Dave Preston

Washington, D.C.

Sports Reporter at WTOP-FM (Washington, DC)

Dave anchors and reports sports for @WTOP. Proud @newhouseSU grad. He's made college football and basketball his personal hill. AP Top 25 and Big Ten voter.

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Articles

Nationals Notebook: Everybody’s talking about the new kids in town

1 week ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

The Washington Nationals have one of the youngest rosters in baseball. But this past week, they got younger not once, but twice. Prime prospect Robert Hassell III made his major league debut two months after putting the team on notice as a spring training sensation (Hassell posted a team-high 17 hits while batting .370 over 21 exhibitions) and went 2-5 with two runs scored.
Nationals Notebook: Breaking the Birds

2 weeks ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

The Washington Nationals headed north on Interstate 95, blowing up the Baltimore Orioles this past weekend, sweeping the O’s while posting a pair of 10-run outings. The series began with a 4-3 decision that saw the Nats rally with a run in the eighth inning and another in the ninth. That fade Friday cost Manager Brandon Hyde his job. His .461 winning percentage over six-plus seasons is better than Davey Martinez (.448) in seven-plus season with Washington.
Nationals Notebook: Not in the Cards

3 weeks ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

The Washington Nationals stumbled toward the quarter turn pole (40/41 games) as they dropped five of six this past week to contenders Cleveland and St. Louis, getting outscored 20-3 while getting swept at home by the Cardinals. Even OAR’s postgame concert Friday night couldn’t give the Nationals the necessary mojo. This latest turn of events is rather sobering for those who thought the Nats would make the leap in 2025.
Capitals 5-on-5 playoff preview: Clashing with Carolina

1 month ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

Who’s ready for some hockey? The wait will end Tuesday evening as the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes have been off for nearly a week since winning their first round matchups with relative ease. The question facing both clubs is will they be more rested or rusty?
Nationals Notebook: Rallying against the Reds in the rain

1 month ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

The Washington Nationals are home after dealing with one wet weekend. All three of their games against the Reds were affected by rain delays and Sunday’s 4-1 win saw MacKenzie Gore slip on a drizzled mound. But the club goes from being in danger of getting swept in Philadelphia to bringing home a 3-3 road trip. Can they build off of a 3-2 start in May?
Virginia Gold Cup at 100: Still fashionable after all these years

1 month ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

If you live or work inside or around the Capital Beltway, you’ve probably heard at least one co-worker over the years mention Virginia Gold Cup — usually with anticipation Friday, and often with a sunburned nose Monday. Part racing spectacle, part social gathering, part fashion show, this is the centerpiece to many people’s spring in the D.C. area. “It’s a center for reunions, for classes — high school and college people,” Co-Chairman and Director of Racing Al Griffin told WTOP.
Nationals Notebook: Walk-off wins wowing Washington

1 month ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

Don’t kid yourselves: The Washington Nationals are not on the same level as the New York Mets. The NL East leaders boast the best team ERA in MLB and feature multiple all stars in their lineup. Over 162 games, they will almost definitely post more wins than a Nats team that hasn’t recorded a winning season since 2019. But Friday night, James Wood delivered a walk-off single that brought home C.J. Abrams in a 5-4 series-opening victory.
Washington Commanders 2025 draft picks by the numbers

1 month ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

The Washington Commanders are already looking to top their incredible 2024, if they’re able to lock down the reported deal that puts them on track to build a new stadium at the old RFK Stadium site. This week, they’re also attempting to add to an already revamped roster with the NFL Draft.
Nationals Notebook: Riding the storm out (waiting for a thaw out)

1 month ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

The Washington Nationals are back in D.C. following the team’s longest road trip of the season. This trip delivered a bit of everything — from suspensions after throwing inside, to a game that was snowed out. The 4-6 trip was far from ideal and precedes an April finish that includes dates with division foes Philadelphia and the New York Mets, but when you visit clubs from the East, Central and West Divisions over the span of a week, you’re just trying to ride the storm out.
Capitals 5-on-5 Playoff Preview: Matching up with Montreal

1 month ago | wtop.com | Dave Preston

The Washington Capitals’ second season starts Monday night, and they aren’t just looking to build off of their first division title in five years but also trying to win their first playoff series since they captured the Stanley Cup in 2018. Here are five things to focus on regarding the Caps’ First Round series against the Montreal Canadiens:1. How they got hereThe Capitals went 51-22-9 during the regular season, winning the Metropolitan Division title by 12 points over Carolina.