With the season winding down, The Week Ahead will look at the major baseball storylines down the stretch. We'll point out the big series of the week, great upcoming pitching duels and players to watch. THE NATIONALS HEAD WEST The Nationals have found themselves in trouble as of late. The club hasn't played particularly well, and it's come at an awful time. The surging Mets have opened up a 1.5 game lead in the NL East. This week could be a make-or-break one for Washington. The club begins a west coast road trip, taking on both the Giants and Dodgers, two teams with playoff aspirations. If the Nationals want to remain in the hunt for the division crown, they are going to need to perform against two of the better NL franchises this week. Otherwise, the Mets could really open up a nice lead in the East. (Chris Cwik) [ Play a Daily Fantasy contest for cash today! ]