May 24th seemed like just another day for the Washington Nationals – the struggling ball club looked like they would fall short of expectations once again. Nationals history is filled with many choke jobs in the playoffs and regular season. After Bryce Harper’s decision to leave the team, the Nationals wanted to move on with a good year. Harper’s departure shouldn’t sting nationals fans too much as he has underperformed in Philly. However, the Nats looked lost and couldn’t seem to win a ballgame. The Nats were an abysmal 13-31 on the year and Dave Martinez looked like he was out the door. Then the clock hit midnight and it became May 25th. The Nats have never looked back as they have posted the second-best record in the MLB since the 24th. The Nats now sit 80-64 a shocking 16 games over .500. No one saw this turn around coming, not even the Nationals themselves. This streak has been propelled by MVP-caliber play from Anthony Rendon, and Juan Soto has lived up to the Ted Williams comparisons as the 20-year-old phenom has improved from his spectacular 2018 campaign. 

But what can the Nats really do in October? The Nats currently sit three and a half games up on the Cubs and Brewers for the top wild-card spot. The Nationals can’t win the NL East because the Braves are just too good. But, can they win the wild card game? The Cubs and Brewers both lost their best players, Javier Biaz and Christen Yelich respectively. The Nats will most likely start Max Scherzer in the wild card game, and a healthy Scherzer is the best pitcher in the NL (maybe second best if you’re talking to a Mets fan). The offense has been churning so perhaps the Nats will win the wild card game. But then, the Nats would have to play the beastly Los Angeles Dodgers . The Dodgers have the best record in baseball and are the heavy favorite to win the Pennant. The Dodgers will most likely wipe the floor with the Nats, but the season as a whole will not be a loss. The amazing turnaround the Nats made will make the pain of another NLDS loss just a little bit better.