The Washington Nationals are on the verge of capping off a somewhat inconsistent 2026 season with new management at the helm. Rookie manager Blake Butera has managed to get his club into a position to eclipe at least 75 wins if the team can win almost half of their remaining games, something that nobody would have believed coming into this season.
Obviously, there was a ton of changes made throughout the organization, as Paul Toboni took over in the front office and brought in a whole team of new front office members as well. Needless to say, with the product on the field significantly improved from the last few years and the farm booming with guys like Eli Willits flying through the system, the organization is in a much better place.
As such, there is a very real possibility that the Nationals can take some big steps forward heading into 2027 (if there is a season), and possibly even compete for something bigger than a winning season. Part of what will be a big change for the organization is to turn series wins into series sweeps, as that often can separate good teams from great teams.
Nationals finish off series sweep of Angels in dramatic fashion
Yesterday, the Nationals finished off a series sweep of the Los Angeles Angels in dramatic fashion, giving the team just their third sweep of the year. Previously, the Nationals had swept the Cincinnati Reds a little bit over a month ago, and had also had swept the Milwaukee Brewers on the road back in April.
In yesterday's game, the Nationals trailed 4-2 heading into the bottom of the 8th inning, but the offense finally came to life to lead the Nationals to victory. After an RBI triple from Daylen Lile that drove in Yohandy Morales set the tone for the inning, he was driven in by oft-criticized Jorbit Vivas, who then was driven in by Jacob Young on an RBI double to left-center field. That run proved to be the winning one in the game, but Young was also driven in by Dylan Crews for a key insurance run.
The Angels ended up getting another run in the top of the 9th, but rookie Jack Sinclair was able to shut the door for a 6-5 victory after allowing the initial run to score. It was a much-needed series sweep for a Nationals team that is searching for as many wins as possible, and it could be a big momentum shifter for the team that has struggled since the trade deadline.
How many wins do you think the Nationals will finish the 2026 season with? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.
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