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Washington Nationals

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This article is about the current Major League Baseball team. For other uses, see Washington Nationals (disambiguation).

Washington Nationals
2024 Washington Nationals season
LogoCap insignia
Major league affiliations
Current uniform
Retired numbers
(as Montreal Expos: 8, 10, 10, 30)
Colors
  • Scarlet red, navy blue, white[1][2]
         
Name
Other nicknames
  • Nats
Ballpark
Major league titles
World Series titles (1)2019
NL Pennants (1)2019
NL East Division titles (5)
Wild card berths (1)2019
Front office
Principal owner(s)Mark Lerner[3][4]
President of baseball operationsMike Rizzo
General managerMike Rizzo
ManagerDave Martinez
Mascot(s)Screech
Websitemlb.com/nationals

The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Nationals Park, located on South Capitol Street in the Navy Yard neighborhood of the Southeast quadrant of D.C. along the Anacostia River.[5]

The Nationals are the eighth major league franchise to be based in Washington, D.C., and the first since 1971. The current franchise was founded in 1969 as the Montreal Expos as part of a four-team expansion. After a failed contraction plan, MLB bought the Expos, seeking to move the team to a new city.[6] MLB owners chose Washington, D.C. in 2004 and established the Nationals the next year, in the first MLB franchise move since 1971 when the third Washington Senators moved to Arlington, Texas to become the Texas Rangers. No MLB teams have moved since, although the Oakland Athletics are currently in the process of relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada.

While the team initially struggled after moving to Washington, the Nationals enjoyed considerable success throughout the 2010s. The team had back-to-back first overall picks in the MLB draft in 2009 and 2010, selecting Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. The team secured their first playoff berth and first division title in 2012 and won the National League East again in 2014, 2016, and 2017, but failed to advance past the NLDS each time. In 2019, the team advanced to the World Series as a Wild Card team and defeated the Houston Astros in seven games to earn their first championship.

As of the end of the 2024 season, the franchise's overall win–loss record is 4,265–4,569–4 (.483). Since moving to Washington, D.C., their overall win–loss record is 1,510–1,626 (.482)[7]

History

[edit]

Early baseball in Washington, D.C.

[edit]
Main article: History of Washington, D.C., professional baseball

Multiple short-lived baseball franchises, including two named the Nationals, played in Washington with the National Association in the 1870s.[note 1] The first Washington Nationals team in a major league played in the American Association in 1884.[12] Another Washington Nationals team also played in the Union Association during its only season in 1884.[13] The first Washington Nationals of the National League played from 1886 to 1889.[14]

Washington Senators / Statesmen / Nationals

[edit]
President Richard Nixon at the Washington Senators' opening game with the New York Yankees at RFK Stadium, 1969
Main articles: Washington Senators (1891–1899), Washington Senators (1912), Washington Senators (1901–1960), and Washington Senators (1961–1971)

The Washington Statesmen played in the American Association in 1891,[15] before jumping to the National League as the Senators the following season. The Washington Senators, who were often referred to as the Nationals,[16] played in the National League from 1892 to 1899. They were followed in 1901 by another Washington Senators franchise — a charter member of the new American League — who were officially named the Washington Nationals from 1905 to 1955.[17][18] In 1912, another Washington Senators team formed as one of eight teams of the United States Baseball League. But the league and the team folded after just over a month of play in 1912.[19]

The first American League Senators franchise moved to Minneapolis after the 1960 season and became the Minnesota Twins. MLB awarded Washington an expansion team, the second American League Senators franchise, which began play in 1961 but moved to Arlington, Texas after the 1971 season to become the Texas Rangers.

Montreal Expos

[edit]
Main article: Montreal Expos

The Montreal Expos were part of the 1969 Major League Baseball expansion, which included the Seattle Pilots (now the Milwaukee Brewers),[20] Kansas City Royals, and San Diego Padres. Based in Montreal, the Expos were the first Major League team in Canada[21] and were named after the Expo 67 World's Fair.

The majority-share owner was Charles Bronfman, a major shareholder in Seagram. The Expos' initial home was Jarry Park. Under manager Gene Mauch, the team lost 110 games in their first season, coincidentally matching the Padres' inaugural win–loss record, and continued to struggle during their first decade with sub-.500 seasons.

In 1977, the Expos moved into Montreal's Olympic Stadium, which was built for the 1976 Summer Olympics. Two years later, the team won a franchise-high 95 games, finishing second in the NL East. The Expos began the 1980s with a core group of young players, including catcher Gary Carter, outfielders Tim Raines and Andre Dawson, third baseman Tim Wallach, and pitchers Steve Rogers and Bill Gullickson. The team won its only division championship in the strike-shortened split season of 1981, ending its season with a three-games-to-two loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.

The team spent most of the 1980s in the middle of the NL East pack, finishing in third or fourth place in eight out of nine seasons from 1982 to 1990. The Expos hired Buck Rodgers as manager before the 1985 season, and he guided the team to winning records five times in six years, with the highlight coming in 1987 when they won 91 games (.562). They finished third, but were just four games behind the division-winning Cardinals.

Bronfman sold the team to a consortium of owners in 1991, with Claude Brochu as the managing general partner.[22][23] The new ownership replaced Rodgers, at that time second only to Gene Mauch in number of Expos games managed, partway through the 1991 season. In May 1992, the Expos promoted Felipe Alou, a member of the Expos organization since 1976, to become the first Dominican-born manager in MLB history.[22] Alou would go on to be the franchise leader in games managed while guiding the team to winning records, including 1994 when the Expos, led by a talented group of players including Larry Walker, Moisés Alou, Marquis Grissom and Pedro Martínez, had the best record in the major leagues until the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike forced the cancellation of the remainder of the season. After the disappointment of 1994, Expos management began shedding its key players and the team's fan support dwindled.

