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Washington Nationals’ lineup for the series opener with the Miami Marlins...

Anthony Rendon and the Washington Nationals start a two-game set in Miami’s Marlins Park at 7:10 PM, and Rendon attempts to extend a 25-game on-base streak.

By Patrick Reddington
Washington Nationals v Miami Marlins Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images

With a walk in his first plate appearance on Sunday afternoon, Anthony Rendon extended an on-base streak to a career-best 25-straight games, over which the 28-year-old is 33 for 100 (.330/.422/.560) with 11 doubles, four home runs, 15 walks, and 12 Ks in 116 plate appearances.

Rendon homered for the 20th time this season the second time up in SunTrust Park, hitting a two-run blast to right off Atlanta Braves’ lefty Sean Newcomb, and added two singles late to finish the day 3 for 4 with a .300/.366/.511 line, 40 doubles, 20 home runs, 51 walks, and 77 Ks in 544 PAs, over which he’s been worth 5.1 fWAR.

He’s hit eight of the doubles, two of the home runs, and taken 10 of his walks on the season in 15 games this month.

Rendon finished the 2017 campaign with a .301/.403/.533, 41 doubles, 25 home runs, 84 walks, and 82 Ks in 147 games and 605 PAs, over which he was worth 6.7 fWAR.

Nationals’ skipper Davey Martinez was asked after Sunday’s win over the Braves what allows Rendon to keep producing so consistently.

“He’s just really good,” Martinez said matter of factly.

“He doesn’t try. He understands the game and he understands himself as a hitter and he has a game plan every time he goes up there. He hits the ball where it’s pitched, stays on the ball, hits the ball up the middle, he can pull the ball. He does all kinds of good things and just watching him play is a lot of fun, and his defense is really good.

“He’s one of the best out there at third base. I’m just glad the he’s having fun. He’s having a good year. He’s healthy. Everybody’s got nicks and bruises right now, it’s September, but he is playing really well.”

With two weeks to go before a disappointing season comes to an end (barring a miracle), Rendon said he was just hoping he and his teammates can finish strong.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries, and a lot of ups and downs,” Rendon told reporters, as quoted by MLB.com’s Jamal Collier after the 6-4 win in SunTrust. “But we’re going to just keep on trucking ‘til the end, until they tell us to go home.”

The next-to-last road trip of the season continues in Miami tonight with the first of two with the Marlins.

HERE’S THE NATS’ LINEUP FOR THE SERIES OPENER IN MARLINS PARK:

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