Washington Nationals Second Half Preview

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Apr 7, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon (6) and right fielder Bryce Harper (34) celebrate after scoring against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

The Washington Nationals hit the All-Star Break 18 games over .500 and six games up on the Mets and Marlins in the NL East, what’s in store for them in the second half?

Through their first 90 games into the 2016 MLB season, the Washington Nationals hold the lowest team ERA in the majors, have hit the most homers in the Senior Circuit, and sport the highest fielding percentage in all of baseball. They were well-represented by five All-Stars in the Midsummer Classic this past week, and closed out the first half with a sweep over the rival New York Mets.

At this point last season, the Nats were 48-39 and two games up on New York in the NL East. Things were looking good for Washington as they kicked off the second half, but clubhouse issues and a lack of consistency derailed their season—leading to a disappointing 83-win campaign. This season, however, the Nationals look like a force to be reckoned with.

While the Nats had higher expectations and a roster that featured former All-Stars Jordan Zimmermann and Ian Desmond last season, the team has been a much better ballclub in 2016. Their starting rotation has been as good as any team’s in the majors, supported by a reliable bullpen and star-studded lineup.

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The All-Star Game has come and gone, and the Nationals—with their sights set on a World Series appearance—are in a good position heading into the second half. What teams are going to be their biggest obstacle along the way? Here’s a preview of the best teams Washington is going to face over the next month.

Next: Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates

When: at Washington, July 15-17

Hitter to Watch: Starling Marte – 82 G, 336 PA, .316/.363/.460, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 48 R, 30 SB

Pitcher to Watch: Mark Melancon – 40 G, 36.2 IP, 27 SV, 1.23 ERA, 2.52 FIP, 0.982 WHIP, 7.9 K/9

The Cubs may be the class of the NL Central, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are making a strong push behind them. After getting off to a rough 34-39 start, Pittsburgh has shown that they’re contenders rather than pretenders with a 12-4 record since June 23.

Their offense has been rather unspectacular—the Pirates’ 423 runs scored ranks twelfth in MLB—and not many lineups are going to be very scared of their disappointing rotation, but Pittsburgh is finding ways to win baseball games anyway. While they sit seven and a half games back of Chicago, the Pirates are only a game and a half behind the Mets and Marlins for the second Wild Card spot.

Gerrit Cole will be returning from the Disabled List in the next week, giving the pitching staff their much-needed ace back atop the rotation. Andrew McCutchen is having a down year by his standards (.247 BA, 14 HRs), but will be looking to have a stronger second half after an encouraging last few weeks.

With the Wild Card race figuring to be a tight finish all the way to the end, every game counts for the Pirates. This series with the Nationals will prove one way or another whether Pittsburgh can hang around with the top teams in the National League.

Next: Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers

When: at Washington, July 19-21

Hitter to Watch: Corey Seager – 90 G, 389 PA, .297/.357/.521, 17 HR, 42 RBI, 60 R, 1 SB

Pitcher to Watch: Clayton Kershaw – 16 G, 121.0 IP, 11-2 record, 1.79 ERA, 1.70 FIP, 0.727 WHIP, 145 Ks

The Dodgers may not be the same team that won 92 games last season, but Dave Roberts’ club is still stacked with plenty of young talent that can propel them to the postseason for the fourth straight year. The rotation has faced an unreal string of injuries, but Los Angeles has remained resilient. Several players are looking to be returning soon, and this team could be on the cusp of a big second half.

Corey Seager has already locked up the NL Rookie of the Year Award, and he could challenge for MVP if he continues hitting at this pace. Kenley Jansen was named to his first All-Star team after recording 27 saves to go with a sparkling 1.16 ERA in the first half. Clayton Kershaw’s ridiculous 16.1 K/BB ratio is the stuff of video game numbers, and he should be returning from the Disabled List just in time to face the Nats.

Los Angeles swept Washington at Dodger Stadium in late June, outscoring the Nats 11-6 in the three-game set. While those losses came in the midst of a seven game losing streak for the Nationals, the team outplayed them. This time, however, the Nats will be looking to avenge those losses as they look to keep distance between themselves and the Mets in the division.

Next: Cleveland Indians

Cleveland Indians

When: at Cleveland, July 26-27

Hitter to Watch: Francisco Lindor – 87 G, 382 PA, .306/.363/.460, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 60 R, 13 SB

Pitcher to Watch: Danny Salazar – 17 G, 104.2 IP, 10-3 record, 2.75 ERA, 3.39 FIP, 1.175 WHIP, 118 Ks

Arguably the best team in the American League, the Indians capped off an impressive first half with a 14-game winning streak that stretched from the middle of June through early July. Cleveland sent three players to the All-Star Game, including the top two arms of their rotation: Danny Salazar and Corey Kluber. The rotation as a whole leads the American League in strikeouts, led by Kluber with 122.

Their offense, which has scored the fifth highest runs in the American League (436) is led by their middle infield tandem of Francisco Lindor and Jason Kipnis. Lindor is coming off a season in which he finished second to Carlos Correa in AL Rookie of the Year voting. So far, he has outplayed the Houston Astro by a wide margin, earning his first All-Star nod of his career while Correa took the All-Star Week off.

The Nats will travel to Cleveland for the two-game series, where the Indians sport a stingy 26-16 record in their home ballpark. The Nats, who are only six games over .500 on the road as opposed to twelve over at home, will have a tall task ahead of them if they’re to come out with a series win. The key to the series for both teams will be just how many runs either offense can manage to scrape across the board.

Next: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants

When: at San Francisco, July 27-31; at Washington, August 5-7

Hitter to Watch: Brandon Belt – 87 G, 364 PA, .302/.407/.521, 10 HR, 47 RBI, 46 R, 0 SB

Pitcher to Watch: Madison Bumgarner – 19 G, 129.2 IP, 10-4 record, 1.94 ERA, 2.96 FIP, 0.964 WHIP, 146 Ks

The San Francisco Giants have surpassed the Cubs for the title of the best team in baseball, and they’ve shown no indication of slowing down anytime soon. They boast the second lowest starters’ ERA (3.48) among teams left on the Nats schedule behind the Mets, guided by the methodical Madison Bumgarner.