Daylen Lile’s September breakout carried the Nationals’ rebuild into focus, earning him NL Player of the Month and NL Rookie of the Month as he posted .391/.440/.772 with 9 homers and 8 steals. His late-season surge helped him finish the year at .299/.347/.498 with 15 doubles and 11 triples, a month-long feat last matched by Willie Mays in 1957. Washington’s prospects—Crews, Wood, Abrams, Gore—provide a potent core, but offseason pivots around Cairo’s fate and a manager who can maximize a winning mindset for 2026.

With a 66-96 finish, the Nationals are embracing youth and ambition. Lile’s September numbers become a springboard for keeper and dynasty fantasy formats, while Crews, Wood, Abrams, and Gore chart a path to more consistent production. The impending managerial decision looms, but the talent mix suggests Washington could flip the calendar in 2026 with the right leadership and development plan.

Colson Montgomery delivered a clutch two-run homer in the ninth, lifting the Chicago White Sox to a 10-9 win at Nationals Park and snapping a five-game skid in the opener of their final series. Washington slugged six homers, led by Luis García Jr., but Chicago rallied late to steal the victory.

Lenyn Sosa supplied early offense with an RBI single, a solo homer, and an RBI double as the Sox sprinted to an 8-1 lead. Yoendrys Gómez battled through six innings, giving up four homers, yet a ninth-inning sequence—Teel reached on Ferrer’s error and Montgomery’s go-ahead blast—sealed the dramatic finish for Chicago.