The MLB postseason launches Tuesday night when the Washington Nationals host the Milwaukee Brewers in the single-elimination National League Wild Card Game. Here are the night's biggest storylines.
The Nationals postseason woes — Washington has enjoyed great regular season success since 2012, but they've yet to capitalize on their talent in the playoffs. The Nats haven't made it beyond the Division Series since 2005, and they'll obviously need to knock off the Brewers before doing so this year. The 106-win Los Angeles Dodgers await the Wild Card winner, which won't make Washington's postseason path any easier, but maybe this is finally the year they remove the weight from their shoulders behind the likes of pitchers Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, third baseman Anthony Rendon, and wunderkind outfielder Juan Soto.
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Bullpen management — The 'pen has been the biggest weakness for the Nationals for several years now, and they're likely hoping to avoid using it much. Scherzer, their ace, will start, but he hasn't pitched like his former Cy Young-winning self lately thanks to a late-season injury. If Scherzer exits early, Washington could turn to Strasburg or fellow starter Patrick Corbin instead of their shakier relievers. Milwaukee should use its bullpen heavily; starter Brandon Woodruff has been excellent, but he'll be limited since he's coming off an injury, as well. They'll likely lean on pitchers like Brent Suter, Drew Pomeranz, Josh Hader, and maybe starter Jordan Lyles to navigate Washington's lineup later in the game.
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