Welcome to The Opener, where every weekday morning you’ll get a fresh, topical column to start your day from one of SI.com’s MLB writers.
The Nationals are going nowhere fast for the second straight season. They’ve won just two of their last nine series, have claimed just one of six series against divisional foes and are in last place in the NL East with its worst run differential. There are seven teams in front of them to leapfrog for a wild-card spot.
Perhaps worst of all, an MRI on Wednesday revealed nerve irritation in Stephen Strasburg’s neck, and the team didn’t provide a timetable for his return.