Brochu sold control of the team to Jeffrey Loria in 1999,[24][25] but Loria failed to secure funding to build a new downtown ballpark[26] and did not reach an agreement on television or English radio broadcast contracts for the 2000 season, reducing the team's media coverage.

Proposed 2001 contraction

[edit]
Main article: 2001 Major League Baseball contraction plan

After the 2001 season, MLB considered revoking the team's franchise, along with that of either the Minnesota Twins or the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.[27][28] In November 2001, Major League Baseball's owners voted 28–2 to contract the league by two teams — according to various sources, the Expos and the Minnesota Twins, both of which reportedly voted against contraction.[29] Subsequently, the Boston Red Sox were sold to a partnership led by John W. Henry, owner of the Florida Marlins.[29][30] In order to clear the way for Henry's group to assume Red Sox ownership, Henry sold the Marlins to Loria who in turn sold the Expos to MLB.[29] However, the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, the Metrodome's operator, won an injunction requiring the Twins to play there in 2002.[29] MLB's inability to revoke the Twins franchise compelled it to keep both the Twins and Expos as part of the regular season schedule. The collective bargaining agreement signed with the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) in August 2002 prohibited contraction until the end of the contract in 2006.[31] By that time, the Expos had become the Washington Nationals and the Twins had made sufficient progress towards the eventual building of a new baseball-specific stadium that contraction was no longer on the agenda.

2005 move

[edit]

With contraction no longer an option in the immediate term, MLB began looking for a new site for the Expos. Some of the choices included Oklahoma City; Washington, D.C.; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Monterrey, Mexico; Portland, Oregon; Northern Virginia (such as Arlington or Dulles); Norfolk, Virginia; Las Vegas; and Charlotte, North Carolina. Washington, D.C., and both Virginia locations emerged as the front-runners.

On September 29, 2004, MLB announced that the Expos would move to Washington, D.C. for the 2005 season, returning professional baseball to the United States's capital.[32][33] On November 15, arbitrators struck down a lawsuit former team owners brought against MLB and former majority owner Jeffrey Loria, bringing to an end all legal actions that could have impeded a move. The other MLB team owners approved the move to Washington, D.C., in a 28–1 vote on December 3 (Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos cast the sole dissenting vote).

Although there was some sentiment to revive the name Senators when the Expos moved to Washington in 2005, legal and political considerations factored into the choice of Nationals, a revival of the first American League franchise's official name used from 1901 to 1956.[34] Politicians and others in the District of Columbia objected to the name Senators because the District of Columbia does not have voting representation in Congress.[35] In addition, the Rangers still owned the rights to the Senators name.[36]

Nationals versus the Cincinnati Reds in 2009 at Nationals Park

Washington, D.C. mayor Anthony A. Williams supported the name "Washington Grays" in honor of the Negro-league team Homestead Grays (1929–1950), which had been based in Pittsburgh but played most of their of their home games in Washington's Griffith Stadium during much of the 1940s. On November 21, 2004, the team's management chose the name "Washington Nationals,"[37] revealing the club's official colors of red, white, and blue the next day.[38]

The Nationals played their first three seasons at RFK Stadium until Nationals Park could be built.[39][40] Nationals Park was completed in 2008, and the Nationals played their first home game there on March 30, 2008. ESPN televised the game nationally, for which U.S. President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch. Ryan Zimmerman hit his fifth career [41] walk-off home run to give the Nationals a win in the first game in their new stadium.

Inaugural 2005 season

[edit]
Main article: History of the Washington Nationals

The Nationals played their first game on April 4, 2005 at Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies 8-4.[42] The Nationals finished their inaugural season at .500 with an 81-81 record. Its first draft pick as the Nationals was Virginia native Ryan Zimmerman in the first round of the 2005 draft. Zimmerman made his MLB debut in 2005 and became one of the team's best players and the face of the franchise, playing his entire career with the Nationals.

2000s and 2010s

[edit]

When Ted Lerner took over the club in mid-2006, he hired Stan Kasten as team president. Kasten was widely known as the Atlanta Braves' architect before and during their run of 14 division titles. Kasten was also the General Manager or president of many other Atlanta-area sports teams, including the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers. "The Plan," as it became known, was a long-range rebuilding and restructuring of the team from the ground up. This plan included investing in the farm system and the draft to build a team suitable for their new stadium.

In the front office, the Nationals hired well-respected former Arizona scouting director Mike Rizzo to be the Vice President of Baseball Operations, second in charge under then-general manager Jim Bowden.[43]

The Nationals finished in last place in four out of five years from 2006-2010, but began building the foundations of a contender with their first-overall draft picks of pitcher Stephen Strasburg (in 2009) and catcher Bryce Harper, whom the team converted to the outfield, (in 2010), as well as their sixth-overall draft pick of infielder Anthony Rendon (in 2011).[44][45] Strasburg, arguably the most hyped prospect in baseball history, struck out 14 batters in an unprecedented Major League debut at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates.[46] In 2011, they signed Jayson Werth to the team's first big free-agent contract.[47] With a mix of homegrown players and players acquired via trade and free agency, the Nationals clinched their first playoff berth and first division title in 2012. Teenage phenom Harper was named NL Rookie of the Year, the youngest ever to win.[48] The Nationals were knocked out of the 2012 NLDS by the St. Louis Cardinals in five games after the Cardinals took the lead with two outs in the top of the ninth of game 5. After missing the playoffs in 2013, they hired Matt Williams as manager and rebounded to win their second division title in 2014, but were eliminated in the 2014 NLDS by the San Francisco Giants. In 2014, they acquired shortstop prospect Trea Turner in a trade with the San Diego Padres, with Turner eventually becoming a major part of the Nationals' core.[49] In 2015, the Nationals signed top free agent pitcher Max Scherzer to a 7-year, $210 million contract.[50] That year, Harper had one of the greatest offensive seasons in MLB history, becoming the youngest player to win the NL MVP unanimously.[51] However the Nationals missed the playoffs again, leading to Williams' firing.[52] The team hired veteran manager Dusty Baker in 2016, and returned to the playoffs only to be eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2016 NLDS in five games. They won the NL East title in 2017, but were eliminated in the NLDS yet again after losing game 5 to the Chicago Cubs. Baker's contract was not renewed after the 2017 playoff loss, and the team hired Dave Martinez as their sixth manager in ten years.[53]

