It’s a quiet morning, but the evening promises to be filled with fireworks. The Nats and Brewers will square off in D.C. after falling shy in their respective divisions but out-running the rest of the National League Wild Card field.
All Wild Card games come with the potential to be … well, wild. The format allows teams to compile rosters aimed at maximizing situational possibilities in one single game. And the win-or-go-home setting ensures that those rosters are unloaded — sometimes in creative fashion — without concern for ensuing contests. But this particular matchup is especially intriguing. In part by design and in part by happenstance, these teams have polar-opposite distributions of pitching talent.
The Nats are in good shape on paper, as they’ll trot out one of the game’s preeminent aces and competitors in Max Scherzer. An exceedingly unreliable bullpen lies in wait, but the club may attempt to forego it entirely by calling upon their other top-shelf starters — Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin — to clamp down on a Brewers lineup that managed to produce a late winning streak even after losing superstar Christian Yelich for the season. In theory, it’s a reasonably straightforward situation for Nats skipper Davey Martinez, but there could easily be some nervy moments as he decides whether and when to pull his horses and hand the ball off to Sean Doolittle and company.
The Brewers will also call upon their best starter in Brandon Woodruff. But he won’t be tasked with turning in a lengthy, shut-down performance. The young righty has only made a pair of two-inning appearances since returning from injury and surely won’t be extended too far beyond that point. His abbreviated start will kick off a cat-and-mouse bullpen game that is likely to feature multiple frames from relief ace Josh Hader and gobs of mixing and matching. It’ll be fascinating to see how manager Craig Counsell attempts to navigate a deep and balanced Nationals lineup. He’ll no doubt try to get as many outs as possible from his best arms while deploying situational relievers when necessary. The Milwaukee pitching situation could take any number of different paths and involve every hurler on the roster.
Which team has the edge in the NL Wild Card? (Poll link for app users.)
With no disrespect to Milwaukee, who has had a really good season, but it’s hard to see them overcoming Scherzer.
I agree, but never thought Milwaukee would make the run they did. I would not count them out.
Oh wow. Did you just say something positive about the Brewers? Kudos to you
Scherzer is 4-5 in the playoffs and 0-2 with the Nats in his career. It pays to be hot going into the playoffs like the Brewers are also. A bullpen that can throw out Suter, Pomeranz, Guerra and Hader isn’t going to be easy
I agree. I’ve seen the Nats choke away too many games this year and the Brewers are crazy hot right now. Besides, it’s October…it’s what Washington does this time of year.
It pays to be hot, but getting swept by the Padres the last three games throws a lot of cold water on your hot……
Rockies
Well they didn’t get swept and they played the Rockies so both your statements aren’t correct.
Clearly I paid attention to the last game of the year. ignore my dumb comment about no sweep. Still a 20 win September cant be overlooked.
“Pays to be hot going into the playoffs like the brewers Brewers are”…
Do you mean like how the Nationals swept a 5 game series with the Phillies AND a 3 game series with the Indians (both potential playoff teams until the Nationals got done with them) to finish the season on an 8 game win streak (and 10 of 12), while the Brewers got swept by the Rockies to finish the season?
Yes, the Brewers had a great September, but I don’t think you can sincerely give them the edge over the Nationals in the “going into the playoffs hot” department
Brewers last 30 games = 20-7
Nationals last 30 games = 17-11
Even with the Nats 8 in a row to finish the month brewers had a better September. I consider “playoff time” and “win now” time all of September. Brewers were the hotter team the last month of the year including two 7 game win streaks and 3 series sweeps.
I guess it comes down to do you want to count a 12 game sample or a 30 game.
Nationals second half: 46-27
Brewers second half 42-29
The Nationals were better the entire second half. Why count a 30 game sample when you can count a 70 game sample.
Intentionally being ridiculous, but you can always skew your sample size to prove your point. in the case of momentum, I’ll take the team coming off 2 really impressive sweeps over the team getting swept by a bad team 100% of the time.
Maybe you should have just left it at Suter, Pomeranz & Guerra
It happens. Id rather see Nats – Dodgers though
Scherzer hasn’t been the same since coming back from his injury. Brewers are the hotter team with the better bullpen.
Brewers are absolutely not hotter.
Very true. It’s tough to lose a top 5 caliber talent and presence such as Yelich going into a playoff run. I’ll be rooting for Milwaukee, but had to pick the Nats for the poll.
Me too! I always pick the underdog but if I was putting money on it, it would have to be the Nats :(
Go brew crew
Brewers, it’s a miracle they made the playoffs
Told you all the Brewers would win, thank you
Nevermind!
I think the Nats go all the way this year.
As a Braves fan, I want you to be wrong!
Sorry to bust your balloon but the Nats will not beat the Astros.
Who says they are playing the Astros? I’m thinking Yanks.
Verlander, Cole, Greinke.
Say it 3x in a darkened bathroom and you’ll see a World Series championship.
I just did but all I saw was my 3 chins in the mirror
Astros and Yanks are the two best teams, making the WS anti climatic.
2 best teams in reg season. Let’s see who gets hot. Regular season means nothing now.
I really don’t care who wins the game, I just hope whoever wins is the team to come out of the NL.
One of these years, that loaded Nats roster has to produce. I’ll go on record that this is the year. They win tonight, they win it through. There might be no better run organization in MLB than the Brewers, but sometimes the talent level just wins out.
I want these WC games to be frenetic and exciting. These are the types of games that should end 10-9 or something along those lines.
Either team will roll past LA, so it’s all good.
As a nationals fan, I’m abstaining from a vote. cuz if I vote, it puts bad mojo out there. And we all know, my vote has direct implications on this game lol.
Not voting huh, the baseball gods are going to be displeased by your lack of faith. It’s a lose lose.
OOTP 20 broadcast a postseason simulation with some surprising predictions. For those interested,
youtube.com/watch?v=uKUe7tipEsw
i picked Milwaukee to miss the playoffs all the way up until they went three games up for the last time. credit for getting this far, but Woodruff isnt outdueling Scherzer.
Woodruff isn’t expected to outduel Scherzer. Go 3 innings and turn it over to the pen that’s been rock solid of late.
Woodruff goes 5 early 3 run bomb bullpen off to LA
Go Nationals! Go like a pro.
Nothing against the Brewers but I really want the Nationals to win.