Here we go. Today, the Nationals will face the first team that insiders predicted to go well above .500, and then the Nats will face the reigning champs and the preseason favorites. Shouldn't be too hard, right?
Here's the latest from St. Louis.
Forget service time, the Nationals need to bring up Trea Turner now
Right now, Danny Espinosa is hitting in the .180s, Anthony Rendon is struggling, and Bryce Harper may never get to see a pitch that he can hit again. At the end of the season, Stephen Strasburg will almost certainly become a free agent, as will Wilson Ramos. All this leads to the conclusion that if the Nationals want Trea Turner to make an impact, the time to bring him up may be now.
Tanner Roark's daughter made the lineup picture for the Nationals on Thursday
Lots of hearts, and a family portrait. Can she do this every game?
Starting tonight, we'll get some real answers about the Nationals
There's a lot of unknowns thus far, such as the pitching (will it stay good?), and the hitting (or lack thereof), will it continue? Starting tonight, the Nationals will embark on what could prove to be the toughest road trip of the season - and after that, we'll have a much better idea of what we're dealing with.
The Nationals enjoyed a hot start, but a lot of it had to do with who they played
The Nationals did what they were supposed to do (at least up until now), and beat the rebuilding teams. The result? One of the best records in baseball. Does it mean much? That's up for interpretation.
These two guys decided to put on lion masks at the end of the game on Wednesday, because of course they did
Still not as odd as the bat getting caught in the screen or being shut out by Jeremy Hellickson.
Here comes May! Get worried! (Here's why you shouldn't worry too much)
May's slate of games is going to be tough, but it might not be impossible. Either way, here's why you don't need to worry if things go badly starting tomorrow through the first of June.
Tonight's Game: Nationals vs Cardinals - 8:15 PM (MASN2, WJFK)
Probable Pitchers: Stephen Strasburg (3-0, 2.17 ERA) vs Mike Leake (0-2, 5.64)