Only a couple of weeks ago, however, they were considered long shots to get anywhere near this stage. After all, they were a wild card team needing to survive a play-in game and two matchups against division winners that held home field advantage.

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So how did it happen? Here are some of the top moments of Washington’s wild journey to claim the NL pennant:

Oct. 1: A shave, then a close wild card win

The first day of the month did not begin well for the Nationals. Manager Dave Martinez accidentally shaved off his lucky playoff beard the morning of the NL wild card game against the Brewers. Then, in the first inning of the contest, usually reliable ace Max Scherzer allowed a two-run homer to Yasmani Grandal. He surrendered another long ball the next frame to Eric Thames.

And yet … the Nationals managed to hang around. They trailed 3-1 heading into the eighth. That’s when the magic began.

With two outs and a man on first, Ryan Zimmerman singled and Anthony Rendon walked.

Juan Soto followed with this to set up a 4-3 win:

Oct. 4: Loaded in LA

After dropping Game 1 of the NLDS against the heavily favored Dodgers, the Nationals clung to a 4-2 lead in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Having already deployed Sean Doolittle and Scherzer from the bullpen, Martinez sent closer Daniel Hudson to the mound to finish the job.

Hudson, of course, had nearly left baseball because of injuries and seen his once-promising career as a frontline Diamondbacks starter crumble.

While Hudson had finished the regular season strong, this seemed like a spot in which the Nationals would come apart. That’s what had always happened to them.

Instead, Hudson fooled Corey Seager with a breaking ball in the dirt. Series tied and headed to Washington.

Oct. 7: Zimmerman delivers key blast

The Dodgers put the Nationals on the ropes with a Game 3 victory, and after taking an early lead in Game 4, things appeared bleak.

But Zimmerman, who Martinez later admitted he almost pinch-hit for, followed a go-ahead hit from Anthony Rendon with a booming three-run home run.

It was a particularly special moment considering the possibility it would be the infielder’s final home game with the franchise.

Oct. 8: Clutch home runs send Nats to NLCS

Needing to win in Los Angeles in a dramatic Game 5, Washington fell behind 3-0 in the opening two innings. Max Muncy and Kiké Hernandez each homered off Stephen Strasburg.

The Nationals faced future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw in the eighth knowing closer Kenley Jansen could arrive to end their season in the ninth.

They didn’t let things get that far. Home runs on consecutive pitches leveled the game.

Kershaw, a longtime postseason underachiever, faced a wave of jokes afterward.

He was not the one who gave up the losing blow, however. That fell to Joe Kelly — a reliever puzzlingly left out to dry by manager Dave Roberts.

Nationals infielder Howie Kendrick stepped up to the plate against Kelly in the 10th inning with the bases loaded and no outs. He did this:

Oct. 11: The Anibal Sanchez game

If the Nationals had gotten even four or five decent innings from Sanchez, their lone non-Scherzer/Strasburg/Corbin starter, they would have been pleased. Based on his solid but unspectacular performance level in 2019, that’s about the best that could have been expected in Game 1 of the team’s first NLCS.

Through the first few innings, it was clear Sanchez was at his best.

He kept going, though. Past the fourth. Past the fifth. Through the unexpected territory of the sixth and the seventh.

Sanchez entered the eighth inning with a no-hitter intact. Crazy.

When Zimmerman made this catch, it seemed Sanchez could actually finish the job.

He lost the bid with two outs in the eighth on a Jose Martinez single. Still, the tone was set for the remainder of the series.

Oct. 12: The Max Scherzer game

Scherzer turned Game 1 frustration from the Cardinals into Game 2 embarrassment. He followed Sanchez’s lead, not allowing a hit until the seventh inning. He finished his outing with 11 strikeouts over seven shutout frames.

The Nationals, though, struggled to piece together hits against St. Louis right-hander Adam Wainwright. It took until the eighth for them to create separation.

This Adam Eaton double did the job:

Oct. 13: The Stephen Strasburg game

With a 2-0 series advantage taken in St. Louis, the Nationals came into Game 3 on the brink of total control. They had Stephen Strasburg on the mound and a confident lineup behind him.

Reality of where Washington could be headed set in early.

After that quick start, Strasburg took control with a continuation of an already impressive playoff pitching run. He went seven scoreless innings and struck out 12.

He was showered with affection from the home fans — and greeted with strong praise from a national audience that has perhaps at times overlooked him.

Oct. 15: Nats win the pennant

This one was essentially over in the first inning, when Washington pushed across seven runs in front of a jubilant crowd.

Given past shortcomings, though, fans could be forgiven for being on edge until the very end.

Hudson, who had squirmed out of a bases loaded jam the inning before, closed out the Cardinals in the ninth inning.

Nationals Park erupted.