Manny Machado's 9th-inning grand slam leads Padres past Nationals 7-2 on July 19, 2025. CJ Abrams homered, but the Nats' losing streak now stands at five.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
For eight innings, it felt different. For eight innings, the Washington Nationals stood toe-to-toe with the San Diego Padres, locked in a 2-2 battle. But in baseball, a single inning can change everything. Manny Machado delivered the crushing blow, a ninth-inning grand slam that turned a potential win into a demoralizing 7-2 loss, the team's fifth straight.
The Nationals have lost five straight games and nine of their last ten, falling to 38-59 on the season.
The game was a classic nail-biter until the very end. It was CJ Abrams who electrified the Nats' dugout with a two-run homer, providing all of the team's offense and a glimmer of hope. The score remained knotted at two apiece, with both sides trading zeros into the late innings. But the ninth proved to be the Nats' undoing. A series of hits and walks loaded the bases for former division rival Manny Machado, who did what superstars do, sending a ball deep into the night for a game-breaking grand slam. The final score of 7-2 doesn't do justice to how close the game felt before that final frame.
While the on-field struggles are front and center, some concerning news emerged about the team's future pipeline. Despite holding the first overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Nationals' farm system ranking actually dropped from No. 19 to No. 22. The new top prospect, shortstop Eli Willits, is praised for his polish and contact skills, but evaluators note he lacks the 'Tier 1' superstar potential often found at the top of the draft. For a fan base banking on a successful rebuild, this dip in the system's perceived strength is an unwelcome development during a tough stretch for the major league club.
With a 38-59 record and a ten-game stretch that has seen nine losses, the Nationals are desperately searching for a spark. The clubhouse was quiet on Saturday, with no player moves or team announcements to shake things up. The burden falls on the current roster to pull themselves out of this tailspin. The flashes are there—like Abrams' home run—but consistency remains elusive. The team needs to find a way to string together complete games, from the first pitch to the last out, to stop the bleeding.
Another game, another chance. That's the mantra the Nationals must adopt as they head back to the ballpark tomorrow. The goal is simple: win one game. Break the streak. Find some positive momentum. As the losses mount, each game becomes more critical, not for the standings, but for the team's morale and for a fan base looking for any reason to believe a turnaround is possible.
