Joe Ross #41 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on August 05, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
When the Washington Nationals made a flurry of trades at the trade deadline in July, they were effectively mailing in the rest of the season. Sure, they would throw nine guys out there each night, though the Nats didn’t plan on being too competitive down the stretch. A 2-13 record since July 31, has confirmed this.
However, the last two months of the season were going to be a time for the young players in the organization to get some play.