This was a truly glorious day for the Nationals, updates on Adam Eaton’s injury notwithstanding. They romped to a 23-5 victory over the Mets, setting a franchise scoring record and providing a platform for Anthony Rendon to stage an all-time great offensive performance.
Rendon started by knocking two runners in with a single in the first inning, and he only heated up from there. He finished the day 6-for-6 with 10 runs batted in and three home runs, a regular one-man highlight reel:
He became the thirteenth player in history with 10 or more RBI in one game and just the second to get a hit in every one of his at-bats while doing so. (Shout-out to Jim Bottomley of the 1924 Cardinals, who is still atop this list with 12 RBI.)
The Nationals were aided, of course, by the fact that the Mets got only a disastrous injury-shortened outing from starter Noah Syndergaard and quickly made it clear with their bullpen choices that they weren’t trying to win this. Case in point—backup catcher Kevin Plawecki pitched two full innings, allowing three home runs. But 23 runs is 23 runs, and Rendon’s day at the plate was unquestionably historically great.