Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg Get Into It in Dugout as Nationals Continue to Fall Apart

The underachieving Washington Nationals fell below .500 last night as the Atlanta Braves battered Stephen Strasburg. The pitcher, making his first start since early June, was testy after getting the hook and got into it with staff ace Max Scherzer in the dugout. Brief public jawing was taken underground and out of view from the television cameras.

And if you want to know what it was all about, you’re not going to find any satisfaction. It’s a family problem and not to be shared with outsiders.

Scherzer and Strasburg met with Martinez in his office for 15 minutes or so postgame. Strasburg on what happened: “Part of family. You have to be in the family (to know).”
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) July 21, 2018

While it’s good that this blowup appears to be water under a bridge, the bigger issue is that the Nats are taking on water. They sit six games behind Philadelphia and 5.5 behind the Braves. There are 65 games remaining, so time is rapidly running out.

The cracks are evident. If they can’t be repaired promptly, it will be another lost season in the nation’s capital.