| Washington Nationals | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 2025 Washington Nationals season | |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| Major league affiliations | |||||
| |||||
| Current uniform | |||||
 | |||||
| Retired numbers | |||||
| Colors | |||||
| Name | |||||
| |||||
| Other nicknames | |||||
| |||||
| Ballpark | |||||
| Major league titles | |||||
| World Series titles(1) | 2019 | ||||
| NLPennants(1) | 2019 | ||||
| NL East Division titles(5) | |||||
| Wild card berths(1) | 2019 | ||||
| Front office | |||||
| Principal owner | Mark Lerner[3][4] | ||||
| General manager | Paul Toboni | ||||
| Manager | Blake Butera | ||||
| Mascot | Screech | ||||
| Website | mlb.com/nationals | ||||
TheWashington Nationals are an American professionalbaseball team based inWashington, D.C. The Nationals compete inMajor League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of theNational League (NL)East Division. They play their home games atNationals Park, located onSouth Capitol Street in theNavy Yard neighborhood ofthe Southeast quadrant of D.C. along theAnacostia River.[5]
The Nationals are the eighth major league franchise to bebased in Washington, D.C., and the first since 1971. The current franchise was founded in 1969 as theMontreal Expos as part of afour-team expansion. After afailed 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 thirdWashington Senators moved toArlington, Texas, to become theTexas Rangers. No other MLB team would move until the 2025 season, when theOakland Athletics relocated toWest Sacramento in advance of their ultimately plannedmove to the Las Vegas metropolitan area.
While the team initially struggled after moving to Washington, the Nationals enjoyed considerable success throughout the 2010s. The team had back-to-backfirst overall picks in theMLB draft in 2009 and 2010, selectingStephen Strasburg andBryce Harper. The team secured their first playoff berth and first division title in2012 and won the National League East again in2014,2016, and2017, but failed to advance past the NLDS each time. In 2019, the team advanced to theWorld Series as aWild Card team and defeated theHouston Astros in seven games to earn their first championship.
As of the end of the2025 season, the franchise's overall win–loss record is4,331–4,665–4 (.481). Since moving to Washington, D.C., their overall win–loss record is1,576–1,722 (.478)[7]
Multiple short-lived baseball franchises, including two named the Nationals, played in Washington with the National Association in the 1870s.[note 1] The firstWashington Nationals team in a major league played in theAmerican Association in 1884.[12] AnotherWashington Nationals team also played in theUnion Association during its only season in 1884.[13] The first Washington Nationals of the National League played from 1886 to 1889.[14]
The Washington Statesmen played in theAmerican Association in 1891,[15] before jumping to the National League as the Senators the following season. TheWashington 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 anotherWashington Senators franchise — a charter member of the newAmerican League — who were officially named the Washington Nationals from 1905 to 1955.[17][18] In 1912, anotherWashington Senators team formed as one of eight teams of theUnited 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 theMinnesota Twins. MLB awarded Washington an expansion team, thesecond American League Senators franchise, which began play in 1961 but moved toArlington, Texas after the 1971 season to become theTexas Rangers.
TheMontreal Expos were part of the1969 Major League Baseball expansion, which included theSeattle Pilots (now theMilwaukee Brewers),[20]Kansas City Royals, andSan Diego Padres. Based inMontreal, the Expos were the first Major League team in Canada[21] and were named after theExpo 67World's Fair. The majority-share owner wasCharles Bronfman, a major shareholder inSeagram.[citation needed]
The Expos saw poor on-field results through their lifetime leading into the 1990s, never winning their division except in the second half of thestrike-split 1981 season. Bronfman sold the team to a consortium of owners in 1991, withClaude Brochu as the managing general partner.[22][23] In 1994, the Expos, led by a talented group of players includingLarry Walker,Moisés Alou,Marquis Grissom andPedro Martínez, had the best record in the major leagues until the1994–95 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 toJeffrey 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.[citation needed]
After the 2001 season, MLB considered revoking the team's franchise, along with that of either theMinnesota Twins or theTampa 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, theBoston Red Sox were sold to a partnership led byJohn W. Henry, owner of theFlorida 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, theMetropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, theMetrodome'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 theregular season schedule. The collective bargaining agreement signed with theMajor 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 newbaseball-specific stadium that contraction was no longer on the agenda.