In 2018, the All-Star Game was played at Nationals Park. 19-year-old phenom Juan Soto had an exceptional debut campaign, finishing 2nd in NL Rookie of the Year Voting.[54] The Nationals failed to make the playoffs in 2018, finishing a disappointing second in a year they were expected to sail to the playoffs.[55] After the 2018 season, superstar slugger Bryce Harper left the team via free agency, signing with the rival Philadelphia Phillies.[56]

2019 World Series win

[edit]
2019 World Series victory parade

The Nationals began the 2019 season with a record of 19–31, with their projected chances of winning the World Series at that time being 1.5 percent.[57] They then posted a 74–38 record over the remaining 112 games, finishing with an overall record of 93-69 and earning a spot in the 2019 National League Wild Card Game, which they won over the Milwaukee Brewers 4–3. In the NLDS, the Nationals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games, propelling them past the divisional round for the first time in franchise history.[58] The Nationals then swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, giving them their first NL pennant.[59] The team then defeated the Houston Astros in game seven of the 2019 World Series, giving them their first World Series championship, with Strasburg being voted series MVP.[60][61] The World Series was the first in MLB history that saw no team win a game at home, as the road team won all seven.[62] The Nationals went a perfect 5-0 in elimination games during the playoffs, all of which were come-from-behind victories, the first team in MLB history to do so.[63]

Post-World Series

[edit]

Franchise cornerstone Anthony Rendon left in free agency for the Los Angeles Angels after the 2019 season. The Nationals agreed to re-sign fellow building block Stephen Strasburg to a massive seven-year deal that guaranteed him $245 million.[64] However, injuries limited him to just 31 and 1/3 innings under the contract, and eventually forced him to retire in 2024.[65] The Nationals struggled in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic led to the season being shortened to 60 games; the team finished 26-34 and missed the playoffs. After another disappointing start to the 2021 season, in which the team was under .500 at the trade deadline, GM Mike Rizzo disassembled much of the team, trading ace pitcher Max Scherzer and superstar shortstop Trea Turner to the Dodgers, among many other trades of starting players in exchange for prospects, signifying the start of a rebuilding process.[66] Ryan Zimmerman, the longtime face of the franchise who had been with the team since its inaugural 2005 season, announced his retirement after the 2021 season, marking the end of the first era of Nationals baseball.[67] On August 2, 2022, the Nationals traded 23-year-old superstar Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres after he turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract extension offer, which would have constituted the richest contract in baseball history.[68] In doing so, the Nationals lost its franchise icon and one of the last integral players from the 2019 championship team.[69] The Nationals received one of the largest prospect hauls in any single trade in baseball history in return, with the front office hoping that the elite prospects would form the core of the next championship team.[70] After trading Soto and others, the Nationals finished the 2022 season with the worst record in baseball at 55-107.[71] That year proved to be the low point for the Nationals rebuild, as young players such as CJ Abrams and Josiah Gray led them to an improvement of 16 wins in 2023, finishing at 71-91. Additionally, the rebuild had strengthened a once-weak group of prospects. ESPN's annual farm system ranking showed improvement from 30th entering 2021[72] to 22nd in 2022,[73] 13th in 2023,[74] and 16th in 2024.[75] The Nationals ended the 2024 season with the same record as 2023 at 71-91. However, the rebuild progressed with top prospects James Wood, acquired via the Soto trade, and Dylan Crews, drafted #2 overall in 2023, making their debuts.[76][77] Additionally, shortstop CJ Abrams, also acquired via the Soto trade, was selected to the 2024 All-Star Game.[78]

In 2022, The Washington Post reported that the Lerner family was exploring a restructuring of the team's ownership, including the possibility of selling the team outright.[79] Ted Lerner died on February 13, 2023, from pneumonia complications; his son Mark had become the public-facing principal owner in 2018, though Ted had retained his full interest in the team's decisions.[80]

Uniforms

[edit]

2005–2008: Original uniforms

[edit]

The Nationals' original home uniforms contained the team name and numbers in red with gold bevels and navy trim, and were paired with the all-red "curly W" cap. The road uniforms contained the city name and numbers in navy with gold bevels and red trim, and were paired with the all-navy "curly W" cap. The front letters of both uniforms formed a distinct bridge-like shape. This set was joined the following season by a red alternate uniform, which featured the interlocking "DC" in white with gold bevels and navy trim, as well as numbers in navy with gold bevels and white trim. The red alternates were paired with the all-red "DC" cap.[citation needed]

The Nationals sported two different sleeve patches with this set. In their inaugural season, the patch featured gold accents, the full team name and two gold stars on the outer navy circle, and the interlocking "DC" on the inner red circle. The patch was tweaked the following season, eliminating the team name in favor of nine gold stars and relegating red to trim color.[citation needed]

Ryan Zimmerman (left) in the original home uniform; Emilio Bonifácio (center) in the original road uniform; Nick Johnson (right) in the original alternate red uniform.

