A statistical look at the season's first half

PHILADELPHIA - June has come to an end, and not soon enough for a Nationals club that just went 9-16 in the last month.

The calendar change also coincides with the halfway point of the regular season. Yes, the Nats have played 81 games now. And I'm not sure anyone expected their record at this juncture to be 42-39.

That's simply not going to cut it. Eighty-four wins almost certainly isn't getting them into the playoffs. To get to 90, they'll have to play .593 ball the rest of the way, which is the equivalent of a 96-win pace.

Before we turn to the second half, though, let's give one last look at the Nationals at the end of the first half. How'd they fare statistically in all three phases of the game?

OFFENSE
The Nationals scored 345 runs in the first half, an average of 4.3 per game. That ranks 11th in the National League. What's odd here is the wildly erratic nature of their offensive production. They were shut out eight times (seven of those in the last month) but they also scored nine or more runs nine times (three of those in June).

The Nats are ninth in the NL in batting average (.240), slugging percentage (.400) and OPS (.718), sixth in on-base percentage .318) and home runs (93), and first in stolen bases (64).

And the stat many of you are most interested in: With runners in scoring position, the Nationals rank ninth in the NL with a .248 batting average, fourth with a .348 on-base percentage and seventh with a .405 slugging percentage.

Individually, Bryce Harper has hit 20 homers with 49 RBIs, but is batting .219 with a .366 on-base percentage and .482 slugging percentage. Anthony Rendon is hitting .292/.356/.530 with 11 homers and 23 doubles. Nationals catchers collectively rank last in the majors with a .555 OPS.

PITCHING
The Nationals have been led by their pitching staff, but maybe not as much as expected before the season. They've reached the halfway point with a 3.68 ERA, which ranks fifth in the NL. They do lead the league with a 1.18 WHIP and are second in strikeouts (750) while issuing the fewest walks (232). One problem: They've given up 95 homers, 11th-most in the NL.

Broken down by parts, the Nationals' rotation ranks fourth in the league with a 3.58 ERA, while the bullpen ranks sixth at 3.86.

On an individual level, Max Scherzer is once again leading the way, going 10-4 with a 2.04 ERA, 0.855 WHIP, 165 strikeouts and only 27 walks in 114 2/3 innings. Stephen Strasburg was 6-6 with a 3.46 ERA in 13 starts before landing on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation. Gio Gonzalez got off to a great start, but has faded and reaches the halfway point at 6-6 with a 3.68 ERA. Tanner Roark is a disappointing 3-9 with a 4.10 ERA.

A major bright spot: Sean Doolittle has a 1.60 ERA, 21 saves in 22 attempts, a ridiculous 0.535 WHIP and 44-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. But Ryan Madson (4.45 ERA, 1.447 WHIP) and Brandon Kintzler (4.30 ERA, 1.432 WHIP) have been disappointing and each spent time on the DL, necessitating the acquisition of Kelvin Herrera.

FIELDING
The Nationals, by pretty much all the metrics, rate as anywhere from an average to an above-average defensive team. They've committed only 34 errors and posted a .988 fielding percentage, both of which rank third in the NL.

FanGraphs' overarching defensive rating has the Nationals sixth in the NL, though well behind the top five clubs (Cubs, Diamondbacks, Brewers, Marlins, Braves).

Individually, Trea Turner has committed nine errors (most on the team) but rates as the fourth-best shortstop in the NL according to FanGraphs. Rendon has committed only one error at third base and rates as the best in the NL by FanGraphs, even ahead of Nolan Arenado. Harper rates seventh out of eight qualifying NL right fielders.