The 3 biggest storylines ahead of tonight's NL Wild Card Game
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.
MVP-less — Milwaukee wasn't supposed to be here after losing reigning N.L. MVP Christian Yelich to a knee injury earlier in September. But his teammates didn't falter, going on a crazy run to qualify. Still, the lineup doesn't have the same thump without their star, especially considering fellow outfielders Ryan Braun and Lorenzo Cain are expected to play with nagging injuries. Second baseman Keston Hiura, coming off a stellar rookie campaign, is the team's most intriguing player right now.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
'The Hum': the real-life noise behind The Listeners
In The Spotlight Can some of us also hear the disturbing sound that plagues characters in the hit TV show – and where is it coming from?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Are we any closer to identifying UFOs?
Podcast Plus, will deals with Tunisia and Kurdistan help Labour? And what next for the Wagner Group?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 16 - 22 November
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published