2009–2010: Road uniform changes

[edit]

For the 2009 season, the Nationals kept the same home uniform but unveiled a new road and red alternate uniform, along with a roundel-less "DC" sleeve patch. The road uniform now featured a script rendition of the city name in front minus the gold bevels, with the letters now rendered in red with navy and gold trim. The red alternate replaced the "DC" logo with the "curly W" logo, and numbers changed to white with gold bevels and navy trim.[citation needed]

2011–2023: "Curly W" uniforms

[edit]

The Nationals unveiled a new uniform set starting in 2011. Gold was eliminated and the emphasis was on the "curly W" logo, which was prominently featured on the home and red alternate uniforms. The road all-navy cap was retired in a favor of a navy cap with red brim, and a new red cap with navy brim was added in 2013 for home games with the red alternates. The sleeve patch was updated to feature the primary roundel logo. Piping was added to the "curly W" uniforms.[citation needed]

Andrew Stevenson (2nd from right) in the "Curly W" home uniform; C. J. Abrams (2nd from left) in the road uniform; Víctor Robles (3rd from right) in the "Curly W" red uniform.

2018–present: Script "Nationals" uniforms

[edit]

In 2018 the Nationals released a navy alternate uniform, featuring a script rendition of the team name in white with red trim along with red numbers. The following season, the navy uniform proved to be a good-luck charm for the Nationals, as they went 11–3 while wearing the uniforms en route to winning the World Series. In 2020, a white version was added, with the script version of the team name in navy with red trim. Initially, the Nationals unveiled a pair of white-paneled and red-brimmed alternate caps: one in navy with the United States Capitol dome superimposed over a white block "W", and another in red with a navy block "W" superimposed over the silhouette of a pitcher. Both designs paid homage to the original Washington Senators (now Minnesota Twins) and the expansion Washington Senators (now Texas Rangers). However, only the "Capitol W" cap was used, and the "pitcher W" cap was not utilized on the field at all and immediately retired.

For most of the 2020 season, the Nationals wore gold-accented versions of the new white uniforms in celebration of their World Series championship, along with all-red caps with the gold "curly W" logo. The script white alternates made their on-field debut on the final regular season home game September 27 against the New York Mets, and were paired with the "Capitol W" cap (the red "curly W" batting helmets were used with this uniform). The Nationals did not wear their home and red alternate "curly W" uniforms throughout that shortened season. In 2021, the white alternates were also paired with the primary red "curly W" cap, though the alternate Capitol cap was still used occasionally.

Starting in 2022, the white alternate uniform with the "Nationals" script became the primary home uniform, replacing the white "curly W" uniform.

In 2024, the Nationals updated their road uniform, featuring a block "Washington" lettering in navy with white and red trim. The red "curly W" alternates were replaced by an alternate white pullover uniform with navy sleeves, featuring the "Capitol W" crest on the left chest and a new sleeve patch depicting the "interlocking DC" logo inside the silhouette of Washington, D.C. The chest numbers on both the primary home and alternate navy uniforms were removed.[81]

Trea Turner (left) in the script "Nationals" home uniform (chest numbers removed in 2024); Juan Soto (right) in the gold-accented alternate uniform in commemoration of their 2019 World Series championship; Eric Thames (3rd from left) in the script "Nationals" navy uniform (chest numbers removed in 2024); Dominic Smith (center) in the "City Connect" gray uniform.

City Connect uniform

[edit]

As part of MLB's uniform deal with Nike, selected teams were given themed "City Connect" uniforms. The Nationals' version, unveiled in 2022, pay homage to the cherry blossoms that adorn Washington, D.C. in the spring. The design has a dark gray base with pink trim and printed cherry blossoms. The uniforms were worn during Friday and Saturday home games until 2024. After 2024, the City Connect uniforms were retired.[82]

Stars and Stripes alternates

[edit]

In 2009, the Nationals unveiled a navy alternate uniform for games that fell during Independence Day week. The uniform featured the "interlocking DC" logo rendered in the Stars and Stripes motif, along with white/red piping and white numbers with gold bevels and red trim. The original primary logo was added to the left sleeve, and a navy cap with red brim containing the aforementioned "DC flag" logo was used.

In 2011, the uniform was tweaked to feature the "curly W" in Stars and Stripes, along with updated logos and the removal of gold accents. The road navy cap was originally used with this uniform, but in 2016 it was replaced by a similar design, with the exception of the "curly W" which was now rendered in the Stars and Stripes. This design was used until 2019, during which the uniform was no longer exclusively worn on Independence Day week.

In 2017 a white version of the "Stars and Stripes" alternate was released; this one is paired with the navy-brimmed red cap featuring the "curly W" in Stars and Stripes.

Alberto González (left) in the original "DC Stars and Stripes" uniform; Adam Eaton (center) in the navy "W Stars and Stripes" uniform; Fernando Rodney and Yan Gomes (right) in the white "W Stars and Stripes" uniform.

