Neither front office is pretending this season is about October. It's about which kids stick. Colorado has been getting real swings out of its rebuild pieces, while Washington's issue isn't talent so much as depth — its bullpen has been one of the shakiest in baseball this year, worn down by attrition at the back end. That's the version of this game worth watching: not who's favored, but who's building something.
Colorado's been buried in the standings all year, but manager Warren Schaeffer has gotten some life out of his roster lately — rookie first baseman Blaine Crim has been swinging a hot bat since Colorado added him, and that kind of jolt matters for a team playing out the string with prospects instead of proven names. Washington, meanwhile, is dealing with the wear-and-tear of a long season on a pitching staff that was already thin before Abrams and Wood turned up on the injury report.
Both clubs play 3 more games before they ever see each other, so a lot can shift — a bullpen usage pattern, a rehab timeline, a hot week from a September call-up. By the time Monday, August 24 actually rolls around at 6:45 PM ET, this preview will look more like a snapshot than a script. That's the honest way to read a game this far out: watch the injury reports, not the current standings.