Another small, but significant, step in the right direction
The Nationals didn't make a big deal out of Monday night's win, but it was no small feat to reach 3 games over the .500 mark for the first time since 2019
There wasn’t champagne waiting in the clubhouse. They didn’t storm the field and jump into a dog pile near the pitcher’s mound. The Nationals celebrated tonight’s 7-3 win over the Royals just as they celebrated Sunday’s 10-1 win over the Mariners and all the others that preceded it.
The infielders paired up for a jumping high-five. The outfielders placed their gloves on their heads as they came together. The pitcher and catcher casually walked to each other and shook hands. A crowd of 14,444 stood and applauded.
Nothing suggested this victory was anything more than typical. The only evidence to confirm it was quite atypical? A peek at the standings, which showed the Nationals at 38-35 and once again tied for the final wild-card berth in the NL.
Yes, they’re three games over .500, a position they have not held in a long time. So long that not a single member of the 26-roster was here to experience it. Nor anybody on the coaching staff, aside from Sean Doolittle.
For the first time since the final day of the 2019 season, the Nats are three games over .500. And while they appreciate what that means to anyone who has waited nearly seven years to be able to say that, they also insist this is just another small step toward their ultimate goal.
