Over these last two games, we have seen the difference between an experienced World Series contender and a young team that is promising, but green. The Atlanta Braves have shown the Nats that there are levels to this game. It is not that they are blowing the Nats out of the water either. The Braves just have a slower heart beat in the big moments and cash in when they need to.
The moment that defined the series so far for me came in game one. In the fifth inning, the Nats had men on second and third
with nobody out. Luis Garcia Jr. and Dylan Crews came to the plate, both striking out on pitches outside of the zone. Crews saw four pitches in his at bat, none of them in the strike zone. After that, the Braves got out of the inning thanks to a CJ Abrams pop up.
With the game tied in the bottom of the 6th, the Braves faced an almost identical situation. Like the Nats, they had back to back walks to start the inning. It looked like their threat may fizzle out after two outs. However, 10 year vet Ozzie Albies did just enough on a sweeper below the zone to guide it to left field for a hit.
That sequence made it 5-3 and it proved to be the difference in the game after the Nats failed to cash in with a man on third and two outs yet again. Despite having the most runs in all of baseball, hitting with runners in scoring position and late in games has left a lot to be desired, especially lately.
For an offense this explosive, it is wild that they do not have a walk off all season. Late in games, it feels like this team goes quietly into the night a lot. Don’t get it twisted, this is an elite offense despite some of these flaws. However, it does feel like there has been a lot of pressing, especially lately.
Numbers with RISP are notoriously sticky, and they won’t be this bad in those spots for much longer. However, this variance swing is happening at the worst possible time. I also don’t think it is all variance either. Blake Butera agrees with this assessment, saying that he saw players trying to be the hero the other night. Playing hero ball instead of just trying to do your job is the worst possible thing to do in these spots.
After that uplifting series win against the D-Backs, it has felt like the pressure of being in a playoff race has caught up to them. They have dropped four of their last five, and the offense has been home run or bust. It is not like they aren’t getting opportunities either. They are just not cashing in, and it is costing them big time.
This week was going to decide what the Nats will do at the deadline. After the D-Backs series, they put themselves in a good position to prove that this team is ready to buy. However, this week is showing the front office that the 2026 Nats are not ready for prime time yet.
The team already has plenty of holes, and now it seems as though the bright lights are getting to them. In the last two nights, the Nats are 0 for 17 with runners in scoring position. You just can’t win games doing stuff like that. Foster Griffin also had his worst start in months, which did not help.
It feels like it is time to sell. This has been such a fun season, but this team is not ready yet. I would hold on to CJ Abrams, but the likes of Griffin and Garcia are likely to go. Unlike previous years, the goal is to build for 2027, instead of a distant future. However, the Nats still need to build for the future rather than the present at the deadline.
The Braves have taught the Nats a cruel lesson these last two days. They showed us what a real playoff team looks like, and that the Nats are not there yet. It would be unfair to call it men against boys, but this series has been like an established championship boxer facing off against a talented but raw up and comer.
Paul Toboni and the Nats need to learn from this and take the tough lessons into their next fight. The rest of the season still matters, and the Nats still could make a push. However, the real fight begins next season. This year has been a fantastic ride and has shown Nats fans they can believe again, but it is looking like it is not our year.
This offseason will be very important. Paul Toboni and ownership need to build on this season and take things to the next level. It is time to craft a team that can compete for division titles and eventually win championships. We are seeing a core emerge, now it is time to build something great.
