Stephen Strasburg Just the Beginning of Nationals' Many 2015 Problems

Entering the 2015 season, the Washington Nationals were one of the few sure bets in baseball, a near-consensus choice to run away with the National League East and a popular World Series pick.

One week in, none of those hopes have been dashed. It's far too early for that. But suffice it to say, things aren't going according to plan in the nation's capital.

After falling 8-7 on Tuesday to the Boston Red Sox, the Nationals sit at 2-6, tied for the worst record in the NL. Stephen Strasburg took the loss, coughing up five runs in 5.1 innings and watching his ERA balloon to an unsightly 6.75. 

Washington's woes, however, go much deeper than that.

Let's start with the offense. Even after banging out 10 hits against Boston, the Nats starting lineup will own a .197 batting average entering play Wednesday.

Yes, third baseman and budding star Anthony Rendon is out with a knee injury, outfielder Denard Span is recovering from core muscle surgery and outfielder Jayson Werth ended his own disabled-list stint on Monday.

But other key hitters—first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, right fielder Bryce Harper, shortstop Ian Desmond—are hovering below the Mendoza Line. 

The defense has also been atrocious. After essentially giving the game away with three costly miscues on Tuesday, Washington has now committed nine errors on the season. If you're keeping score at home, that puts them on pace for...well, never mind. 

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

To put an even finer point on it, here's a choice nugget from CSN Washington's Mark Zuckerman during Tuesday's fiasco: "I don't...I don't even know what to say anymore." 

Manager Matt Williams had something to say after the unappetizing loss, and he sprinkled his postgame comments with food metaphors, per James Wagner of The Washington Post:

"

If you put all the ingredients together the same way every time, then you're going to get the same meal. That's what we've been getting. There's nothing to be said that hasn't already been said. We got the pitches we wanted to get, didn't make the plays. That's the same recipe. That's all I've got.

"

Chances are, the Nationals will right the ship. There is simply too much talent on this club, and eight games—no matter how ugly—represent an infinitesimal sample.

In a way, the fact that the rebuilding Atlanta Braves sit stop the NL East with a 6-2 record underscores the absurdity of drawing any firm conclusions in April. This is bizarro time, when up is down and all things are possible.

Still, when you trail as much hype as the Nats, any rough stretch will be scrutinized—especially if it comes right out of the gate.

Interestingly, as The Washington Post's Chelsea Janes notes, Washington had trouble with the leather in the early going last season as well, committing 34 errors through 37 games before buckling down and committing just 66 over the final 125 contests. 

Strasburg's struggles are well-documented, but the Nationals' vaunted super-rotation has been mostly solid. Max Scherzer, the winter's big addition, has been particularly impressive, allowing one earned run and racking up 16 strikeouts in 13.2 innings.

So, again, take deep breaths, anxious D.C.-area fans. After one more tussle with the Red Sox on Wednesday, you get four games against the Philadelphia Phillies, the ostensible doormats of the division. 

Of course, that'd be the same Phillies who just took two of three from the Nationals, so...yeah. It'd be nice to reverse this trend, and soon.

Not because a bad start automatically portends doom. But because winning beats losing, failure can lead to pressing—and because sure bets are supposed to look like sure bets.

All statistics current as of April 14 and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.