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District On Deck

Nationals: 3 early-season takes that look really stupid right now

By James Simmons

Stephen Strasburg #37 and Yan Gomes #10 of the Washington Nationals walk off the field after the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 01, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Stephen Strasburg #37 and Yan Gomes #10 of the Washington Nationals walk off the field after the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 01, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The Nationals will fall way under the 84.5 win total Vegas put on them to begin the season.
Manager Dave Martinez #4 of the Washington Nationals walks on the field for a pitching change against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on June 28, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /

1. “The 84.5 wins is too low, and I predict they will go over.”

Fellow District on Deck writer, Max Rayman, and I predicted the o/u on the 84.5 wins Vegas set for the 2021 Washington Nationals team. Confidently, I picked the over. Begrudgingly, I acknowledge that mistake now. Were the Nationals ever on pace to win 85 games this year?

This prediction was derailed from game one of the season. COVID protocols led to a makeshift Opening Day roster (remember Cody Wilson? That’s how far the Nats reached to fill their roster). After winning the first game, the Nationals promptly lost the next five, being shut out in three of them. From that point, the uphill climb was on.

After reaching the surface at 12-12 in early May, losses in seven of eight games (to division rivals nonetheless) sent the Nationals reeling once again. An incredibly hot June (thanks to an incredibly hot Kyle Schwarber) sent the Nats above .500 and back within two games of the division lead. That’s where the latest descent began.

Next. 3 Nats with something to prove. dark

There were high hopes for this season, though maybe there shouldn’t have been. Age, injury, and inconsistency, all lead to an underachieving Nationals team and a fire sale at the trading deadline. Not only were we wrong on “over 84.5 wins”, we just wait to see by how many wins we blew this prediction by.

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