Rendon's game-winning slam boosts career year

WASHINGTON -- Anthony Rendon emerged from the dugout for just a moment. The 24,292 fans at Nationals Park on Monday night would not relent until he did. He had just delivered one of the biggest hits of the year for the Nationals, provided the signature moment in what is shaping up to be his career year and did the Dougie for his dugout dance with his teammates. But the fans were demanding a curtain call, so Rendon walked out to the top step and extended his helmet to the crowd.

Rendon broke a tie game in the sixth inning against the Braves with a go-ahead grand slam, a 412-foot no-doubter launched to left field off reliever Chad Sobotka that sent the crowd at Nationals Park into a frenzy and led Washington to a 6-3 victory to open the series. It was the third grand slam of Rendon’s career, his 500th RBI and it helped the Nationals cut the Braves’ lead in the NL East to 4 1/2 games.

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“That’s the Tony I know,” left fielder Juan Soto said. “When I saw the ball I was like, it’s gone. We’re getting back.”

These are the moments where Rendon is at his best. He always remains nonchalant even in pressure-packed situations, an ability that marvels his teammates. When Sobotka fell behind in the count 2-0 with the bases loaded, Rendon went after a fastball that caught too much of the plate and he did not miss the opportunity to send it over the fence.

“I think I’m able to keep it even keel[ed],” Rendon said about his approach in those situations. “I have a good understanding that baseball is not the most important thing in the world, but at the same time you want to get a hit. I'm competitive and I don’t want to get out, but it's not the end of the world.”

Perhaps that attitude is part of the reason why Rendon, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, is putting together his best all-around year.

Rendon is batting .318/.404/.616, leading all National League third baseman in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and with his 1.020 OPS. His consistency has been remarkable, such as this current stretch dating back to July 6, where he has recorded a hit in 17 of his past 19 games, batting .380 with three homers and 20 RBIs during that span.

Rendon’s 4.2 Wins Above Replacement, according to Fangraphs, began the day as the fourth best in the entire NL, trailing only Cody Bellinger, Christian Yelich and Ketel Marte. His grand slam Monday night was his 23rd homer of the season, two shy of his career high in just his 92nd game of the season.

“I really feel the same,” Rendon said. “I don't feel that much better, I don't feel that much worse. I still try to keep my plan simple and I guess still be the boring person that I am. I guess it's finally coming together.”

Indeed, after being somewhat underrated throughout the start of his career, Rendon is establishing himself as one of the elite players in baseball and doing so just months before he is set to hit the open market for the first time. The Nationals have made attempts at finding common ground on a contract extension, and the two sides remain open to doing so, but in the meantime Rendon is certainly helping his own cause with such a monster year.

Just three players in franchise history have had four consecutive seasons of at least 20 home runs and 80 RBIs, according to the Elias Sports Bureau: Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero (1998-2002), Bryce Harper (‘15-18) and now Rendon.

“It’s really not just this season. It’s every year,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “Even when I was on the other side, just watching him play, you don’t see a whole lot of emotion from him. He just makes everything look rather easy.”