NL East standings as of 8/25. Graphic via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

The Nats are high above all other teams in the majors with a picturesque win percentage at .611, and even a small losing streak really ain’t no thang but a blip on the radar.

Catcher Kurt Suzuki had a broken-hand scare Wednesday, but returned to the lineup Friday after negative X-ray results came through. Shortstop Ian Desmond should be out through Monday to play it safe with his hamstring strain. Likewise, Michael Morse took Sunday off to rest his hand, which remained painful after being hit by a pitch on Friday’s game against the Phillies.

… Just ask Jayson Werth, (or check his email in/outbox), those two teams just can’t seem to get along. Somehow injury is always added to insult in such rivalries.

Stephen Strasburg is set to miss his final two or three starts of the season by order of his Tommy John recovery schedule. In his absence, the Nationals could switch to a four-man rotation come October.

Read more on the Nationals on Win For Teddy

Atlanta Braves

The Braves were only 5.5 games behind the Nats as of Sunday morning, but are coming off a rough week, with six losses in the past eight games.

Atlanta placed vet pitcher Ben Sheets on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation after a rough start against the San Francisco Giants attributed to arm fatigue. As the team was already working around a six-arm rotation, they will not need to add another man in Sheets’ stead.

Meanwhile, All-Star catcher Brian McCann, who will be eligible for free agency after 2013, continues to play through shoulder discomfort. McCann is concerned about the effect on his financial future, but right now seems to be looking only as far ahead as October, as the Braves vie for postseason play.

Keep an eye on Atlanta at She Is Out Of Your League

Philadelphia Phillies

WOAH, there. In case you stopped paying attention to the Phillies for the past two weeks (raises hand) you may be surprised to see these stallions climbing the rankings of the NL East. Admittedly, I had settled into the notion that the standings were set in stone at this point, after observing week after week of Philadelphian disenchantment. Will the Phillies be the dark horse contenders of the 2012 post-season? Not too fast, Brotherly Lovers, the Phils are still 17.5 games behind the race for the pennant, and 9.5 behind the wild card as of Saturday.

Nate Schierholtz should have a rehab start Sunday, and is slotted to rejoin the squad on September 1 in time for roster expansion. Carlos Ruiz caught bullpen for Vance Worley and could return early this week.

Phollow the Phillies at View From Section 116

New York Mets

The Mets have had a woeful week as well, losing six straight, crowned by what I would imagine to be an especially heart-colding loss to the ‘Stros. With this, New York let the Phillies slip ahead, but the team can still reclaim contention if they make a serious stand in their upcoming series in Philadelphia this week.

My fantasy league team (… rest in peace) wants to know what happened to Lucas Duda, and the answer is such: After slipping into purgatory  in Triple-A Buffalo, he’s back in left field for Sunday’s game against Houston. Rejoice.

In other news, David Wright launched one into the foul pole for career dinger number 200. Despite being upheld for umpire review, the home run was awarded to him. And lest you forget, the foul pole is fair. Wright holds the third-best record in the Mets franchise, after legends Darryl Strawberry (257), and Mike Piazza (220).

Keep up with the Mets at Mets & The Citi

Miami Marlins

Oh, the Marlins. If Tropical Storm Isaac does not slow them down when they return home, the upcoming series against the Nationals might drown them out. C’est la vie. 

Tell me something good? Twenty-two-years-young Giancarlo Stanton is moonshotting his way up the list of most-homeruns-hit-before-age-twenty-three. I did not know we had such lists in baseball, but that was my folly… Statisticians consider it pure joy to keep records of all such things. Stanton, who turns 23 in November, is tied with Mickey Mantle and Andruw Jones after his number 84 Saturday night tater off Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.

And finally, Emilio Bonifacio took his third trip of the season to the disabled lands list with a sprain in his right knee. The injury may not require surgery, but it is possible that the center fielder may not return this season.

Catch the Marlins news at A Fishy Situation