Season standings

[edit]
Main article: List of Washington Nationals seasons
MLB
season 		Team
season 		League[83] Division[83] Regular season Postseason Awards
Finish Wins Losses Win% GB
2005 2005 NL East 5th 81 81 .500 9 — Chad Cordero—Rolaids Relief Man
2006 2006 NL East 5th 71 91 .438 26 — Alfonso Soriano—Silver Slugger
2007 2007 NL East 4th 73 89 .451 18 — Dmitri Young—Players Choice Award National League Comeback Player[84]
2008 2008 NL East 5th 59 102 .366 32½ — —
2009 2009 NL East 5th 59 103 .364 34 — Ryan Zimmerman—Gold Glove and Silver Slugger
2010 2010 NL East 5th 69 93 .426 28 — Ryan Zimmerman—Silver Slugger
2011 2011 NL East 3rd 80 81 .497 21½ — —
2012 2012 NL East 1st 98 64 .605 — Won NL East Division by 4 games; Lost NLDS 3–2 vs. Cardinals Adam LaRoche—Silver Slugger and Gold Glove
Ian Desmond—Silver Slugger
Stephen Strasburg—Silver Slugger
Bryce Harper—National League Rookie of the Year
Davey Johnson—National League Manager of the Year
2013 2013 NL East 2nd 86 76 .531 10 — Ian Desmond—Silver Slugger
2014 2014 NL East 1st 96 66 .593 — Won NL East Division by 17 games; Lost NLDS 3–1 vs. Giants Ian Desmond—Silver Slugger
Anthony Rendon—Silver Slugger
Wilson Ramos—Tony Conigliaro Award
Matt Williams—National League Manager of the Year
2015 2015 NL East 2nd 83 79 .512 7 — Bryce Harper—National League Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger, Hank Aaron Award, Players Choice Award National League Outstanding Player, Esurance MLB Awards for Best Major Leaguer and Best Everyday Player
2016 2016 NL East 1st 95 67 .586 — Won NL East Division by 8 games; Lost NLDS 3–2 vs. Dodgers Daniel Murphy—Silver Slugger and Players Choice Award National League Outstanding Player
Wilson Ramos—Silver Slugger
Max Scherzer— National League Cy Young Award, Esurance MLB Awards for Best Pitcher and Best Performance
Anthony Rendon—National League Comeback Player of the Year
2017 2017 NL East 1st 97 65 .599 — Won NL East Division by 20 games; Lost NLDS 3–2 vs. Cubs Daniel Murphy—Silver Slugger
Max Scherzer—National League Cy Young Award, Players Choice Award National League Outstanding Pitcher
Ryan Zimmerman—Players Choice Award National League Comeback Player
2018 2018 NL East 2nd 82 80 .506 8 — —
2019 2019 NL East 2nd 93 69 .574 4 Won NLWCG 4–3 vs. Brewers; Won NLDS 3–2 vs. Dodgers; Won NLCS 4–0 vs. Cardinals; Won World Series 4–3 vs. Astros Howie Kendrick—National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award
Anthony Rendon—Silver Slugger and All-MLB 1st Team
Max Scherzer—All-MLB 1st Team
Juan Soto—All-MLB 2nd Team
Stephen Strasburg—All-MLB 1st Team and World Series Most Valuable Player Award
2020 2020 NL East 4th 26 34 .433 9 — Juan Soto—All-MLB 1st Team, Silver Slugger and Batting Title
2021 2021 NL East 5th 65 97 .401 23.5 — Juan Soto—All-MLB 1st Team and Silver Slugger
2022 2022 NL East 5th 55 107 .340 46 – –
2023 2023 NL East 5th 71 91 .438 33 — —
2024 2024 NL East 4th 71 91 .438 24 — —

Bold denotes a playoff season, pennant, or championship; italics denote an active season.

Postseason appearances

[edit]
Year Wild Card Game NLDS NLCS World Series
1981[A] None[C] Philadelphia Phillies W 3–2 Los Angeles Dodgers L (3–2)
2012[B] Bye (Won NL East) St. Louis Cardinals L (3–2)
2014 Bye (Won NL East) San Francisco Giants L (3–1)
2016 Bye (Won NL East) Los Angeles Dodgers L (3–2)
2017 Bye (Won NL East) Chicago Cubs L (3–2)
2019 Milwaukee Brewers W Los Angeles Dodgers W (3–2) St. Louis Cardinals W (4–0) Houston Astros W (4–3)
  1. ↑Appeared as the Montreal Expos.
  2. ↑This and subsequent appearances as the Washington Nationals.
  3. ↑The wild-card game was first played in 2012.

Players and personnel

[edit]

Roster

[edit]
Washington Nationals 2025 spring training roster
40-man roster Non-roster invitees Coaches/Other

Pitchers


Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders







Manager

Coaches

60-day injured list


37 active, 0 inactive, 0 non-roster invitees

7-, 10-, or 15-day injured list
 * Not on active roster
 † Suspended list
 Roster, coaches, and NRIs updated October 31, 2024
 Transactions • Depth chart
 → All MLB rosters


Managers

[edit]
Manager Tenure Regular season[85] Post-season[86] Totals
Wins Losses Win % Best finish Appearances Wins Losses Win % Wild Card
record		 Series
record		 Wins Losses Win %
Frank Robinson 2005–2006 152 172 .469 81–81, 5th (2005) — — — — — — 152 172 .469
Manny Acta 2007–2009 158 252 .385 73–89, 4th (2007) — — — — — — 158 252 .385
Jim Riggleman 2009–2011 140 172 .449 69–93, 5th (2010) [note 2] — — — — — — 140 172 .449
John McLaren (interim) 2011 2 1 .667 — [note 2] — — — — — — 2 1 .667
Davey Johnson 2011–2013 224 183 .550 98–64, 1st (2012) 2012 2 3 .400 — 0–1 226 186 .549
Matt Williams 2014–2015 179 145 .552 96–66, 1st (2014) 2014 1 3 .250 — 0–1 180 148 .549
Dusty Baker 2016–2017 192 132 .593 97–65, 1st (2017) 2016, 2017 4 6 .400 — 0–2 196 138 .587
Dave Martinez 2018–present 463 569 .449 93–69, 2nd (2019) 2019 12 5 .706 1–0 3–0 333 392 .459

Note: Updated through September 29, 2024.

Baseball Hall of Famers

[edit]
Main article: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Washington Nationals Hall of Famers
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Montreal Expos

Gary Carter *
Andre Dawson *

Vladimir Guerrero *[87]
Randy Johnson[88]

Pedro Martínez[89]
Tony Pérez

Tim Raines *
Lee Smith

Larry Walker
Dick Williams *

Washington Nationals

Frank Robinson[90]

Iván Rodríguez[91]

  • Players and managers listed in bold are depicted on their Hall of Fame plaques wearing a Expos or Nationals cap insignia.
  • * Montreal Expos or Washington Nationals listed as primary team according to the Hall of Fame

Ford C. Frick Award

[edit]
Washington Nationals Ford C. Frick Award recipients
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Dave Van Horne

  • Names in bold received the award based primarily on their work as broadcasters for the Expos or Nationals.

