The first 162 games are complete. Now the season rides on a single win-or-go-home game in D.C.
The Washington Nationals will either advance to the divisional series or see their season end prematurely when they play in the National League Wild Card Game, the first game of the Major League Baseball postseason. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.
Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers (89-73, No. 2 wild card team)
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
When: Tuesday, Oct. 1, 8:08 p.m.
Television: TBS
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, ESPN Radio (Team 980)
What to watch for:
• Max Scherzer will start for Washington opposite the Brewers’ Brandon Woodruff. Scherzer finished the regular season 11-7 with a 2.92 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP and 243 strikeouts. He hasn’t been quite the same after suffering a back injury in July — he hasn’t pitched deeper than 6 2/3 innings in any start since being placed on the injured list. But in his final two starts of the season, he struck out 11 and 10 batters, respectively.
• The Nationals started the season 19-31, the fourth-worst record in baseball at the time, but came all the way back to finish second in the NL East and secure the top wild-card spot. If they win Tuesday, they’ll face the top team in the NL, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the NLDS starting Thursday.
• The Brewers also had a hot finish to their season, but they are without their best player, MVP candidate Christian Yelich. A foul ball broke Yelich’s kneecap in September.
Pre-game reading:
A healthy Kurt Suzuki is the latest good sign for the #Nats, Dave Martinez says. @DaytonVaDriver with more: https://t.co/i9C7J4zstx
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) September 30, 2019
A wild card mindset saved the #Nats season, @thomloverro writes. https://t.co/06nQPizlba
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) September 30, 2019
“Guys like Bobby Cox and Joe (Maddon), they always stayed the same and trusted what they believed in and led by what they believed in. You get the 25 guys to buy in? That’s when you get that one heartbeat.” Don’t miss @thomloverro’s column on Dave Martinez https://t.co/I7Hblquh1h
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) September 27, 2019
Reporter @DaytonVaDriver writes about #Nats manager Dave Martinez and the power of 1-0 https://t.co/HRFqWxpELw
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) October 1, 2019
Today’s wild card game is a hindrance before the #Nats true hump, @DeronSnyder writes. https://t.co/6x2uI6Y7A0
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) October 1, 2019
No debate: Max Scherzer the Nationals’ pick for a winner-take-all moment, @thomloverro writes. https://t.co/jUnjweBBPJ #Nationals #MaxScherzer #NLWildCard
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) October 1, 2019
Metro changes course, says trains will operate later after #Nats and #Mystics playoff games tonight https://t.co/JOV7nsW2f3
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) October 1, 2019
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