The Dodgers (94-52) are in the nation’s capital for three games with the second-best team in the National League. The Nationals (89-57) took two of three games when the teams faced off in L.A. in June. While the Nats have already won their division, they’re within reach of the top seed in the N.L., five games back of Los Angeles with 16 games left to play. The Dodgers are guaranteed to exit the series with the best record in the league; by how much depends, of course, on how they fare this weekend.
There is a decent likelihood these teams will meet up in the NLCS (jokes about the Nats never having won a playoff series aside).