The Washington Nationals dropped its most pivotal series of the season, coming just one day prior to the trade deadline
Facing a division foe, especially one as good as the Atlanta Braves, requires a focused, concerted effort from the lineup the starter on the mound and bullpen behind him.
As the Nationals saw in their four-game set down south, that type of concentration is hard to come by when several key players are embroiled in trade rumors, with the deadline looming Monday.
Following a 4-2 defeat Sunday, Atlanta completed their sweep of Washington, who fell to 55-58 on the season. With the series wrapped up, let's take a look at the three biggest takeaways.
1) Lineup consistency takes a hit in Sunday's game... due to an impending trade
All season, Luis Garcia Jr. has been a consistent, important piece of Washington's lineup. The infielder has surged to the season of his life, with an .873 OPS (.141 above his career average) and a career-high 23 home runs.
While Garcia may not have made the difference in Sunday's loss, it's certainly a tall ask for players to stay locked in while their teammates, who they have played alongside and grown close to, are on the way out.
2) Foster Griffin struggles as he wades through trade rumors
Foster Griffin, the excellent 31-year-old rookie who has been so good for Washington all year, is another name that has come up often in trade rumors.
The reason, for the most part, seems to be finances. Unlike many rookies, Griffin is on a one-year deal and will need a new contract, and likely a raise, if the Nationals hope to bring him back.
The question, though, is how much a player with one year of MLB experience at a relatively advanced age is actually worth on the open market. As Griffin's breakout has progressed, questions have popped up about whether it would be prudent to ship out the southpaw to avoid losing him for nothing.
Perhaps due to the looming threat of a move, Griffin struggled mightily Friday, turning in one of the worst outings of his season. He gave up six earned runs in 5.1 innings, allowing two long balls along the way.
Time will tell if Griffin is to be moved -- as of Sunday night, no news of a deal has come down the pipe. But it certainly looked like the possibility of one might have gotten in his head in Atlanta.
3) The fairy tale might be over, but that's not necessarily a bad thing
When you take in the season from a bird's-eye view, it has been a charmed few months for Washington.
Pegged as one of the worst teams in MLB before the season began, the Nationals have been one of the league's greatest surprises, spending much of the season at or above .500 and sporting one of the best offenses in baseball.
The Nationals were so much better than expected, in fact, that there were questions as to whether they would buy or sell at the deadline.
Atlanta delivered an answer, and they did so firmly.
The Nationals are not ready to compete in the playoffs, and this four-game series against a playoff lock, in which they were easily swept and dropped to 55-58, is evidence to that end.
That may not end up being a bad thing.
If the Nationals had decided to make a push for the playoffs, a likely best-case scenario would have been sneaking in as a wild card just to be dispatched swiftly. Now, in the final hours of the deadline, the team can pivot to trying to obtain more assets for the future, as they have in acquiring Connelly Early and picking up young talent in return for Garcia.
The best version of the Nationals is in the future, not now. While it hurts to drop four in a row to a division rival, the clarity the series provided could be a blessing for the franchise in the future.
