For much of this season, the Washington Nationals looked better than they had in years. They fought back late in games, had a winning record and were on the outer edges of the playoff hunt.
Then August hit. Three key pieces departed at the trade deadline, two veteran rotation placeholders were designated for assignment and two all-stars suffered injuries. As the Nationals concluded their three-city road trip Sunday with a 6-2 loss at the Miami Marlins, it’s apparent how much they are missing those pieces.