The Nats needed this.
Washington Nationals gain crucial commodity in dominant win over Giants originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Washington Nationals' season has long-since been "over."
But it's not over. They still take the field every day and play the games. And because of that, there's still something to be gained from a campaign that will finish a long way from where they would've hoped heading into the year.
This is still a young, talented team, one that will enter next season thinking big. And so now, the best thing they can gain is confidence and belief.
They certainly got that this weekend, taking their series in San Francisco and capping it off with an 8-0 win Sunday.
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Most of the key future faces played a part Sunday.
The lefty ace of the present and future, MacKenzie Gore, was untouchable. He went six innings, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out 10.
C.J. Abrams had two hits, including a homer off Justin Verlander.
James Wood, now in the leadoff spot, had a pair of doubles and drove in four runs.
Daylen Lile and Brady House each added hits (two for Lile, including a double.
A few of the youngsters didn't play, but that's no matter. This is what the Nats needed.
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They've still got a month-and-a-half of games to play. They've still got a month-and-a-half to build better habits, to prove to themselves that they can compete with anyone.
They could try and play spoiler in some form in the NL East and in the wild card. And they can build up skills that will be hoped to take them much further in 2026.
It may not seem like much, but it all matters. For the Nationals to get where they hope they're going, they need to take advantage of the here and now.
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Category: Baseball
