The 2019 Washington Nationals are like a reluctant kid in learn-to-swim courses. They simply keep treading water.
Each single time you believe they might be poised to make a move about the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves, the Nats shrivel up and allow the opportunity escape them.
The Nationals currently sit 6.5 games behind the Braves. Washington is given +600 chances to overtake Atlanta in the NL Divisional chances.
*Opportunities accepted on 08/12/19.
Washington is only five games behind Atlanta in the loss column and two up on the towering New York Mets.
Just past the midway mark of July, Washington took two of four matches from the Braves at Atlanta. The Nats followed up by winning three of four by the Colorado Rockies. They’d moved to within four games of the Braves.
This, however, is not a group that embraces riches or opportunity.
Since that time, Washington has dropped four of five series. That included falling twice during a three-game home place against the Braves.
They finished a nine-game road trip Sunday with a win over the New York Mets at Citi Field to complete the journey with their heads barely above water. Washington went 5-4 about the trip.
The Nationals are a fair 15-13 because the All-Star Break. They are not exactly charging down the Braves.
The Detroit Tigers will be the American League version of the Nationals not so long past. Like Washington, they awakened a stunning starting rotation. Heck, one starter — Max Scherzer — was part of the two rotations.
Between 2006-14, Detroit made the playoffs five times and played in two World Series, but never came close to winning it all, because the Tigers did not bother to invest in a bullpen.
Washington lovers, sound comfortable?
At Friday’s opener of the enormous three-game series against the Mets, Washington nearer Sean Doolittle coughed up a 6-3 lead in the ninth and had been walked off 7-6. Ahead of Friday, the Mets had dropped 187 consecutive games when down three runs in the ninth inning.
Washington owns an MLB-worst 6.07 bullpen ERA. Even if you were to discard the dreadful 22.74 ERA of the departed Trevor Rosenthal, the Nats will still own an MLB-bottom 5.63 ERA. Nationals relievers have discounted 22 of 52 rescue chances.
Even guys who make their pay covering the national disgrace that resides in DC in the White House realize that the Washington bullpen is still a Nationals disgrace.
Holding the initial NL Wild Card spot, the Nationals start a significant six-game homestand Monday against the Cincinnati Reds. That is followed by three games with the Milwaukee Brewers, such as the Reds a group in the Wild Card hunt.
This should be Washington’s focus. The old baseball adage is that you need a week’s worth of games to compensate for a single match in the standings. The Nats are all 6.5 games outside with seven weeks to perform , therefore that their division-winning window is closing quickly.
They have seven games left by Atlanta but will practically should go at 5-2 because stretch to get any chance. The Nationals play with 17 of their last 45 games against Wild Card teams, 19 games against present playoff clubs and just 15 against teams with sub-.500 records.
The wisest move for Washington is forget about the branch and lock on bending down the Wild Card.
Let us have fun and keep it civil.
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