After a narrow loss, a huge week looms
The Nationals dropped their series finale to the Blue Jays by the skin of their teeth. Now they face a daunting road trip and Monday's trade deadline.
For a fleeting moment this afternoon, everything was lining up for the Nationals. The Phillies had blown a six-run lead in Miami. The Diamondbacks were finishing off a shutout of the Pirates. And, most importantly, the Nats led the Blue Jays through five innings.
If they could finish this one off, they’d not only win their fourth straight series, but they’d find themselves one game back. Not only for the NL’s third wild-card spot. But for the second wild-card spot as well, thanks to the Phillies’ implosion.
And then about 90 minutes later, they found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-2 game here, now not only two games back of both Arizona and Philadelphia but also tied with Pittsburgh, Miami and San Diego in this wide-open race of mediocre-to-sometimes-good contenders.
They lost this game because the Blue Jays scored a bunch of late runs via bloopers and dribblers that eluded defenders’ gloves, and because their own imposing lineup could not deliver the clutch hits that were begging to be delivered in key moments.
It’s enough to drive you insane, and surely plenty of you out there were feeling just that as it all played out. Which is why it’s a good thing you’re not one of the 26 active players on this roster, a group that continues to just go with the flow and not let individual losses eat at them beyond an appropriate amount.
