Washington Nationals launch a season of uncertainty as top prospects face surprising setbacks. Will Dylan Crews and Harry Ford fulfill their promise, or are expectations set too high for this rebuilding squad? Ryan Clary and Bobby Blanco spotlight the Nationals’ unconventional decisions, including sending down Harry Ford and Robert Hassell III, and question the team’s inactive free agency period. Key discussions include Josiah Gray’s assignment to Triple-A, the evolving first base situation with Luis García Jr. and Andres Chaparro, and why this new front office—led by Paul Toboni—could change player development but require patience. Insightful analysis weighs Dylan Crews' struggles against the tough opening MLB schedule and past star trajectories, while debating which rebuilding teams stack up against Washington. As Nationals fans look for signs of progress, could a brutal early season gauntlet actually forge the club’s next core? 00:00 "2026 Nats Outlook" 05:17 "Harry Ford's Catcher Dilemma" 07:05 "Spring Training Roster Decisions" 10:36 Prospects, Platoon, and Lineup Decisions 15:58 "Nats Pitching Rotation Analysis" 20:07 "Brad Lord as an Opener?" 21:14 "Brad Lord's Role and Potential" 29:09 "Adjustment Period for New Strategies" 32:57 "Nationals' Challenges for 2026 Season" 33:59 "Brutal MLB Start Predicted" 38:42 "Nationals' Outlook: Hope vs Reality" Follow Ryan Clary on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ryanclary11 Follow Locked On Nationals on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LO_Nationals   Everydayer Club Link: https://lockedonnationals.supercast.com/   Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! PlayStation This episode of is brought to you by MLB The Show 26. Visit https://mlbthe.show/lockedon and use code “LOCKEDON” to unlock a pack for use in Diamond Dynasty. Pre-Order now, Available March 17th on PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. RATED E FOR EVERYONE. Turbo Tax Intuit TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide. You can meet face-to-face with a real tax expert, and your documents get uploaded straight to your TurboTax app on the spot.    Visit https://TurboTax.com/local to find a store near you and book your appointment today. Robinhood You’re no longer just a spectator. Play by play. You decide. Trade Every Play with Robinhood. Now available across the U.S. Download the Robinhood app now to begin. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC., a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel FanDuel is giving you a way to turn that energy into even bigger potential wins with a College Basketball Parlay Profit Boost. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.