Fansided

5 reasons the Nationals finally get past the NLDS

By Joshua Sadlock

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: Starting pitcher Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on September 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: Starting pitcher Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on September 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 30: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals pops out to third in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on September 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 30: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals pops out to third in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on September 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

2. Harp and Zim are on their game this year

I doubt we will ever really know what was going on with Bryce Harper last season. Some combination of mental and physical ailments dragged the 2015 NL MVP’s slash line all the way down to .243/.373/.441. He was even worse in the NLDS loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting .235/.448/.294 with six strikeouts and only one RBI.

Whatever was going on with Harper last year is in the past now. He rebounded to hit .319/.413/.595 this season with 29 home runs and 87 RBI in 111 games. Harper struggled to get his timing down after coming off the DL from his knee injury in September, but he has had enough time to be ready to produce in October.

Harper’s return to form this year was expected. He is an MVP and five-time All-Star before the age of 25. What was not expected was the rise to elite status for franchise icon Ryan Zimmerman. Injuries had limited Zim to only 271 games and a .242/.300/.420 line with 36 home runs over the past three years. It was fair to question whether Zimmerman was destined for an early retirement in only his age-32 season.

Zimmerman proved all the doubters wrong this year with the best year of his career. He made his second All-Star Game and hit .303/.358/.573 with 36 home runs and 108 RBI. The combination of Harper and Zimmerman in the heart of the order opens things up for Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon. The Nationals lineup is infinitely deeper with this pair producing than it was last year.

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