With contraction no longer an option in the immediate term, MLB began looking for a new site for the Expos. Some of the choices includedOklahoma City;Washington, D.C.;San Juan, Puerto Rico;Monterrey, Mexico;Portland, Oregon;Northern Virginia (such asArlington orDulles);Norfolk, Virginia;Las Vegas; andCharlotte, North Carolina.Washington, D.C., and bothVirginia 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 ownerJeffrey 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 ownerPeter 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 havevoting representation in Congress.[35] In addition, the Rangers still owned the rights to the Senators name.[36]
Washington, D.C., mayorAnthony A. Williams supported the name "Washington Grays" in honor of theNegro-league teamHomestead Grays (1929–1950), which had been based inPittsburgh but played most of their home games in Washington'sGriffith 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 team would begin their tenure in DC atRFK Stadium, while planning a move to a new, purpose built stadium which was under construction.[39][40]
The Nationals played their first game on April 4, 2005, atCitizens Bank Park inSouth Philadelphia, losing to thePhiladelphia Phillies 8–4.[41] The Nationals finished their inaugural season at .500 with an 81–81 record. Its first draft pick as the Nationals was Virginia native andUniversity of Virginia graduateRyan 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.[citation needed]
WhenTed Lerner took over the club in mid-2006, he hiredStan Kasten as team president. Kasten was widely known as theAtlanta Braves' architect before and during their run of 14 division titles. Kasten was also the General Manager or president of many otherAtlanta-area sports teams, including theAtlanta Hawks andAtlanta 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.[citation needed]
In the front office, the Nationals hired well-respected former Arizona scouting directorMike Rizzo to be the Vice President of Baseball Operations, second in charge under then-general managerJim Bowden.[42] Rizzo would take over as the National's general manager in 2009.[43]
For the 2008 season, the Nationals moved to their new stadium, dubbedNationals Park. The Nationals played their first home game there on March 30, 2008.ESPN televised the game nationally, for whichU.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush threw out the first pitch.Ryan Zimmerman hit his fifth career walk-off home run to give the Nationals a win in the first game in their new stadium.[44]
The Nationals finished in last place in four out of five years from 2006 to 2010, but began building the foundations of a contender with their first-overall draft picks of pitcherStephen Strasburg (in2009) and catcherBryce Harper, whom the team converted to the outfield, (in2010), as well as their sixth-overall draft pick of infielderAnthony Rendon (in2011).[45][46] Strasburg, one of the most anticipated prospects in baseball history, struck out 14 batters in his 2010 Major League debut at home against thePittsburgh Pirates.[47]
In 2011, the Nationals signedJayson Werth to the team's first big free-agent contract.[48] 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.[49] The Nationals were knocked out of the2012 NLDS by theSt. 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 hiredMatt Williams as manager and rebounded to win their second division title in 2014, but were eliminated in the2014 NLDS by theSan Francisco Giants. In 2014, they acquired shortstop prospectTrea Turner in a trade with the San Diego Padres, with Turner eventually becoming a major part of the Nationals' core.[50]
In 2015, the Nationals signed top free agent pitcherMax Scherzer to a 7-year, $210 million contract.[51] That year, Harper had one of the greatest offensive seasons in MLB history, becoming the youngest player to win the NL MVP unanimously.[52] Despite strong individual showings, the Nationals missed the playoffs, leading to Williams' firing.[53] The team hired veteran managerDusty Baker in 2016, and returned to the playoffs only to be eliminated by theLos Angeles Dodgers in the2016 NLDS in five games. They won the NL East title in 2017, but were eliminated in theNLDS yet again after losing game 5 to theChicago Cubs. Baker's contract was not renewed after the 2017 playoff loss, and the team hiredDave Martinez as their sixth manager in ten years.[54]
In 2018, theAll-Star Game was played at Nationals Park. 19-year-old phenomJuan Soto had an exceptional debut campaign, finishing 2nd in NL Rookie of the Year Voting.[55] The Nationals failed to make the playoffs in 2018, finishing a disappointing second in a year they were expected to sail to the playoffs.[56] After the 2018 season, superstar slugger Bryce Harper left the team via free agency, signing with the rival Philadelphia Phillies.[57]
.jpg)
The Nationals began the2019 season with a record of 19–31, with their projected chances of winning the World Series at that time being 1.5 percent.[58] 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 the2019 National League Wild Card Game, which they won over theMilwaukee Brewers 4–3. In theNLDS, the Nationals defeated theLos Angeles Dodgers in five games, propelling them past the divisional round for the first time in franchise history.[59] The Nationals then swept theSt. Louis Cardinals in theNLCS, giving them their first NL pennant.[60] The team then defeated theHouston Astros in game seven of the2019 World Series, giving them their first World Series championship, with Strasburg being votedseries MVP.[61][62] 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.[63] 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.[64]
