Nationals star Anthony Rendon wishes more fans saw playoff clinch: 'It would have been nice'
As bottles popped and champagne poured in the Washington Nationals' clubhouse Tuesday night, third baseman Anthony Rendon had another remaining wish, beyond clinching a wild card berth.
He wants more fans at Nationals Park for the team's stretch run.
Reporters asked Rendon if the team's inspired play since late May, which helped them recover from a 19-31 start, could propel the Nationals toward the organization's first playoff series victory. That's when he made his pitch to fans.
"I don’t know," Rendon said, per The Washington Post. "It would have been nice if we had more people out there tonight. It is what it is. Hopefully, they’ll show up later on in the year."
Entering Wednesday, the Nationals lead the Milwaukee Brewers by one game for the top NL wild card spot. Barring an epic collapse, the Brewers will be their opponent in the winner-take-all bout and an NL Division Series date with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the prize. The Nationals and Brewers will be jostling for home-field advantage for the contest in their final five games.
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The Brewers have two games left with the Cincinnati Reds before a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies. The Nationals will see the Phillies twice more prior to welcoming the Cleveland Indians — themselves in a wild card race — for the final three games of the regular season.
The Nationals' turnaround coincided with Rendon's sizzling summer. He vaulted himself into the MVP conversation with 34 home runs, 122 RBI and a 1.020 OPS.