The Nationals (6-5) enter this weekend’s series having taken the last two out of a three-game set in Philadelphia. This series marks the first time this season either team will play an out-of-division opponent.
There’s a legitimate argument Washington could and should have kept Bryce Harper, but in any case they have a pretty darn good ballclub. Anthony Rendon (.429/.490/.881, 4 HR), Victor Robles (.308/.386/.692) and Juan Soto (.268/.400/.488) have paced the offense. You may remember Robles as the guy the Pirates couldn’t pry away for Andrew McCutchen, and understandably so.
Trea Turner remains out with a finger injury suffered in the season’s opening series.