Just last week, there was a differing message in the Washington Nationals’ clubhouse. Starting pitcher Tanner Roark had just finished another automated outing of seven innings pitched, allowing two or fewer runs and doing so efficiently. Afterward, he stressed a day-by-day mentality though the Nationals were creeping toward the division title.
Less than 10 minutes later, catcher Wilson Ramos took a different approach. Yes, he said through interpreter Octavio Martinez, the Nationals know how close the National League East crown is. A third division title in the last five years was maybe a week away. They were excited about it.
A weekend slog has slowed the path to another division title. Two losses to the lowly Atlanta Braves were followed with a Monday night loss in Miami. Though, the Nationals’ “magic number” had shrunk to five because New York Mets frontline starter Noah Syndergaard was defeated by those same Braves.
Which means, entering Tuesday night, any combination of five wins by the Nationals or losses by the Mets puts Washington into the postseason. So, it’s time to start thinking about who will be on that roster.
There’s a new rule this season: Any player who was on the 40-man roster by midnight on Aug. 31 is available for the postseason. In the Nationals’ case, that means everyone who is sitting in the dugout Tuesday night is an option for the postseason. The trick for Washington manager Dusty Baker will be how he selects the back end of the group, knowing that the Los Angeles Dodgers are the likely first-round opponent.
Much of the roster is clear. Among the hitters will be Ramos, Ryan Zimmerman, Daniel Murphy, Danny Espinosa, Anthony Rendon, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Jayson Werth, Stephen Drew, Chris Heisey, Clint Robinson, Ben Revere and Jose Lobaton. That’s 13 players.
The pitching staff likely will include Max Scherzer, Roark, Gio Gonzalez, Joe Ross, Yusmeiro Petit, Blake Treinen, Shawn Kelley, Mark Melancon and Matt Belisle. That’s nine more. After that, the Nationals have questions.
Two of them center on injured pitchers. Stephen Strasburg (strained flexor mass) played catch last weekend, according to Baker. Otherwise, updates on one of the key players for the Nationals have been limited. He appears to be a longshot to participate in the first round of the playoffs. If the Nationals advance, and Strasburg is healthy, he can be placed on the roster for the next round.
The other injury question is attached to left-handed reliever Sammy Solis. Solis has been the Nationals’ most effective left-handed reliever this season. He has a 2.35 ERA and strikes out 10.3 batters per nine innings. But, he has twice been placed on the 15-day disabled list, which is where he currently resides. Solis was put on the disabled list Aug. 17 because of left shoulder inflammation. During his rehabilitation, he had a setback. He would be a crucial piece against the Dodgers, who have the worst OPS against left-handed pitching in Major League Baseball, a putrid .620.
The Nationals’ other left-handed options are veterans Oliver Perez and Marc Rzepczynski. Perez is dragging around a 5.21 ERA, though left-handers are hitting just .225 against him. Rzepczynski has a 1.93 ERA since joining the team after an Aug. 25 trade. Oddly, he has reverse splits this season: right-handed batters are hitting .250 and left-handed batters .265. During his career, however, Rzepczynski has squashed left-handed batters who have just a .590 OPS against him. Both are likely on the roster. That puts the pitcher total at 11.
Which leaves one slot. Drew and Robinson on the bench provides two left-handed pinch-hitters, plus infield backup. Heisey is right-handed power. Revere is the fourth outfielder, if he does not start in an alignment that shifts Turner to second, Murphy to first and puts Zimmerman on the bench. Baker will need to decide if he wants another bullpen arm to stack behind the often short outings of Gonzalez and Ross, the latter of which is still building his pitch count following midseason right shoulder inflammation, or another bench player. Michael A. Taylor would be an option as speed and superior outfield defense off the bench. Brian Goodwin is a lesser combination of those two elements.
In the bullpen, right-handed Koda Glover took his reverse splits from the minor leagues and brought them to the major leagues. He holds left-handers to a 1.56 average, though he also walks them at a high rate. Left-handed reliever Sean Burnett had an excellent season in Triple A with four teams, finishing with a 2.28 overall ERA. He has thrown 3 ⅔ scoreless innings since joining the Nationals.
The playoffs begin Oct. 7 for the National League division winners. Baker’s first important postseason decisions will come in the days just prior.
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