** This installment of Race For A Red October is presented by PVI Office Furniture.
Who are the 2019 Washington Nationals?
Taken in smaller doses, they could be a team of high expectations after a big offseason, the team that famously went 19-31 to start the season or the team that went 19-7 in August.
Now, leading the Milwaukee Brewers for the first Wild Card by one percentage point heading into the final week of the season, it all boils down to this. The result will either be a fan’s dream-come-true or a devastating playoff miss.
Either way, it promises to be interesting.
Next up is an enigmatic Philadelphia Phillies team, which has five games in four days to torpedo the Nationals and bolster their own (remote) playoff chances. Every storyline is in play, including Bryce Harper’s return to D.C. with the season on the line.
The Nats squandered a sizable Wild Card lead, but still have time to make some magic. Here’s how the Nationals can help their Race for a Red October against the Phillies:
Playoff chances (via fivethirtyeight.com): 98 percent
Playoff clinching magic number: 3 (cannot win the division)
National to watch: Unpopular opinion: Howie Kendrick is one of Mike Rizzo’s best additions as Nats general manager. Over the last 30 days, the Nats have fluctuated between the best team in baseball and the worst team in the playoffs picture, but Kendrick has been rock solid, batting .446/.483/.643 in 22 games. His hits (25) and runs (12) over that span rank fourth on the team, even compared to starters with twice as many at-bats. At 36 years of age, he isn’t the player he once was, but he’s exactly what Washington needs.
Phillie worth mentioning: Aaron Nola is having a very good season for the Phillies, armed with a 3.75 ERA and 220 strikeouts. His kryptonite has been the Washington lineup, which has battered him for 11 earned runs in just 15.1 innings this year. If the Nationals can find a way to win Monday night and Tuesday during the game, they have to like their chances against Nola in Tuesday’s nightcap.
By the numbers: Asdrubal Cabrera is another guy destined to make his mark on the 2019 Nats. Since joining the club in August, Cabrera has 33 RBIs in 30 games, making him another loaded bat going into the final week of the season.
Notable quote: “I trust all those guys in the bullpen. They know what’s at stake.” Manager Dave Martinez has no choice but to dance with the relievers who got him this far, even after a recent epidemic of lost leads.
Series prediction: The 2019 Nationals have to decide if they will make history or break the hearts of D.C. sports fans, and that likely comes down to this series. The Nats are a middling 5-5 in the last 10 games, but the Phillies are a dismal 4-6. Even though this series seems like a winnable matchup at home, the Nationals have shown no sense of urgency in recent weeks. A 3-2 series win and falling into the second Wild Card spot seems like a reasonable expectation.
Brian Tinsman has covered D.C. sports since 2011, both from the team marketing and skeptical fan perspectives. Tweet your criticisms @Brian_Tinsman.
