Washington Nationals fall short after another blown early lead against the Atlanta Braves, with Jake Irvin’s early exit at just 68 pitches sparking debate among fans. Can the bullpen, plagued by inconsistency, provide stability as the season progresses? Ryan Clary analyzes Blake Butera’s managing decisions, defensive struggles, and how recurring mistakes—especially in the infield—have made every Nationals lead feel precarious. The podcast spotlights the Nationals’ catching issue, revealing troubling numbers for Drew Millas and Keibert Ruiz within MLB’s ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) system, and examines Josiah Gray’s discouraging injury update. Hear insights on Ronny Cruz’s well-earned promotion after a hot start and a preview of the Nationals’ next faceoff with the Braves, highlighting concerns about Foster Griffin’s upcoming matchup. Can the Nationals shore up their defense and capitalize on emerging talent to reverse their fortunes? 00:00 Discussing Nationals' game strategy 03:20 Acuna Jr. gets hit by pitch 08:19 Nationals lose lead in sixth inning 14:46 Nationals' pitching struggles with defense 19:54 Ronny Cruz's performance highlights 23:35 Facing a skilled pitcher 24:23 Foster Griffin facing tough lineup 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! 5-Hour ENERGY The funfetti flavor is BACK on https://5hourEnergy.com or Amazon, crack open Confetti Craze 5-hour ENERGY®️ shot today! 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 Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel.Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get two-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. 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.