The Nationals may be out of the playoff chase, but the last 11 games still carry real weight. With the season winding down, Washington has one clear target left: beat the Mets to fourth place and avoid finishing in the NL East basement.
The standings make the race tight. The Nats are 70-81, just a half-game ahead of the Mets at 69-81. Washington has spent most of the year sitting above New York, and holding that edge over the final stretch would give the season a cleaner finish.
That matters more than it might seem. Since winning the World Series in 2019, the Nationals have finished last in the division in five of the past six seasons.
For fans, that has been a long grind. This year has still felt like a step forward, even with the rough final couple months, and ending in last place again would sting.
The schedule sets up a final showdown. The Nationals and Mets meet in a three-game series to close the season from the 25th to the 27th, and that stretch could decide the fourth-place race. Blake Butera will need to push all the right buttons if Washington is going to finish ahead.
There’s also a chance for the home crowd to help make it matter. The team has earned some support down the stretch, and this has been the most entertaining season of Nats baseball since 2019. The offense has been electric, and Cade Cavalli has emerged as a top of the rotation arm.
A finish ahead of the Mets would carry a little extra punch, too. New York has not had sole possession of last place in the division since 2003, so the chance is there for Washington to change that over the next two weeks.
Even without playoff stakes, the final games still offer something worth chasing. The Nationals are two wins away from their most wins since 2019 and three wins away from avoiding a 90-loss season. If they go 5-6 the rest of the way, they could finish with 75 wins - a mark that would have felt very different back in April.
There’s still meaning left in this season. There are milestones to hit, and there’s one last fight worth having: stay out of last place and send the Mets to the basement.
In Other News...
Nationals Are Getting Closer To The Juan Soto Trade Payoff
The Nationals are heading into a two-game set against the Phillies with Jackson Kent and Cade Cavalli lined up to start, but the more interesting development for the organization may be happening a level below. Jarlin Susana has been promoted to Triple-A Rochester after a strong run in the minors this season, a move that puts one of Washingtons top young arms within striking distance of the big leagues.
Susana, ranked as the third-best prospect in the system, has emerged as one of the key pieces in the clubs long rebuild. His rise only adds to the sense that the organization is finally getting closer to seeing some return from the Juan Soto deal, even if the final step still has to come before anyone can say the payoff has fully arrived. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Just Handed Jarlin Susana A Big Fall Test
Jarlin Susana is getting a meaningful fall assignment after a season interrupted by lat surgery and capped with a move to Triple-A Rochester. The Nationals top prospect will be part of the 2026 Arizona Fall League, where his stuff and health will be under a bright spotlight, and where the organization is sending a sizable contingent to Salt River to keep the development pipeline moving.
Susana arrives there ranked among the AFLs better prospects, which only raises the attention around what he shows over those weeks in the desert. Washington also has five more players headed to the same roster, a reminder that this trip is about more than one arm and more than one level - it is a chance for the Nationals to get a deeper read on a group they hope can matter soon. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Momentum Gets A Real Test Against A Phillies Team Under Pressure
The sweep of the Angels gave Washington a welcome lift late in the 2026 season, and now the Nationals get a much better read on where that momentum really stands. Philadelphia arrives with more on the line, clinging to a slim edge in a crowded National League wild card race, so this series carries a different kind of weight than the one Washington just finished.
Jackson Kent is set to open the matchup against Cristopher Sanchez, a test that immediately asks whether the Nationals recent surge can travel against a contender playing under pressure. The pitching only gets more intriguing from there, with Cade Cavalli lined up to oppose Zack Wheeler in a game that should tell plenty about how far Washington still has to go and whether Philadelphia can steady itself before the race tightens further. [Read more 🡒]