Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer walked into Washington’s clubhouse and observed the amount of additional media on hand.
“The Cubs must be in town,” he said as he walked by.
Scherzer was right, but of course there was going to be extra attention when the defending World Series champions made a stop to Nationals Park. While the Cubs have struggled this season, Monday was still a matchup of two of the league’s best teams.
And it was the Cubs who prevailed with a 5-4 win over the Nationals in the first of a four-game series. Washington came up short despite a 4-run rally in the bottom of the ninth.