Braves and Nats have played each other hard; The Braves have their starting 9 — the Nats, not so much.; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
The Nats are playing short-handed and really showed that they have fight in them, but once again fell short. For the 2020 Nats, they have zero come-from-behind wins after the 7th inning this year. Last night they mounted a charge in the 8th inning with Adam Eaton getting a pinch-hit single then driven in by Trea Turner with a 2-out double. In the 9th inning, the Nats loaded the bases with a chance to walk-off. It did not happen. That might be the story of the season that the team can’t find that key hit like they did so many times in 2019.
While the Braves and Nats will complete their ten game head-to-head games today, it also signals to Nats fans that their season ends two weeks from today. We might look back on this season years from now and point to Victor Robles‘ flyout to end the game as a blessing in disguise if it helped the Nats secure a key draft pick like Stephen Strasburg. Maybe it was a special Kory Casto divine line of intervention like we wrote about in 2008. While these losses might hurt now, it could make you smile next June when general manager has a draft pick in the Top 5 — a spot the Washington Nationals have not been in for a decade.
We have Max Scherzer on the mound today. Enjoy it. Savor it. Max might only have two more starts after this one for the rest of the 2020 season. He goes for a milestone today as he will try to get win 175. That would put Max just 25 wins from 200. It is why many think Max will want to extend his career in D.C. to reach that as his current contract expires next year. The COVID shortened 2020 season makes it improbable that he could reach 200 wins next year.
Today also marks an early start time at 12:35 pm on the same day that the NFL opens their full schedule, and many D.C. fans will be switching over to FOX to watch the Washington Football Team. Hopefully if you desire some football you will be watching Max on dual screens while your watching Chase Young.
Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals
Stadium: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
1st Pitch: 12:35 pm EDT
TV: MASN; FOX Sports Southeast; MLB Network (out-of-market); MLB App out-of-market
Nats Radio: 106.7 The Fan and via the MLB app
Line-ups subject to change without notice:
