The club isn’t oblivious to what’s at stake over the next two weeks. The Nationals know losing means the locker room could look different after Aug. 3.
“They know they have a chance in front of them to make a run at this thing, or if we slip back, it could mean something differently,” manager Blake Butera said. “But these guys want to win, and they’re frustrated right now.”
For Griffin, each stellar start this season was followed by doubts. Is his production sustainable? The left-hander has quieted the chatter as he takes his place among the game’s best.