Trea Turner's Activation May Already Be Final Chance for Nats to Spark Their Season

After a long stay on the injured list, Nationals shortstop Trea Turner has been activated and will return to the lineup Friday night when the Cubs come into town. Turner, who was batting .357 before breaking his finger, is one of the premier shortstops in baseball and a key asset for the Nationals.

Turner's return to the lineup might just be the last chance at a successful season for the Nationals, who after losing Bryce Harper this offseason, seem to be dead in the water right now with a record of 18-25.

Pitching has not been the problem so far for the Nationals, as while Max Scherzer has not been his usual dominant self, he along with Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin have still been solid this year.

The Nationals rank 20th in the league in runs scored with 190 runs, and 22nd in the league with a .238 team average. The lack of offense has hurt them, and if Turner's addition does not create a buzz around this team and breed success, the Nationals may not be around come postseason time.

Fans were hoping outfielder Juan Soto would improve off of his ultra-productive rookie season, but he's struggled to the tune of a .228/.345/.415 slash line, with just 6 homers and 24 RBI.

The Nationals have won two in a row, and now with Turner re-entering the lineup, it is the perfect storm for a surge back into contention in the NL East.

The Nationals sit six games behind the Phillies for the top spot in the NL East and have to start chipping away at that deficit before it gets too late. They have the perfect opportunity for a spark, with Turner finally coming back for this crucial series against the Cubs.