Franchise cornerstoneAnthony Rendon left in free agency for theLos 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.[65] However, injuries limited him to just 31 and 1/3 innings under the contract, and eventually forced him to retire in 2024.[66] The Nationals struggled in2020, when thecoronavirus 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 pitcherMax Scherzer and superstar shortstopTrea Turner to the Dodgers, among many other trades of starting players in exchange for prospects, signifying the start of a rebuilding process.[67]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.[68]
On August 2, 2022, the Nationals sent 23-year-old superstarJuan Soto to the San Diego Padres ina blockbuster trade after he turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract extension offer, which would have constituted the richest contract in baseball history.[69] In doing so, the Nationals lost its franchise icon and one of the last integral players from the 2019 championship team.[70] 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.[71] After trading Soto and others, the Nationals finished the 2022 season with the worst record in baseball at 55–107.[72]
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.[73] Ted Lerner died prior to the 2023 season 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.[74]
The Nationals would begin to bounce back after 2022, as young players such asCJ Abrams andJosiah 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[75] to 22nd in 2022,[76] 13th in 2023,[77] and 16th in 2024.[78]
The Nationals ended the 2024 season with the same record as 2023 at 71–91. However, the rebuild progressed with top prospectsJames Wood, acquired via the Soto trade, andDylan Crews, drafted #2 overall in 2023, making their debuts.[79][80] Additionally, shortstop CJ Abrams, also acquired via the Soto trade, was selected to the 2024 All-Star Game.[81] On July 6, 2025, following a disappointing first half of the 2025 season below internal projections for the rebuild, the Nationals fired manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo, who had served as general manager since 2009 and as president of baseball operations since 2013.Miguel Cairo andMike DeBartolo were named as interim manager and interim general manager, respectively.[43][82] The Nationals finished the 2025 season with a disappointing 66–96 record.
In September 2025, the Nationals hired former Boston Red Sox senior vice president and assistant general managerPaul Toboni as president of baseball operations.[83] Toboni subsequently led organization-wide staff changes focused on strengthening scouting, player development, and analytics to revitalize the rebuild.[84] On October 31, 2025, the team announced that it had hiredBlake Butera as its next manager.[85]
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.[86]
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.[86]
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.[86]
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.[86]
_(51136648853)_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
_(51105785416)_(cropped).jpg)
In 2018, the Nationals released a navy alternate uniform, featuring a script rendition of the team's 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.[87] 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 theUnited 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 theoriginal Washington Senators (nowMinnesota Twins) and the expansion Washington Senators (nowTexas 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.[88]
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.[89] The script white alternates made their on-field debut on the final regular season home game September 27 against theNew 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.[90]
Ahead of the 2025 season, the Nationals brought back the red alternate uniform after a one-season absence. This iteration kept the "Curly W" logo on the left chest, but the piping was removed. Due toNike's "4+1" uniform rule, the team retired the "Capitol W" white alternates after only one season.[91][92]
_(51101650464).png)
_(50270739698).jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
_in_Virginia_on_May_20%2c_2025_-_23.jpg)
As part of MLB's uniform deal withNike, selected teams were given themed "City Connect" uniforms. The Nationals' version, unveiled in 2022, paid homage to thecherry blossoms that adorn Washington, D.C., in the spring. The design had 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 uniforms were retired.[93]
Their second "City Connect" uniform was unveiled in 2025. The uniform is light blue featuring a white outline ofWashington, D.C.'s street grid and an interlocking "DC" on the chest which is meant to resemble the block "W" worn by the 1956Washington Senators. The cap and shoulder patch features the block "W" with an outline of theUnited States Capitol dome, as well as two cherry blossoms.[94]
In 2009, the Nationals unveiled a navy alternate uniform for games that fell duringIndependence Day week. The uniform featured the "interlocking DC" logo rendered in theStars 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.[86]
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.[86]
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.
