Washington Nationals: 5 Biggest Surprises From 2014 Season So Far

OF Denard Span has proven all of his 2014 critics wrong. Span leads the Nationals in terms of batting average, hits and stolen bases. He is the only player hitting over .300 on the season as of September. The outfielder has shown himself to be the most reliable hitter in the Nationals' lineup.

OF Bryce Harper missed time early on due to a thumb injury. The two-time All-Star is not having an All-Star season in 2014. He has struggled for much of the season at the plate, but fortunately has begun to turn his hitting around in August and September. Harper still has to live up to big expectations and the Nationals need more consistent hitting from the young outfielder.

Going into the final month of the season, the Nats lead the NL East by seven games. Even though the Atlanta Braves have played well against the Nationals in recent seasons, the Nats have found a way to win in 2014. The two teams still have six games to play against one another, but the Nationals have a comfortable lead on the Braves nearing the end of the 2014 season.

Anthony Rendon leads the team in terms of slugging percentage. Not only does he hit for power, but he scores more than any other player on the team. Rendon is the only player with 100 or more runs scored and the future appears bright for the second-year infielder.

Two standout pitchers for the Washington Nationals have been Doug Fister and Tanner Roark. The two starters have 24 wins between them and are the unexpected aces of the Nationals' rotation. Pitching has been a strong foundation for the Nats all season. The team remains atop MLB in terms of earned run average and much of that is thanks to players like Fister and Roark.