Washington Nationals: 5 storylines for last Marlins series

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Onward and upward as the Washington Nationals travel to Miami for the last time this season. What should you watch for? Here are five storylines.

This was a forgettable weekend for the Washington Nationals.

On their lone visit to Miller Park to face the Milwaukee Brewers, the Nats bats fell silent, Max Scherzer took a comebacker off his calf and Washington dropped three of four to the surging Brew Crew. Now, the road trip concludes with a holiday visit to Miami to face the Marlins.

Things for Miami did not improve after they left DC. Against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Fish dropped three of four and remain 15 games behind the Nats in the dying days of the 2017 National League East pennant chase. If the Marlins hold out any hope, this is their last chance.

For Washington, they still have seven games before their next day off. A weekend of tired baseball gave the Nats no respite. The grind goes on, but their magic number to clinch the NL East is 12. A successful series at Marlins Park can see that number drop to six.

With a 10-game homestand to follow, the Nats will likely win the division at home either against the Phillies next weekend or the Atlanta Braves after a day off. Despite the last four games, this remains an exciting time for Washington and the team.

Before the champagne bath at home, the Nats and Marlins tango for the last time in 2017. With expanded rosters and South Florida moving on to the Dolphins and Hurricanes of football, here are five storylines to follow.

As you know, there are plenty of good seats available.

MARLINS LAST GASP

If the Marlins are to pull a miracle of a lifetime, they must sweep Washington this week.

For practical purposes, the Nats offensive barrage in DC last week ended any real chance Miami had of catching them. Adding to their frustration came a terrible weekend at home versus the Phillies. From an outside shot at a Wild Card spot, the Marlins postseason chances are on life support.

But, until they are officially eliminated there is hope.

You know about the monster year from Giancarlo Stanton, but Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna had major success last week against Nats pitching. Adam Conley and Vance Worley will start against Washington, giving Miami a fighter’s chance.

The Marlins have no margin left for error. Any combination of 12 Nats wins or Miami losses end the division race. To add to their problems, they fell three games further back of Milwaukee because Washington played poorly. Although the Colorado Rockies lost again Sunday, the Marlins are five back and must pass the Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals.

It is one game at a time the rest of the way. Unless Miami regains their form this week, their 2017 season ends with an uncertain future under new ownership next year.

OFFENSE? ANY OFFENSE?

The return of Jayson Werth and Trea Turner kickstarted a tired Nats lineup into overdrive at home versus Miami. As productive as Washington looked at home, the Brewers made Washington look sluggish.

Friday night, the Nats fanned 17 times. Saturday, a late rally pushed three runs home to secure a 3-2 win. Only Ryan Zimmerman’s garbage time home run Sunday gave Washington any runs in their 7-2 loss. In four games, they scratched out eight runs, or the total the Nats scored last Tuesday.

Against the Marlins, 23 runners crossed home plate in three days. In their four-game split last weekend versus the New York Mets, they managed 21.

The return Monday of Matt Wieters will help some. Turner’s timing at the plate improves daily and his speed is on display. But, losing Bryce Harper and extensive workloads of Anthony Rendon, Daniel Murphy and Ryan Zimmerman are felt. Howie Kendrick’s playing time is up and he is pressing at the plate.

When thing click, the offense remains a force to be reckoned with. As we saw this weekend when the Nats lose their offense they lose games.

Heading into Sunday, the slash line in Washington wins was .300/.368/.522. In losses, those numbers plunge to .221/.281/.350. A stark difference.

STANTON’S MAGIC SEASON

Although his team struggles, Giancarlo Stanton is putting on an impressive show.

His 52nd home run of the year this weekend keeps him on pace to pass Roger Maris’ epic 61 homers in 1961 season. Passing Mark McGwire’s 70 or Barry Bonds 73—no matter how enhanced those years were—is a longshot. Still, Maris’ number remains realistic.

As the Marlins fortunes fade, Stanton truly becomes the lone attraction. Rumors swirl of another fire sale once the season ends and any website worth their salt have pieces on what it would take to trade for him. If this is his last hurrah in Miami, you would not know it.

Five of his blasts have come off Washington’s pitchers. Yet, the Nats have him held to a slash line of .200/.279/.483. Only the Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays did better. The Brewers held him to one hit over three games.

Last week, Washington cooled off the red-hot Stanton by allowing a single home run and forcing him to swing and miss several times at pitches out of reach. Although Yelich and Ozuna hit well, the Nats contained Stanton and limited damage from others.

As long as he is healthy, Stanton is worth watching. The thought, however, of this being the last time we see him in a Marlins uniform is bizarre and, for those who stick with Miami, unfair.

ROSTER EXPANSION AGAIN

Monday marks the end of most of Washington’s minor-league affiliate’s 2017 season. With Triple-A Syracuse and Double-A Harrisburg failing to make the playoffs, a few players will join the big club to finish the year for a cup of coffee.

We expect Andrew Stevenson and Pedro Severino to join Washington this week. But, will they promote Wander Suero—setting the International League on fire as a closer—or Victor Robles as a surprise? Robles is headed for the Arizona Fall League, so his chances are slim.

With AJ Cole named Monday’s starter, the thought is Erick Fedde’s season is finished. Fedde will be ready to compete for a rotation spot next spring in West Palm Beach.

Two names on the 40-man roster but who have yet to appear for the Nats this year are Austin Voth and Jose Marmolejos. Although Voth struggled to where he was demoted to Double-A, Marmolejos was the Nats minor league player of the year two seasons running.

You would think he is worthy of a chance to show his stuff.

The front office will have nearly endless options, strengthening the bench and bullpen while allowing the regulars to rest. Or, endless September baseball.

FOCUS, PEOPLE, FOCUS

Perhaps the biggest complaint against the Nats on social media is a perceived lack of desire to win. Bad offense mixed with general lack of execution brings out the sharpest of fans. The truth is more complicated than a case of the “Don’t Cares.”

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Washington has held a double-digit lead in the division since July 3. You need to go back to late May for the last time the lead was under five games. When you add the endless parade of injuries, these folks are exhausted.

The Nats care, but when the rest of the NL East fell apart, Washington has not played a meaningful game in months. The pride and desire burn under the surface, but the endless grind of baseball season will wear away at you.

Given the chance to wrap up the regular season goal this week, expect to see a more animated club in Miami then at home. The end of the long road is at hand.

Weekend performances like we saw in Milwaukee are inevitable. So are series as last week versus the Marlins. Because the Nats can get incredibly hot, the expectation is for them to play that way every day. Just not realistic.

Next: Nats go six-man rotation

Yet, grinding games are part of the package. Hopefully, energy levels will increase this time. There are several players needing time off and it shows. That is baseball.

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