The Nationals begin a series at home Monday at 7:05 p.m. with the Boston Red Sox (56-29), who have the second-best record in the majors even after an 11-1 loss Sunday night to the Yankees.
While ace Max Scherzer (10-4, 2.04) starts for the Nationals on Monday, the numbers are not trending in the right direction for a team that has won the last two National League East titles.
Consider:
* Washington is 42-40 after the Nationals were on pace to win 96 games with one-third of the season complete.
* Since June 1 the Nationals are 9-17.
* The team has not won back-to-back games since June 5-6.
* The Nats have been shut out seven times since June 1.
* Washington is 8-15 in one-run games, after a 4-3 loss in 13 innings Sunday at Philadelphia.
* The Nationals have a losing record at home (19-20).
* The team is 6-15 in its last 21 games.
* The Nationals are 8-16 when a lefty pitcher starts against them. That will be the case Tuesday and Wednesday against the Red Sox, when Brian Johnson (1-2, 4.28) and Eduardo Rodriguez (9-3, 4.11) pitch for Boston, respectively.
* Washington is 13-16 against the National League East, after losing three of four games in Philadelphia this past weekend.
* The Nationals trail not one but two teams in the division. Atlanta is 48-34 and six games ahead of the Nationals and three games ahead of the Phillies (45-37).
* Washington has several regulars batting less than .250. They are second baseman Wilmer Difo (.247), outfielder Bryce Harper (.216), infielder Daniel Murphy (.182) and catcher Pedro Severino (.170).
* Harper had just two homers in June, after he hit 18 in April and May.
* Harper is hitting .180 in his last 15 games. In his last 30 games he is hitting .192 and has struck out more than one-third of his at-bats: 38 times in 104 at-bats, with 22 walks.
* Severino is hitting .095 in his last 15 games. In his last 30 games, he is batting .090 with a slugging mark of .147. Matt Wieters, who is on the disabled list, has the only three homers for Washington catchers this year.
* Washington pitcher Erick Fedde, who starts Wednesday at 11:05 a.m. against the Red Sox, has one win in eight big league starts over the last two years.
* Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark, who starts on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m., is 0-3 in his last four starts and has not won since June 6.
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