When the Nationals began their first homestand of the 2018 season, Dave Martinez said he expected to have fun in the home opener, specifically, and his rookie managerial season, in general.
The scoreboard didn’t cooperate that day (Stephen Strasburg took the loss against the New York Mets’ Jacob deGrom) and neither did the injury bug (outfielder Adam Eaton’s awkward slide forced him to the disabled list a few days later).
It was the beginning of a pattern.
DL stints soon followed for outfielder Brian Goodwin and third baseman Anthony Rendon. Victories became scarce. The Nats were 4-2 entering that homestand, 7-9 when they departed.