Washington Nationals at Nationals Park
Nationals Park opened for the Washington Nationals on March 30, 2008. The baseball park hosted the 2018 MLB All-Star Game, when then-Nationals star outfielder Bryce Harper won the Home Run Derby in front of fans during the festivities — becoming the third player ever to win the event at home. Nationals Park hosted even more significant history when the Nats mounted a 4–3 comeback wild-card win over Milwaukee in 2019, sparking a miraculous World Series run, though the team lost all three of their home contests and the series-clinching Game 7 was played in Houston, which the Nationals won 6-2. Capacity rounds out at 41,546.
Washington Nationals History
The Washington Nationals became the Nationals when the franchise relocated from Montreal in 2005. Prior to that, they played as the Montreal Expos from 1969 to 2004. The Nats solidified their place in D.C. history by capturing their first World Series championship in 2019, defeating the Houston Astros in seven games.
First baseman Ryan Zimmerman, nicknamed Mr. National, was the franchise's first draft pick after rebranding as the Washington Nationals. Zimmerman was selected as the fourth overall pick in 2005 and played his entire MLB career in D.C. Zimmerman is the franchise's all-time career home run leader.
Ace starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg was drafted first overall by Washington in 2009 and saw his career with the club come full circle when he earned 2019 World Series MVP honors. Strasburg is the Nationals' all-time winningest pitcher (considering Steve Rogers, the franchise's all-time winningest pitcher, played for the Expos from 1973 to 1985). In 2019 Strasburg became the franchise's outright all-time leader in career strikeouts.
Max Scherzer, who signed with Washington in 2015 after beginning his career in Arizona and spending five seasons in Detroit, is the only Nationals pitcher to win the National League Cy Young Award. He won it back-to-back years in 2016 and 2017. He also holds several all-time franchise records. Scherzer left the team in 2021.
Nationals history can't be discussed without mentioning Bryce Harper, even though the 2015 National League MVP departed to Philadelphia on a 13-year, $330 million contract in February 2019. Washington selected Harper first overall in 2010, and he went on to win National League Rookie of the Year in 2012.
Hall of Famer Frank Robinson was the Nationals' first manager, relocating with the team from Montreal, from 2005 to 2006. Dave Martinez was hired as manager in 2017.
The Nationals' mascot is a bald eagle named Screech, which is appropriate for the nation's capital. The Nationals have a fierce rivalry with the Baltimore Orioles, which is known as The Battle of the Beltways.