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
Bold denotes a playoff season, pennant, or championship;italics denote an active season.
| 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 (WonNL East) | St. Louis Cardinals | L (3–2) | |||||||
| 2014 | Bye (WonNL East) | San Francisco Giants | L (3–1) | |||||||
| 2016 | Bye (WonNL East) | Los Angeles Dodgers | L (3–2) | |||||||
| 2017 | Bye (WonNL 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) | ||
| 40-man roster | Non-roster invitees | Coaches / other |
|---|---|---|
Pitchers
Catchers Infielders Outfielders | Manager Coaches
|
| Manager | Tenure | Regular season[97] | Post-season[98] | 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 | 2018–2025 | 500 | 622 | .446 | 93–69, 2nd (2019) | 2019 | 12 | 5 | .706 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 333 | 392 | .459 |
| Miguel Cairo (interim) | 2025 | 29 | 43 | .403 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | 43 | .403 |
| Blake Butera | 2026– | — | — | – | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | – |
Note: Updated through October 31, 2025.
 Ryan Zimmerman 3B/1B Retired 2022 |  Jackie Robinson 2B Retired 1997 |
During the franchise's period in Montreal, theMontreal Expos retired three numbers in honor of four players, plusJackie Robinson's number 42 which was retired throughout all Major League Baseball in 1997.[104] Following the move to Washington, D.C., the numbers (except 42) were returned to circulation and remain in use as of 2023[update].[104] When Washington wore Expos throwback jerseys on July 6, 2019, catcherYan Gomes wore his usual number 10, even though the number was retired by the Expos forAndre Dawson andRusty Staub.[105]
After the Expos' departure from Montreal, theNational Hockey League′sMontreal Canadiens hung a banner inBell Centre honoring the Expos' retired numbers.
The Nationals retiredRyan Zimmerman's No. 11 on June 18, 2022, the first number retired by the Nationals.[106][107]
On August 10, 2010, the Nationals unveiled a "Ring of Honor"[note 3] at Nationals Park to honorNational 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. While the Ring of Honor inducted a handful of Grays, they have only inducted one class (forgettingSmokey Joe Williams, a fellow Hall of Famer who played for the Grays) in 2010, not inducting any further Gray since.[108][109] 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.";[109] the first inductee under the revised criteria wasFrank Howard.[109]
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."[110] 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 ExpoTim 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 hisson at the end of 2001.[110][111] 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.[111][112][113] However, few Nationals fans have taken an interest in franchise records, preferring to compare Nationals records with those of previous Washington MLB teams instead,[111] 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.[111] 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.[111]
Observers also have noted that the admission of the first Nationals player to the Ring of Honor,Iván "Pudge" Rodríguez,[110] 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 managerMike 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."[110][114]
In a ceremony held at Nationals Park between games of a doubleheader on the evening of September 8, 2018, the Nationals inducted former outfielderJayson Werth, who played for the Nationals from2011 through2017, into the Ring of Honor.[115][116] He became the first "true" National[110] – the first person based specifically on his career as a National – inducted into the Ring of Honor.[110]
In honor of the 20th anniversary season of Washington Nationals baseball, the Nationals inducted the2005 Washington Nationals team as a whole into the Ring of Honor in a pregame ceremony on April 5, 2025. Five members of the 2005 team —Jamey Carroll,Chad Cordero,John Patterson,Brian Schneider, andRyan Zimmerman — took part in the ceremony.[117]
The Ring of Honor includes:[108][109][117][118][119][120]
| 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 |
| 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 |
| — | Ted Lerner | Owner | 2006–2023 | March 30, 2023 |
| — | 2005 Washington Nationals | Entire team | 2005 | April 5, 2025 |
| 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 |
Source:[121]
| 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 | |
| 2025 | 1,916,768 | 13th (of 15) | 23,664 |
The Nationals hold spring training inFlorida, where they play their annual slate ofGrapefruit League games. From 2005 through 2016, they held spring training atSpace Coast Stadium inViera, 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 theHouston Astros inWest Palm Beach, Florida; they played their first Grapefruit League game there on February 28, 2017. On February 16, 2018, it was renamedFITTEAM 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 andorganic products firm located inPalm Beach Gardens, Florida.[125] In February 2024, it was renamedCACTI Park of the Palm Beaches after the two teams agreed to a multi-year naming rights deal with American rapper and singer-songwriterTravis Scott's CACTI Hard Seltzer company.[126]
| 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 Single-A Nationals in 2005; the then-Advanced-A Potomac Nationals moved from Woodbridge, Virginia, to Fredericksburg, Virginia, before the 2020 season, and moved to Single-A play in the 2021 season.
