Nationals Arm Race
Description: Occasional analysis of the Washington Nationals
As the Nationals entered May, they were still trying to shake their reputation as the worst team in baseball. They managed to play competitive baseball all month and finished the month with a 14–15 record. Maybe that doesn’t sound like much, but it’s the team’s best monthly record since June 2021 (when Max Scherzer was still pitching for the Nats and Kyle Schwarber was hitting 16 home runs in 18 games). At the end of May, the Nats remained in last place in the NL East, 9 games behind the division-leading Br
The Nats opened the month at home with a four-game series against the Cubs. After losing the first game, the Nats won the next three, with a one-run margin of victory in the last two. Their record for the home stand was 4–3. Chad Kuhl went on the injured list, and Jake Irvin was called up to take his place as a starter. Irvin made his major league debut on May 3 and pitched well enough that when Kuhl came off the injured list, Irvin stayed in the rotation. The Nats had drafted Irvin, now age 26, in the fo
The Nats then embarked on a western road trip. They lost two of three to the Diamondbacks and took two of three from the Giants, giving them a 3–3 record on the trip. Games 2 and 3 in Phoenix featured dramatic late rallies by the Nationals, with the bullpen surrendering the lead in Game 2 but holding on to secure the win in Game 3. Victor Robles was injured in Game 2 (back spasms) and remained on the injured list the rest of the month, with Alex Call taking over in center field. Jake Alu , a 26-year old tha
Nationals Arm Race