The Washington Nationals Win Their Fourth NL East Title Since 2012

The Washington Nationals have very quietly become the first team in MLB to clinch a post-season spot although they needed a little help from the Atlanta Braves. The Nats clinched a tie for the division by beating the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2. The deal would be sealed when the Braves topped the second place Miami Marlins 10-8 in 11 innings. It is the Nats' fourth NL East title since 2012.

Up until a couple of weeks ago, it was a fait d'accompli that the Los Angeles Dodgers would be the first team to clinch a playoff spot. But the Dodgers have fallen on hard times having lost 9 in a row and 14 of their last 15 games going into this afternoon. Over this same period, the Nats have gone 12-5 and now own a season high 20 game lead in the division over the Marlins.

Honestly, this has been Washington's division from nearly the get-go. They have been in first place in the NL East since April 18th. What is all the more remarkable is that the team has been without Bryce Harper for nearly a month after he hyperextended his knee running down to first base. But the Nats still have the triumvirate of Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon and a resurgent Ryan Zimmerman which has more than picked up the slack.

They have four starting pitchers in double digits in wins (Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer and Tanner Roark) despite the fact that both Strasburg and Scherzer have spent time on the DL this season. Unlike past seasons, the Nats made significant trade deadline deals bolstering the bullpen with the addition of Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson from the Oakland A's and Brandon Kintzler from the Minnesota Twins.

With the spotlight on the Dodgers and the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs, the Nationals have received comparatively little respect. Of course, the Nats have won the NL East three other times in the past five years only to be ousted in the NLDS by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012, the San Francisco Giants in 2014 and the Dodgers last year. The Nats probably aren't going to get a lot of respect until they prove they can get past the NLDS. Assuming the Dodgers still finish the season with the best record in the NL, the Nats will likely face the Cubs in the NLDS. Given the Cubs won last year's World Series, the Nats will be heavy underdogs despite finishing with a better won-loss record.

Of all the teams that reach the post-season, the Washington Nationals might very well have the most to prove.