The Washington Nationals approach Sunday’s series finale against the San Diego Padres hoping to salvage a win and inject some optimism into what has largely been a frustrating 2025 campaign defined by inconsistency, youthful mistakes, and sporadic offensive production. With a 39–59 record, the Nationals sit near the bottom of the National League standings, but they have at times shown flashes of promise from their emerging core, particularly in players like shortstop CJ Abrams and slugger James Wood. Abrams has developed into a legitimate table-setter at the top of the lineup, hitting close to .290 with improved plate discipline and base-stealing instincts, while Wood has emerged as the club’s main power threat with 24 home runs and nearly 70 RBIs on the season. For this game, Washington will hand the ball to MacKenzie Gore, the hard-throwing lefty with electric stuff and a pedigree that once made him the Padres’ top prospect before he was dealt to D.C. as part of the Juan Soto trade. Gore has had an up-and-down stretch recently, allowing nine runs across his last 23 innings, and while his strikeout numbers remain solid, his command has wavered under pressure, leading to elevated pitch counts and a few costly innings. He’ll face a Padres team that knows him well and features a lineup capable of capitalizing on fastballs left over the plate or breaking balls that miss their intended depth.

Washington’s offense remains top-heavy and vulnerable to quiet stretches, with little run support beyond their top four hitters, and that becomes especially problematic against starting pitchers like Nick Pivetta, who enters Sunday’s matchup on a tear with just one run allowed over his last 25⅔ innings. If the Nationals want to compete in this game, they’ll need early baserunners and timely execution, especially in the first three innings, when Gore typically performs at his best and the opposing starter hasn’t yet settled in. Defensively, the Nats have had some costly miscues over the last week, and while Abrams and Luis García have shown flashes of slick fielding, the overall unit lacks cohesion and has committed several untimely errors. In the bullpen, Washington has cycled through several arms this season, but none have consistently grabbed the late-inning reins, which makes it imperative that the offense scores early and often. Despite being heavy underdogs at +103, the Nationals have won 35 of 82 games in which they weren’t expected to, showing that they are capable of surprising teams that take them lightly, particularly at home. A key to Sunday’s effort will be how long Gore can stay in the game without giving up crooked numbers and whether Wood or Joey Meneses can deliver a big extra-base hit to break things open. With little to lose and a young roster looking to prove itself, the Nationals will take the field playing free and aggressive, and while the odds are stacked against them, their best chance lies in disrupting San Diego’s rhythm early and riding a strong Gore outing as long as possible before turning the game over to the bullpen.