The 2026 Washington Nationals had a season to be proud of

As we wrap up the season, I want to focus on the positives. While there are some areas that will need to be improved, the Nats exceeded expectations. The betting markets are not gospel, but on BetMGM , the Nationals over/under win total was 65.5 games. They were expected to be a bottom feeder team.

Those expectations were not misplaced in my opinion. The Nats were coming off a disastrous 66-96 season, where the final record was flattering if anything. Last season, the Nats had a -212 run differential. Based on that run differential, they should have been a 100 loss team. Instead of adding pieces, the Nats traded their best starter and reliever in the offseason.

Hopes were not high in the offseason. In addition to the betting markets, the local media was bearish on this team. Mark Zuckerman got local reporters to predict the Nats win total, and nobody had the team winning more than 75 games. I was not included in this, but I had the Nats having a similar record to last season.