(Posted 8-9-26)
Greetings from The Booth!
What a difference 8 games makes. Think about it. 8 games in a 162-game Major League baseball season is a proverbial drop in the bucket, but in this 2026 Washington Nationals campaign, 8 games recently changed the direction and philosophy of the team.
It’s said that over the course of a full MLB season, a team’s strengths will be revealed, and it’s weaknesses exposed. Going into last weekend’s key series against the Atlanta Braves, the Nats were one of the top offensive teams in all of baseball, and despite a suspect starting rotation and terrible bullpen, were finally relevant after a 7-year rebuild. With his analytical approach to the game, Manager Blake Butera had the Nationals 2 games over .500 and in the thick of the Wild Card race.
Then, they were exposed. In a 4-game sweep by the Braves, Washington proved to be a pretender, not a contender. While Atlanta came up with the clutch hits and made stellar defensive plays, the Nats left numerous runners on base, and in the field, threw the ball around like little leaguers. Oh, and let’s not forget the “Gas Can Gang,” who wasted several solid efforts by Nats starting pitchers by giving up late-inning runs with games on the line. It didn’t take an analytical genius to see who the better team was in the series.
By the time Monday rolled around, the Nationals went from buyers to sellers, and ahead of the trade deadline dealt Curtis Meade, Luis Garcia, Jr., and Foster Griffin. Garcia led the league in slugging percentage, while Griffin posted a 12-3 record with the Nats.
While the Nationals received some promising prospects in return, namely some much-needed arms, the malaise of the trades and the 4-game sweep by Atlanta carried over into the next series in Philadelphia, where former Nats Bryce harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber had their way with Washington, winning 3 of 4. And just like that, the season was effectively over. Going into the trade deadline I was, like lots of Nats fans, all in on a possible postseason run. Just days later, I did a complete 180.
But hold everything. Like the oscillating fan that I am, I may be changing direction once again. After a 3-game weekend sweep of the Reds (their first series sweep since mid-April), the Nationals are clawing their way back to .500, and maybe with any kind of win streak, can get back in the conversation. I know, it’s a stretch.
No matter what happens with regard to the postseason, it could still be a fun remainder of August and September. CJ Abrams, still a National, is worth the price of admission. Former Yankee Yovanny Cruz gives Washington a live arm out of the pen who can hit triple digits. Cade Cavalli has been looking like an ace recently. And Trevor Williams is back and has pitched to a 0.00 ERA since his return. Although Abrams probably won’t be with the team next season, I’m filled with hope for 2027 (if there’s baseball).
But, check back with me the next time the Nats lose 3 in a row…
Until the next Visit from the Booth…GO NATS!
RW