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,[127] and a pediatricdiabetes care center atChildren's National Medical Center in partnership with the center. The foundation also provides grants to local organizations.[128]
On August 1, 2011, the foundation, in partnership with several local organizations, formally opened Miracle Field inGermantown, Maryland, as part of an effort to encourage athletic activity in children with "mental and/or physical challenges".[129] 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."[130]
The Nationals'flagshipradio station isWJFK-FM (106.7 FM) "The Fan", which is owned byEntercom.Charlie Slowes andDave Jageler are theplay-by-play announcers. WJFK fronts aradio network of 19 stations serving portions ofVirginia,Maryland,West Virginia,North Carolina, andDelaware as well as the District.
Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) televises all games not picked up by one ofMLB's national television partners.Bob Carpenter was the TV play-by-play announcer from 2006 through 2025 andKevin Frandsen was hired in January 2022 ascolor analyst.[131]Mel Proctor was the TV play-by-announcer in 2005, and former color analysts areRon Darling (2005),Tom Paciorek (2006),Don Sutton (2007–2008), andRob 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.[132][133]F. P. Santangelo then served as the primary color analyst between 2011 and 2021.[132]
The deal assigning the Nationals' television rights to the Orioles-controlled MASN was demanded by former Orioles ownerPeter Angelos as compensation for sharing the Baltimore-Washington market with another team; while the Nationals received a rights fee from MASN, they were tied to the channel under the agreement and could not sell their television rights on the open market. This led to significant acrimony between the two teams and eventual legal action over how much in rights fees the Nationals were owed. The Lerners pointed to the agreement as a complication in selling the team, as the impossibility of valuing the rights and the lack of control over them made the team unattractive to potential buyers. The 2024 sale of the Orioles toDavid Rubenstein led to a softening of relations, and just before the beginning of the 2025 season both teams and MLB announced the litigation had been settled and the agreement dissolved. MASN then signed a new one-year contract for 2025, after which the Nationals can sell their rights to another local broadcaster if they choose.[134]
WWZZ (104.1 FM), which carried games in the 2005 season, was the team's first flagship radio station.[135]
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 kilowattclear-channel signal allows the Nationals' home-team call to be heard up and down the East Coast.[136][137]
On television,WDCA (channel 20) carried 76 games in the 2005 season while the newly founded MASN was still negotiating cable carriage.[138] 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 wereWDCW (channel 50) from 2009 through 2012 andCBS affiliateWUSA (channel 9) from 2013 through 2017.[139][140] MASN did not continue the syndication deal for the 2018 season.[141]
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[142][143] but increased during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.[144][145] 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.[146] Ratings declined to 18th among the 29 U.S. teams for the 2018 season.[147]
The Nationals have aninterleaguerivalry, nicknamed theBeltway Series, with the nearbyBaltimore Orioles. The teams have played two series a season—one in Baltimore and one in Washington—since2006. The Nationals and Orioles rivalry is one of the few that can be played in a World Series.
The Nationals' rivalry with thePhiladelphia 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-outfielderBryce Harper further fueled tensions after signing a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies as a free agent.[148][149] The Nationals later won the2019 World Series during the first year after Harper's departure.[150]
The official logo of the 2018 All-Star Game is as patriotic as its iconic setting. The focal point of the mark is the pristine white United States Capitol dome, which is crowned with the bronze Statue of Freedom. A U.S. flag proudly waves behind it, while the logo is surrounded by a ring of stars. The two stars on the red ring represent the competing leagues, and the six stars on the navy field symbolize their divisions. The ribbon proudly states the location and year of the Midsummer Classic, and to punctuate the mark, the MLB batter is in the colors of scarlet and navy honoring the host franchise.
Pre-1957, the names were often used interchangeably.
The link between baseball and the DC voting rights movement is a natural one. The decision to name the new Washington-area major league team the Nationals instead of the Senators (the name of D.C.'s former baseball team) stems directly from the District's more than 200-year history of being denied voting rights in Congress. (Re-naming the team The Senators would have been something akin to a sick joke, given the District's disenfranchisement.)
Each incarnation of the Senators, dating back to 1901, shares a common bond: the red, white and blue. Each team has featured the patriotic theme of colors on their uniforms.
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | World Series champions 2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 2019 | Succeeded by |
Links to related articles | |
|---|---|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