Retired numbers

[edit]

Ryan
Zimmerman
3B/1B
Retired 2022
Jackie
Robinson
2B
Retired 1997
See also: List of Major League Baseball retired numbers

During the franchise's period in Montreal, the Montreal Expos retired three numbers in honor of four players, plus Jackie Robinson's number 42 which was retired throughout all Major League Baseball in 1997.[92] Following the move to Washington, D.C., the numbers (except 42) were returned to circulation and remain in use as of 2023.[92] When Washington wore Expos throwback jerseys on July 6, 2019, catcher Yan Gomes wore his usual number 10, even though the number was retired by the Expos for Andre Dawson and Rusty Staub.[93]

After the Expos' departure from Montreal, the National Hockey League′s Montreal Canadiens hung a banner in Bell Centre honoring the Expos' retired numbers.

The Nationals retired Ryan Zimmerman's No. 11 on June 18, 2022, the first number retired by the Nationals.[94][95]

Ring of Honor

[edit]

On August 10, 2010, the Nationals unveiled a "Ring of Honor"[note 3] at Nationals Park to honor National Baseball Hall of Fame members who had played "significant years" for the Washington Nationals, original Washington Senators (1901–1960), expansion Washington Senators (1961–1971), Homestead Grays, or Montreal Expos.[96][97] In late August 2016, the team dropped the criterion that an inductee be a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, also opening membership to "anyone who has made a significant contribution to the game of baseball in Washington, D.C.";[97] the first inductee under the revised criteria was Frank Howard.[97]

The Nationals′ attempt to honor the Montreal-Washington franchise's entire history in the Ring of Honor, as well as by tracking Montreal-Washington franchise records, is not without controversy; it has been criticized as "an embodiment of the team's desire to find history before it can make much."[98] Although Nationals fans generally take little interest in the franchise's Montreal years, some do appreciate acknowledging that the franchise has a history that predates its arrival in Washington, and former Expo Tim Raines received a warm round of applause from fans at Nationals Park at his induction ceremony on August 28, 2017, even though he had never even visited Washington, D.C. before, and the closest baseball he played in the market was one game for Baltimore with his son at the end of 2001.[98][99] Some Montreal Expos fans express appreciation that the Nationals are honoring the Expos, and Expos players inducted into the Ring of Honor have expressed gratitude that the Nationals chose to include them, especially with no MLB team in Montreal to honor their careers.[99][100][101] However, few Nationals fans have taken an interest in franchise records, preferring to compare Nationals records with those of previous Washington MLB teams instead,[99] and a segment of Nationals fans actively opposes the inclusion of Expos history into that of the Nationals, taking the view that the Montreal years are irrelevant to Washington and that the team made a complete break with its past and started anew when it arrived in Washington, inheriting the history of the two Washington Senators teams rather than that of the Expos.[99] Similarly, Montreal Expos fans have taken very little or no interest in the achievements of Nationals players, and many Expos fans strongly oppose the inclusion of former Expos in the Ring, taking the position that to do so is to co-opt the history of the Expos, which they say belongs solely in Montreal.[99]

Observers also have noted that the admission of the first Nationals player to the Ring of Honor, Iván "Pudge" Rodríguez,[98] although he was well-liked as a National, highlights another awkward aspect of the Ring of Honor's acceptance criteria, because Rodriguez's inclusion arose out of his admission to the National Baseball Hall of Fame based on his exploits for other teams, not out of anything he did during a 155-game, two-season stint with the Nationals at the end of his career in years in which the Nationals posted mediocre records. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo responded that his inclusion had merit even based on his time with the Nationals, when he "taught us how to be a professional franchise."[98][102]

In a ceremony held at Nationals Park between games of a doubleheader on the evening of September 8, 2018, the Nationals inducted former outfielder Jayson Werth, who played for the Nationals from 2011 through 2017, into the Ring of Honor.[103][104] He became the first "true" National[98] – the first person based specifically on his career as a National – inducted into the Ring of Honor.[98]

The Ring of Honor includes:[96][97][105][106][107]

Josh Gibson, catcher
Walter Johnson, starting pitcher
Sam Rice, outfielder
Washington Nationals Ring of Honor
Homestead Grays
No. Inductee Position Tenure Admitted
4 Cool Papa Bell CF 1932, 1943–1946 August 10, 2010
— Ray Brown P 1932–1945
1947–1948		 August 10, 2010
20 Josh Gibson C 1937–1946 August 10, 2010
32 Buck Leonard 1B 1934–1950 August 10, 2010
— Cumberland Posey OF/Manager/Owner Club official 1911–1946 August 10, 2010
— Jud Wilson 3B 1931–1932
1940–1945		 August 10, 2010
Montreal Expos
No. Inductee Position Tenure Admitted
8 Gary Carter C 1974–1984, 1992 August 10, 2010
10 Andre Dawson CF 1976–1986 August 10, 2010
30 Tim Raines LF 1979–1990, 2001 August 28, 2017
20 Frank Robinson Manager 2002–2004 May 9, 2015
Washington Nationals
No. Inductee Position Tenure Admitted
— Ted Lerner Owner 2006–2023 March 30, 2023
20 Frank Robinson Manager 2005–2006 May 9, 2015
7 Iván "Pudge" Rodríguez C 2010–2011 August 28, 2017
28 Jayson Werth RF/LF 2011–2017 September 8, 2018
11 Ryan Zimmerman 3B/1B 2005–2019, 2021 June 18, 2022
Washington Senators (original team, 1901–1960)
No. Inductee Position Tenure Admitted
4 Joe Cronin SS 1928–1934 August 10, 2010
8, 10, 37 Rick Ferrell C 1937–1941
1944–1945, 1947		 August 10, 2010
3, 5, 20 Goose Goslin LF 1921–1930
1933, 1938		 August 10, 2010
— Clark Griffith P/Owner P: 1912–1914
Owner: 1920–1955		 August 10, 2010
28, 30, 35, 50 Bucky Harris 2B/Manager 2B: 1919–1928 
Manager: 1924–1928,
1935–1942, 1950–1954		 August 10, 2010
— Walter Johnson P 1907–1927 August 10, 2010
3, 12, 25 Harmon Killebrew 1B 1954–1960 August 10, 2010
2, 3 Heinie Manush LF 1930–1935 August 10, 2010
2, 22 Sam Rice RF 1915–1933 August 10, 2010
11, 20, 26, 44 Early Wynn P 1939–1944
1946–1948		 August 10, 2010
Washington Senators (expansion team, 1961–1971)
No. Inductee Position Tenure Admitted
— Bucky Harris Scout/Special Assistant 1963–1971 August 10, 2010
9, 33 Frank Howard LF/1B 1965–1971 August 26, 2016

