Fight to the Finish: How the Washington Nationals Rallied to Become 2019 World Series Champions

by The Washington Post

The Washington Nationals entered the 2019 season with high hopes but an uncertain identity under second-year manager Dave Martinez. Gone was Bryce Harper. Still around were dominant starting pitchers in Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg star third baseman Anthony Rendon talented young outfielders Juan Soto and Victor Robles – and the specter of past playoff disappointments. A slow start dragged down by bullpen collapses saw the team 12 games below .500 and 10 games out of first place entering Memorial Day weekend. And then began a turnaround for the ages. Behind bedrock pitching from Strasburg and offseason acquisition Patrick Corbin clutching hitting from Howie Kendrick and midseason signing Gerardo Parra the Nationals played the final 112 games of the regular season as well as any team in baseball to capture a wild-card berth. Along the way they discovered the camaraderie and joy that would propel them to a wild-card victory over Milwaukee an upset of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the division round a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series and finally a World Series victory over the Houston Astros. In Fight to the Finish relive the Nationals' run through the images and words of The Washington Post photographers and reporters who followed the team every step of the way.

Genres: Sports

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2019

About the author

The Washington Post provides authoritative local, national and international news — with reporting on politics, technology, business and culture — offering readers and users entertainment and information they need to know, plus expert original commentary, insight and analysis, 365 days a year.

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this mostly just reprints of articles I already read and pictures I’ve already seen? Yes. Did I love every page anyway? Yes.

[Peter Sprigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful for any Nationals fan. It includes the Washington Post’s game by game coverage of the entire postseason, plus several special essays by their great sportswriter Thomas Boswell. The only thing I didn’t like is that the series were presented in reverse chronological order—World Series, then NLCS, then NLDS, then Wild Card game. It also includes box scores and lots of beautiful color photos. Definitely one to keep and pull off the shelf any time you want to reminisce.

[Justin Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I'd already read the articles and there were some avoidable typos or misidentified pictures, this collection of stories all in one place is everything a Nationals fan needs to remember the 2019 magical season.

[Lewis Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written (the good and bad), and lots of great photos!