Wire Taps: Trea Turner on pace to be greatest base-stealer in Nationals history; Must-watch Max Scherzer; K-Rod is only small solution...

Wow. Only six strikeouts, Max? Do better. The offense, you can stay.

Here’s the scoop from South Capitol Street.

Trea Turner is already in uncharted territory in terms of stolen bases
Trea Turner has only played 165 games -- just a little more than a full season -- and may already be the best base stealer in Nationals history. Turner is only eight stolen bases away from tying the Nats' single season record (Alfonso Soriano at 40), and has already stolen four bases twice this season.

When the Nats have Max Scherzer on the mound, you can only watch
Baseball is, by definition, a casual sport. Well, casual, except for when Max Scherzer -- who on his bad nights, only goes six innings and allows two hits and one run -- pitches. Then, your eyes had better be glued to the TV.

Revisiting this year and last year's Night OUT
Mina Dunn of The Hardball Times takes a closer look at the relationship between the big-four professional sports, baseball in particular, and the LGBTQ community in a piece centered around the Nats' Night OUT from this year and last year (only days after the tragedy at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando).

K-Rod can only be the smallest sliver of a larger solution for the Nats
Francisco Rodriguez doesn't cost too much, especially in the minors. But unless he lowers his 7.82 ERA or home run rate, he can't even give Mike Rizzo the smallest bit of satisfaction in terms of where his bullpen is.

Max Scherzer has surpassed Clayton Kershaw as the best pitcher in baseball
Max Scherzer has a sub-3.00 ERA in his time with the Nats, and nearly a sub-2 ERA this season. Believe it or not, his WAR over the past three seasons is actually higher than Clayton Kershaw's.

Today’s Game: Cubs vs Nationals — 7:05 PM
Probable Pitchers: John Lackey vs Stephen Strasburg