Attendance

[edit]
RFK Stadium

Source:[108]

Season Stadium Season Total Rank in
National League 		Game
Average
2005 RFK Stadium 2,731,993 8th (of 16) 33,651
2006 2,153,056 11th (of 16) 26,582
2007 1,943,812 14th (of 16) 24,217
2008 Nationals Park 2,320,400 13th (of 16) 29,005
2009 1,817,226 13th (of 16) 22,716
2010 1,828,066 14th (of 16) 22,569
2011 1,940,478 14th (of 16) 24,256
2012 2,370,794 9th (of 16) 30,010
2013 2,652,422 6th (of 15) 32,746
2014 2,579,389 7th (of 15) 31,844
2015 2,619,843 5th (of 15) 32,344
2016 2,481,938 7th (of 15) 30,641
2017 2,524,980 7th (of 15) 31,172
2018 2,529,604 8th (of 15) 31,230
2019 2,259,781 12th (of 15) 27,899
2020 0[note 4] NA 0
2021 1,465,543[note 5] 12th (of 15) 18,093
2022 2,026,401 11th (of 15) 25,017
2023 1,865,832 13th (of 15) 23,035
2024 1,967,302 13th (of 15) 24,288

Spring training

[edit]
Main articles: Space Coast Stadium and FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches

The Nationals hold spring training in Florida, where they play their annual slate of Grapefruit League games. From 2005 through 2016, they held spring training at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Florida, a facility that they inherited from the Expos. In 2017, the Nationals moved their spring training operations to the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, a new facility they share with the Houston Astros in West Palm Beach, Florida; they played their first Grapefruit League game there on February 28, 2017. On February 16, 2018, it was renamed FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches after the Nationals and Astros signed a 12-year deal for the naming rights to the stadium that day with FITTEAM, an event brand partnership and organic products firm located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.[112] In February 2024, it was renamed CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches after the two teams agreed to a multi-year naming rights deal with American rapper and singer-songwriter Travis Scott's CACTI Hard Seltzer company.[113]

Minor league affiliations

[edit]
Main article: List of Washington Nationals minor league affiliates
Level Team League Location Seasons
Triple-A Rochester Red Wings International League Rochester, New York 2021–present
Double-A Harrisburg Senators Eastern League Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 1991–present
High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks South Atlantic League Wilmington, Delaware 2021–present
Single-A Fredericksburg Nationals Carolina League Fredericksburg, Virginia 2020–present*
Rookie FCL Nationals Florida Complex League West Palm Beach, Florida 1969–present
DSL Nationals Dominican Summer League Dominican Republic 2005–present
  • The Nationals began an affiliation with the Low-A Nationals in 2005; the then-Advanced-A Potomac Nationals moved from Woodbridge, Virginia, to Fredericksburg, Virginia, before the 2020 season, and moved to Low-A play in the 2021 season.

Former affiliates

[edit]
Level League Team (Seasons)
Triple-A American Association Indianapolis Indians (1984–1992)
Wichita Aeros (1982–1983)
Denver Bears (1976–1981)
International League Syracuse Chiefs (2009–2018)
Columbus Clippers (2007–2008)
Ottawa Lynx (1993–2002)
Memphis Blues (1974–1975)
Peninsula Whips (1972–1973)
Winnipeg Whips (1970–1971)
Buffalo Bisons (1970)
Pacific Coast League Fresno Grizzlies (2019–2020)
New Orleans Zephyrs (2005–2006)
Edmonton Trappers (2003–2004)
Vancouver Mounties (1969)
Double-A Eastern League Quebec Metros (1976–1977)
Quebec Carnavals (1971–1975)
Southern League Memphis Chicks (1978–1983)
Jacksonville Suns (1970, 1984–1990)
Class A-Advanced California League San Jose Expos (1982)
Carolina League Potomac Nationals (2005–2019)
Kinston Expos (1974)
Florida State League Brevard County Manatees (2002–2004)
Jupiter Hammerheads (1998–2001)
West Palm Beach Expos (1969–1997)
Class A Midwest League Clinton LumberKings (2001–2002)
Burlington Bees (1993–1994)
Rockford Expos (1988–1992)
Burlington Expos (1986–1987)
South Atlantic League Hagerstown Suns (2007–2020)
Savannah Sand Gnats (2003–2006)
Cape Fear Crocs (1997–2000)
Delmarva Shorebirds (1996)
Albany Polecats (1992, 1995)
Sumter Flyers (1991)
Gastonia Expos (1983–1984)
Class A Short Season New York–Penn League Auburn Doubledays (2011–2020)
Vermont Expos/Lake Monsters (1994–2010)
Jamestown Falcons/Expos (1973, 1977–1993)
Northern League Watertown Expos (1970–1971)
Rookie Advanced Pioneer League Calgary Expos (1979–1984)
Lethbridge Expos (1975–1976)

