Nationals Can Make Statement Against Dodgers Franchise That Initiated Their Rebuild
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The Washington Nationals won their first series of the year over the weekend.
After a frustrating loss against the Philadelphia Phillies to get the season underway, they followed that up by going north of the border to get swept by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Returning back home to face an Arizona Diamondbacks team that many believe can be dark horse contenders in the National League this year, there wasn't a whole lot of optimism that the Nationals would be able to right the ship, potentially ending their season before it even began.
But that wasn't the case.
Washington flashed a little bit of everything during the three-game set, showcasing early offensive prowess that allowed their pitching staff to work with leads, while also displaying an ability to compete in tight games and come out with victories.
It was a good sign for this Nationals group, especially when taking into account their youth.
While success shouldn't be defined by wins and losses this year since the focus should be on the continued development of their young stars, it's also important for them to learn how to win, something they finally showcased against the Diamondbacks.
Now, they have an opportunity to really make a statement against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The defending World Series champions are coming to the nation's capital for a three-game set that gets underway on Monday, and there is not a better time to take a look at where these two franchises now stand after the blockbuster trade that took place between the two in 2021 that really kickstarted the rebuild for Washington.
What many people might have forgotten is the Nationals were 40-38 entering the month of July.
While the 2020 season didn't end how they wanted when it came to defending their World Series title, the hope was they could turn things around during the full 162-game campaign and become contenders again.
It looked like that was the case, but a horrendous month of July made the organization decide to pull the plug and start a rebuild.
With a 7-17 stretch ahead of the trade deadline that took place on July 30, they made a blockbuster deal with the Dodgers, shipping Max Scherzer and Trea Turner out west to get Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray, Gerardo Carrillo and Donovan Casey in return.
So far, none of those players have amounted to what Washington expected, and it's the players they got back from the Juan Soto deal a year later that really are leading this new era of baseball. But Ruiz has started to play better in a season that will determine if he's the catcher of the future for this franchise.
If the Nationals are able to pull off the massive upset and win this series, not much is going to change.
Los Angeles will still be the World Series favorites with a loaded roster that has been compiled through other blockbuster trades, massive free agency signings and savvy deals, while Washington won't suddenly vault into contention this year.
However, the perception around the Nationals likely will change.
If this young roster can go toe-to-toe with this version of the Dodgers, that is a great sign about what could possibly occur in the future.
This is a massive test for Washington, and it's only fitting that it comes against a Los Angeles franchise that first initiated their rebuild four years ago.
