Can Lord of the Rings Bring Success to Washington Nationals?

The notable works of J.R.R. Tolkien have made their way to the Washington Nationals' clubhouse, bringing the adventures of Middle-earth to a group of baseball players looking to delve deep into the crusade of team morale.

As reported by The Washington Post, members of the team's book club were looking to create a sense of brotherhood beyond shop talk, giving baseball a greater meaning at the end of the day.

Trevor Williams started this clubhouse book club last season, introducing the works of C.S. Lewis to his teammates for some meaningful conversation into life beyond the diamond. During this new campaign, the participating Nationals are following a group of friends as they navigate similar adventures and obstacles in their own lives.

Having just wrapped up "The Hobbit," Williams and the book club are now moving onto "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The club was open to any and all members of the team, but the few dedicated readers include Kyle Finnegan, Jake Irvin, MacKenzie Gore, Michael Soroka, Alex Call and Nathaniel Lowe.

When these professionals can find the time, they are getting swept up in the fantasy storytelling of some of Tolkien's best work.

"It's just a good team-building thing," Lowe said. "It's a good topic of conversation for the guys, gives us something to talk about away from baseball."

Whether or not this helps them perform on the field is something that'll be determined at a later date.

As of Tuesday, the Nationals are sitting 10 games behind the NL East leaders, watching as the Philadelphia Phillies get closer and closer to reaching their peak.

The good news is that Washington still has time to make a potential run of their own.

As far as pitching goes, the Nationals are hoping to see Finnegan return to the mound after some rest. As much as he's eager to start "The Fellowship of the Ring," his team is itching to see some much-needed high-end performances from him.

Gore, on the other hand, has been taking care of some business in spite of Washington's most recent failures. He is on pace to record serious strikeout numbers in 2025, and he will try to continue his scorching pace during his next few starts.

Like the storytelling that members of the Nationals have fallen into, a comeback from Washington would make for some great drama on the diamond.

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