Nationals Philanthropies

[edit]

The Nationals Philanthropies, formerly the Nationals Dream Foundation, is the team's charitable arm which is committed to community partnerships that improve the lives of children and families across the Washington Capital Region. The foundation opened a youth baseball academy in partnership with the D.C. government,[114] and a pediatric diabetes care center at Children's National Medical Center in partnership with the Center. The foundation also provides grants to local organizations.[115]

On August 1, 2011, the foundation, in partnership with several local organizations, formally opened Miracle Field in Germantown, Maryland, as part of an effort to encourage athletic activity in children with "mental and/or physical challenges."[116] According to Steven Miller of MLB.com, what sets Miracle Field apart in terms of safety is its unique design, as it "is made entirely of a cushioned synthetic turf that is five-eighths of an inch thick—providing a safe surface for children in wheelchairs or with other handicaps."[117]

Radio and television

[edit]
Further information: Washington Nationals Radio Network
Mascots dressed as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln before a 2019 game against the Milwaukee Brewers. They compete in the Presidents Race every mid-fourth inning of a home game.

The Nationals' flagship radio station is WJFK-FM (106.7 FM) "The Fan", which is owned by Entercom. Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler are the play-by-play announcers. WJFK fronts a radio network of 19 stations serving portions of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Delaware as well as the District.

WFED (1500 AM) had been the flagship station since the 2006 season until a multi-year agreement was reached between the Nationals and WJFK before the 2011 season. WFED remains on the network as an affiliate; its 50 kilowatt clear-channel signal allows the Nationals' home-team call to be heard up and down the East Coast.[118][119]

WWZZ (104.1 FM), which carried games in the 2005 season, was the team's first flagship radio station.[120]

Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) televises all games not picked up by one of MLB's national television partners. Bob Carpenter has been the TV play-by-play announcer since 2006 and F.P. Santangelo was hired in January 2011 as color analyst.[121] Mel Proctor was the TV play-by-announcer in 2005, and former color analysts are Ron Darling (2005), Tom Paciorek (2006), Don Sutton (2007–2008), and Rob Dibble, who took over the job in 2009 and was fired in September 2010 after criticizing Stephen Strasburg for not pitching while injured. Ray Knight filled in as color analyst in September 2010 after Dibble was fired.[121][122]

Previously, WDCA (channel 20) carried 76 games in the 2005 season while the newly founded MASN was still negotiating cable carriage.[123] From 2009 through 2017, MASN syndicated a package of 20 games for simulcast on an over-the-air television station in Washington. Broadcast partners under this arrangement were WDCW (channel 50) from 2009 through 2012 and CBS affiliate WUSA (channel 9) from 2013 through 2017.[124][125] MASN did not continue the syndication deal for the 2018 season.[126]

In the midst of a season in which they finished with the worst record in Major League Baseball, the Nationals' television ratings were among the worst in the National League in July 2008[127][128] but increased during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.[129][130] Since 2012, when they began to achieve consistent success on the field, their television viewership has grown continually and dramatically. By 2016, the Nationals′ prime-time television ratings were 15th highest among the 29 U.S. MLB teams, and they rose to 12th in 2017.[131] Ratings declined to 18th among the 29 U.S. teams for the 2018 season.[132]

Broadcasters

[edit]
Main article: List of Washington Nationals broadcasters

Rivalries

[edit]

Baltimore Orioles

[edit]
Main article: Beltway Series

The Nationals have an interleague rivalry, nicknamed the Beltway Series, with the nearby Baltimore Orioles. The teams have played two series a season—one in Baltimore and one in Washington—since 2006. The Nationals and Orioles rivalry is one of the few that can be played in a World Series.

Philadelphia Phillies

[edit]
Main article: Nationals–Phillies rivalry

The Nationals' rivalry with the Philadelphia Phillies originated during their original tenure as the Montreal Expos. The two teams repeatedly battled for control of the division in the early 1980s and mid 1990s. Following the franchise's relocation to Washington, D.C., in 2005, the rivalry increased in geographic tension due to Washington's proximity to Philadelphia. The rivalry quickly spiked in intensity during the 2010s after Nationals team management introduced a campaign to block Phillies fans from overtaking home games. In 2019, star-outfielder Bryce Harper further fueled tensions after signing a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies as a free agent.[133][134] The Nationals later won the 2019 World Series during the first year after Harper's departure.[135]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ They were: the Washington Olympics for 41 games in 1871–1872,[8] the Washington Nationals for 11 games in 1872,[9] the Washington Blue Legs for 39 games in 1873,[10] and a different Washington Nationals franchise for 28 games in 1875.[11]
  2. ^ a b During 2011, Riggleman and McLaren combined with Davey Johnson for an 80–81 (.497), third-place finish. Riggleman′s record in 2011 was 38–37 (.507), McLaren′s was 2–1 (.667), and Johnson′s was 40–43 (.482).
  3. ^ The Ring of Honor should not be confused with the Washington Hall of Stars.
  4. ^ No spectators were allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  5. ^ Due to the aforementioned pandemic, Nationals Park had capacity restrictions until June 11; 5,000 from the beginning of the season to April 14,[109] then 10,000 from April 15 to May 13,[110] then 36% capacity (approximately 14,873) on May 14,[111] and finally full capacity on June 11.[111]

References

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Awards and achievements
Preceded by World Series champions
2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by National League champions
2019 		Succeeded by
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