The Dan Kolko era begins in the Washington Nationals booth

Entering 2026, there is a lot of newness to the Washington Nationals. From the front office, to the coaching staff, to many of the players on the roster, there are a lot of new faces. That extends to the broadcast booth as well, with the Nationals bidding farewell to beloved play by play man Bob Carpenter last year.

However, in Dan Kolko, the Nats have a new voice but a familiar face in the booth. I had the chance to talk with Kolko about his new job and his thoughts about the team before Opening Day. He has been ingrained in the Nats culture since joining the MASN beat in 2012.

Now, Kolko is going from the sideline to the booth, which adds an element of pressure he has not faced before. Kolko is acutely aware of the pressure that comes with his new job. He told me that the new role can be “A little daunting” and that there is “pressure to live up to the moment”.

After all, there are just 30 of these jobs, and Dan Kolko now has one of them. However, he did not want to drown himself in that pressure either. Kolko realizes how special this opportunity is, saying, “some people say a job is a dream job, and it might be hyperbole, but there is no hyperbole here”.