WASHINGTON -- It has been almost a week since the Trade Deadline, and the Nationals have continued to express confidence in the team they’re putting on the field. Their 7-6 loss to the Phillies on Thursday showcased promise from young talent and a veteran presence, but the Nats are far from a pennant-worthy team, and a four-game sweep by the Phils proved that.

Washington has talked about opportunity and growth since the Deadline, trying to move forward. One of the best ways to do that is to see what’s gone right, what hasn't, and assess from there.

What’s gone right?

The young guys
Carter Kieboom has continued to impress at the plate. He has hit safely in seven of his last eight games while notching his first two home runs of the season in that span. Even when the ball isn’t leaving the park he has been hitting his spots, recording a double and an RBI single on Thursday.

Manager Dave Martinez knows that it is up to the young players on the team to take advantage of their opportunities, and they have. On Wednesday, Victor Robles, Kieboom and Luis García all homered (García twice), and their four home runs marked the most by Nationals teammates age 24 or younger.

“We all know what's at stake,” Kieboom said. “I think, what's understood doesn't need to be explained. We don't talk about [pressure]. We just go we show up every day and we do our job.”

Juan Soto showed that he is someone the franchise should build around, and not just because of his bat. In the seventh inning, he robbed Didi Gregorious of the hit, leaping up and reaching into the Nationals bullpen for the out.

The (promise of the) bullpen
When you look at the bullpen's recent numbers, it probably isn’t clear as to why the it's something that has done well. Since the All-Star break (20 games), the bullpen has owned the worst ERA in the Majors (7.79) and has blown five saves in 12 days.

That being said, it’s the promise of improvement that puts them in the positive category. (Since we're looking ahead, after all.)

On Thursday afternoon, Ryne Harper and newly acquired Mason Thompson combined for 1 2/3 shut-out innings.

“Harper came in did a great job,” said Martinez. “Then Mason Thompson came in and got two big outs, threw the ball well, so we got to keep battling. I told boys, ‘Hey, keep your heads up. You know, good things will happen. Just keep playing hard.’ We got to work on a bunch of different things. But I'm seeing a lot of positives.”

When Martinez had arms the likes of Daniel Hudson and Brad Hand in the ‘pen, he knew who to turn to in each situation. That’s not the case anymore. The skipper is watching young arms pitch for the first time and then assessing who can fill each role.

The club recently optioned Tanner Rainey and Wander Suero to Triple-A to work out mechanical issues, leaving guys like Kyle Finnegan to step up and fill the closer role. Thursday’s outlier performance (four runs on three hits and two walks in one inning) aside, the reliever has tossed scoreless innings in 13 of his last 15 outings.

What’s gone wrong?

Hitting in high-leverage situations
The Nats loaded the bases in the fourth inning on Thursday, scoring one run when Tres Barrera was hit by a pitch. The offense had two more chances to hit after the run was scored, but instead it recorded two quick outs.

Washington's inability to hit with the bases loaded, or with runners in scoring position, isn’t new. It’s an issue this club has faced for the majority of the season. Entering Thursday, the Nats had the second-worst batting average with the bases loaded (.198).

In the 20 games since the All-Star break, the Nationals have struck out nine times with the bases loaded -- including Robles’ inning-ending strikeout in the fourth on Thursday. Washington left nine on base against Philadelphia on wasting opportunities to score runs and avoiding leading on pitching.

Home runs
Entering play on Thursday, the Nationals' pitching staff had given up the third-most homers in MLB (22) in its last 20 games -- then Joe Ross surrendered one homer in Thursday’s win, a 427-foot bomb to Bryce Harper.

“Giving up a home run, it's never fun,” Ross said. “ I don't think any pitcher wants to do it. I feel like, for me, it kind of gets a little fire under my [butt] a little bit. … The solo homer, [I’d] probably take that one all day over the two or three-run shot. Especially late in the game. I feel like that's kind of a dagger in In the team.”

Even when starters have avoided big innings, home runs have plagued the Nats' starting rotation. During the four-game set with Philadelphia, Washington’s starters allowed six of the eight total homers allowed.