After trading away Juan Soto in a blockbuster deal, the Washington Nationals were expected to be the bottom feeders of MLB. The team was absolutely gutted and in full rebuild mode. Analysts, fans, and probably most of the players, were predicting the club would have a tough time through the final stretch of the 2022 season.
This young Nationals lineup, however, continues to surprise us. The team is 6-4 in their last 10 games and has lost only one of their last five series. On Sunday afternoon against the New York Mets, the team produced an impressive 7-1 win. After edging the series in New York 2-1, the Nationals' Twitter account saw an opportunity to troll their east coast rivals.
National League East fans united to pile on the misery of the division's first-place team after an unexpected series defeat to the lowly Nationals. Their tweet was also a sly dig at Mets closer Edwin Diaz and world-renowned musician Timmy Trumpet. The "Narco" entrance song has become synonymous with Diaz and his ability to close out opposition this season.
The Nationals traded away star hitters Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres during the trade deadline. In exchange, they received several prospects, including MacKenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams, and James Wood. The team also acquired veteran power hitter Luke Voit.
The Mets have now lost consecutive games to the Nationals. They have scored a total of two runs and conceded 14 in those two games.
Prospects C.J. Abrams and MacKenzie Gore have stepped up for the Washington Nationals since the trade deadline
The Mets are considered a World Series favorite this year. They possess one of the best starting rotations in the majors, which includes Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer. The team, however, is currently on a bit of a downswing, winning just three of their last seven games.
Mets fans were quick to respond to the online trolling, but that seemed to backfire. While the Washington Nationals won the World Series in 2019, the New York Mets have not won a championship since 1986.
If the Mets are hoping to change their luck anytime soon, they need to start dominating the lower half of the league. Their lead in the NL East has dimished to just one game ahead of the red-hot Atlanta Braves.
For the Washington Nationals, the series win over their rivals was one of the highlights of their season. The team now faces tough series against the playoff-chasing St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. The recent 7-1 domination over the Mets, however, seems to have revived a fan base that has had little to cheer about this season.