE MOST STARTS FOR THE NATS?
Bobby Blanco – Mitchell Parker
Jessica Camerato – Mitchell Parker
Al Galdi – Mitchell Parker
Andrew Golden – Mitchell Parker
Craig Heist – Mitchell Parker
Chelsea Janes – Mitchell Parker
Spencer Nusbaum – Mitchell Parker
Tim Shovers – Mitchell Parker
Bill Ladson – Brad Lord
Mark Zuckerman – Cade Cavalli

HOW MANY SAVES WILL KYLE FINNEGAN HAVE FOR THE NATS? HOW MANY BLOWN SAVES?
Craig Heist – 36, 4
Mark Zuckerman – 36, 5
Tim Shovers – 34, 7
Bobby Blanco – 33, 3
Jessica Camerato – 31, 6
Bill Ladson – 30, 5
Al Galdi – 25, 7
Spencer Nusbaum – 21, 4
Andrew Golden – 15, 3
Chelsea Janes – 10, 5

HOW MANY INNINGS WILL DEREK LAW PITCH FOR THE NATS?
Bobby Blanco – 95
Craig Heist – 82
Bill Ladson – 80
Mark Zuckerman – 75 2/3
Tim Shovers – 73
Jessica Camerato – 70 1/3
Al Galdi – 63
Andrew Golden – 62 2/3
Chelsea Janes – 58
Spencer Nusbaum – 45

WHO WILL HIT THE MOST HOMERS AGAINST THE NATIONALS? HOW MANY?
Bill Ladson – Juan Soto, 12
Jessica Camerato – Juan Soto, 8
Bobby Blanco – Juan Soto, 6
Al Galdi – Juan Soto, 6
Andrew Golden – Juan Soto, 5
Tim Shovers – Bryce Harper, 5
Craig Heist – Pete Alonso, 5
Chelsea Janes – Austin Riley, 4
Spencer Nusbaum – Jurickson Profar, 4
Mark Zuckerman – Ronald Acuña Jr., 4

HOW WILL THE NL EAST FINISH FROM TOP TO BOTTOM?
Jessica Camerato – Braves, Phillies, Mets, Nationals, Marlins
Chelsea Janes – Braves, Phillies, Mets, Nationals, Marlins
Spencer Nusbaum – Braves, Phillies, Mets, Nationals, Marlins
Andrew Golden – Braves, Phillies, Mets, Nationals, Marlins
Tim Shovers – Braves, Phillies, Mets, Nationals, Marlins
Bobby Blanco – Braves, Mets, Phillies, Nationals, Marlins
Mark Zuckerman – Braves, Mets, Phillies, Nationals, Marlins
Al Galdi – Braves, Mets, Nationals, Phillies, Marlins
Bill Ladson – Braves, Mets, Nationals, Phillies, Marlins
Craig Heist – Mets, Phillies, Braves, Nationals, Marlins

HOW MANY GAMES WILL THE NATIONALS WIN?
Al Galdi – 82
Bill Ladson – 81
Bobby Blanco – 79
Craig Heist – 79
Mark Zuckerman – 79
Jessica Camerato – 77
Spencer Nusbaum – 77
Tim Shovers – 77
Andrew Golden – 76
Chelsea Janes – 75