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Despite going out in dramatic fashion in the playoffs last season, the Washington Nationals were a feel-good story of a burgeoning young MLB dynasty ready to emerge from behind the spotlight.
Though that narrative hasn’t quite panned out in 2013, Jayson Werth is still doing what he can to give the team a bittersweet ending to what can only be described as a massively disappointing season thus far.
How else could you describe his milestone 1000th career hit — one that turned out to be a bit two-run bomb that was the centerpiece of a five-run seventh inning to complete a 8-5 comeback win against the Philadelphia Phillies? That’s not all he did, though, as he also contributed two more hits on the 3-for-5 day, scoring three of his team’s runs and driving in a symmetrical three to boot.
Now that, folks, is how you reach a career milestone in style.
Not that he hasn’t been equally good in the days leading up to it, though. As Nats fans are already well aware of, the biggest positive about the team this season might be the redemption story of Werth as the overpaid player on a big contract finally starting to find some redemption and live up to the big bucks.
Where Washington has continued to stumble in the NL East race, the veteran outfield has only succeeded, getting hits in nine of his first 13 games after the All-Star break to close off a fantastic .367/.450/.622 July that included seven homers and a whopping 22 RBIs to easily lead the team.
Even more impressive that that, though, is that he was far from done there.
In fact, he’s been even better in August so far. With hits in six of his eight games played heading into Sunday, and all but one of them being multi-hit performances, Werth currently owns a red-hot .542/.633/.833 triple-slash with homers in two of his last three games, good enough to give him a .409/.506/.742 post-break slash as arguably the hottest hitter in the league (leads all players with 1.249 OPS, 244wRC+).
But the best sign that he’s locked in? How about a 1.09 BB/K, a complete reversal from the 0.43 that he posted through 259 PA in the first half.
Though it’s surely a little too late at this point to turn the Nationals’ season around, the fact that Werth is putting on a semblance of what you’d call a vintage season for the team might just be enough to give them some hope going forward.
If 2013 is to be a blip on the radar and a minor setback, rest assured the outfielder will play a big part in the team’s quest for redemption next season.
