For the past few years, the Washington Nationals have been stuck in the Stone Age of baseball. In an era when the rest of the league shifted toward analytics and modern baseball philosophies, the Nationals were stubbornly persistent in doing things the old-fashioned way.

That’s what makes the start of this season so interesting. Over a third of the way through the season, Washington sits at 29-28, staying above 500 with the best record this far into the season since 2018. While nobody expects them to suddenly be competing for championships, the team has shown promise of being much more competitive than expected entering the season.

For longtime fans, this run feels important because for years the Nationals were not considered a rebuilding team. From 2013-2019, Washington was regarded as one of the league’s strongest organizations. Fronted by stars such as Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Max Scherzer, Trea Turner and eventually Juan Soto, Washington consistently competed for division titles and playoff spots. While early years were defined by postseason disappointment, it all clicked in 2019 when first-season manager Davey Martinez led the Nationals to their first championship in franchise history.

After that championship, however, things quickly fell apart. The 2020 season marked the beginning of the end. Key veterans either left or regressed and, as injuries piled up, the once-touted organization was now a shell of its former self. Finally, once-superstar Juan Soto was traded away; What was once one of the strongest rosters in baseball became one of the weakest.

At the same time, the Nationals seemed behind the rest of baseball organizationally. Washington became stubbornly committed to outdated philosophies and methods. One example of this outdated thinking is former Nationals hitting coach Darnell Coles. Other teams have shifted toward a focus on launch angle and data-driven hitting thinking while the Nationals were stuck on a thinking of keeping the ball on the ground and minimizing strikeouts. The offense struggled to develop any of their young hitting talent, leaving their offense as one of the worst in baseball.

That is why their new management group feels so significant. The Nationals seem to have entered a new era this year with President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni, General Manager Ani Kilambi and Manager Blake Butera seizing control of the organization. What immediately sticks out about these hires is their age: Toboni is 35, Kilambi is 31 and Butera is 33. For a franchise stuck in the past for so long, these hires seem like a clear sign the franchise is trying to modernize.

In all fairness, former General Manager Mike Rizzo deserves his credit. Rizzo helped build the World Series-winning team through excellent drafting and development in his early years. Some of his highlights were selecting Stephen Strasburg in 2009, Bryce Harper in 2010 and Anthony Rendon in 2011. He helped establish the core that led the team to be contenders for most of the decade.

However, Rizzo seemed to have lost his touch in later years. While no organization always drafts perfectly, several of Rizzo’s first-round picks were major disappointments. Elijah Green, selected fifth overall in 2022, has not made it past A ball and 2019 first-round pick Jackson Rutledge has not become the frontline starter Washington was hoping for. It is unclear whether these failures were due to Rizzo’s poor drafting or failure in development but it was clear something needed to change.

The biggest reason for the optimism now is the culture shift that seems to be happening in the organization. Butera brought in a completely new coaching staff that reflects a younger and more modernized direction. Bench coach Michael Johns, Hitting Coach Matt Borgschulte and Pitching Coach Simon Mathews are part of the new staff that seems focused on modern player development and baseball strategies.

So far, the offensive improvements have been hard to ignore. The Nationals’ offense has taken a major leap and now ranks number one in the MLB by runs scored. Young stars like James Wood and CJ Abrams are finally playing like the franchise cornerstones they were expected to be when they were included in the package in return for Juan Soto. There have also been smaller developments that show whatever the Nats are doing is working. Outfielder Jacob Young, known more for elite defense and speed, has tallied seven home runs so far this season, more than his previous two seasons combined. Improvements like these suggest the coaching staff is helping players make real adjustments that are showing on the field.

While the offense has thrived, pitching remains a problem. The Nationals have struggled on the mound and currently have given up the most runs in the league. There have been short flashes of promise from starters Foster Griffin and Cade Cavalli, but consistent success has been hard to find. The bullpen, especially, has been one of the team’s biggest weaknesses and has continued to cost them close games.

These struggles can’t be entirely blamed on the coaching staff, though. The front office did not make much of an attempt to improve the pitching in the offseason. The Nats entered the season mostly relying on talent already in the organization instead of adding proven talent. This is common during a rebuild, but with a young core that has shown so much promise, investments need to be made.

This will ultimately come down to owner Mark Lerner. Player development and a shift in culture only take an organization so far. If the Nationals want to return as serious contenders, they cannot simply rely on James Wood, CJ Abrams and developing prospects. They will need financial support from their owner to add pitching, bullpen help and proven talent to put around their young stars.

Overall, the early signs of the new Nationals management have been positive. For most teams, a 29-28 record at this point in the season is nothing special, but for a franchise that has been one of the bottom dwellers of the league for years, it shows significant progress. All of the young hirings show a shift in culture, which might be just what Washington needs. However, if ownership remains unwilling to invest in this team, only so much progress can happen. The Nationals seem to finally be heading in the right direction, but they need resources to maintain sustainable winning in this next era of Nationals baseball.