The Washington Nationals continued to plummet on Friday, dropping under .500 after a 10-3 loss to the last place Milwaukee Brewers.
Things look much bleaker for the Nats, who will now need to pick up nine games on the Mets over the next 38 games in order for the Amazins to lose control of their own destiny prior to the final Showdown at Citi Field on October 2-4 to wrap up the season.
What? The Mets have a five-game lead after Friday night’s victory over the Rockies. How can it be nine games?
As long as the Mets aren’t four games back heading into the October 2nd game, they are in complete control of their destiny. They can be three back and still sweep the Nationals to force a one game playoff. Right now they are five ahead. The Nationals would have to pick up nine games on the Mets in order to lock them out before that final series.
The much more likely scenario is that the Mets will have locked out the Nationals prior to the final weekend series and that the starting rotation can be rested and set for the playoffs. This being said, we all know what happened in 2007 and 2008.
No lead is safe and until the division is signed, sealed, and delivered – the Nationals pose a very dangerous threat, no matter what their record is showing. They have a dangerous (even if underperforming) rotation and they have a potent (if at times impotent) lineup including the frontrunner for the NL MVP hitting in the number three spot.
I don’t think we’ll collapse by any means. I’m counting down the Magic Number (currently at 37), but there is no time to rest until the division is won.
But I’ll tell you this – I’m looking to playoff baseball at Citi Field this October.
