Rachel Levitin: Rough run puts Nationals 2 1/2 games back in division

It's been a rough run for the Washington Nationals as of late. They dropped last night's contest in a 5-0 shutout versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, and are trying to scrape their way back to the top of the National League East as baseball's regular season days die down.

The Nats currently sit 2 1/2 games back in their division. Now - with the wild card - sitting a couple games back in the standings isn't necessarily the end all to a season with playoff hopes. However, the issue now lies in the fact that there are some hot teams coming into their own this August, and the wild card spot competition is hot.

There's a NL Central contingent, including the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, that the Nats need to keep an eye on as competition continues to intensify in the coming weeks. And yes. You did read that right. The Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates may be causing the Nats further trouble down the line if Washington can't regain the top spot within their own division by the season's end.

It's been a long road for the Nats in their first decade as a team. They've gone from perennial cellar-dwellers to being two-time division champions. And - despite failed attempts at advancing beyond the first round of the playoffs - they've established themselves as a true competitor among their fellow teams.

The question now is: What seems more likely - a third division title in four years, a wild card berth or none of the above?

Rachel Levitin blogs about the Nationals for District Sports Page. Follow her on Twitter: @RHLevitin. She will be sharing her observations about baseball in the nation's capital as part of MASNsports.com's season-long initiative of welcoming guest bloggers to our little corner of cyberspace. All opinions expressed are those of the guest bloggers, who are not employed by MASNsports.com but are just as passionate about their baseball as our roster of writers.