When the Nationals were no-hit by Michael Lorenzen on August 9, 2023, in Philadelphia, it ended the longest active streak by a major league franchise of not having been victimized that way. The Nats’ predecessor, the Montreal Expos, were last no-hit on July 18, 1999, in New York when the Yankees' David Cone threw a … Continue reading Home No-Hitters: The Nationals’ Unique Streaks Explained
Category: The Washington Nationals, 2005 to date
The former Montreal Expos, relocated to D.C. for the 2005 season
Patrick Corbin Sets Record Amid Nats’ Struggles
On July 30, 2024, a night after squandering a four-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, the Nationals were shut out in record-setting fashion, 17-0, by the Diamondbacks in Arizona. The 17-run margin topped the 24-8 drubbing by the Padres on July 16, 2021, just before Nats’ GM Mike Rizzo began the teardown of the … Continue reading Patrick Corbin Sets Record Amid Nats’ Struggles
June 22, 2024: Nats lose on the first walk-off pitch-clock violation
When he came in to try close a game on June 22, 2024, Nationals’ closer Kyle Finnegan’s eight pitch-clock violations for the season already were three more than any other pitcher. So it’s no surprise that this night in Colorado, he became the first ever in the pitch-clock era to surrender the winning run on … Continue reading June 22, 2024: Nats lose on the first walk-off pitch-clock violation
Satchel Paige and D.C.
Satchel Paige arguably could be the greatest pitcher that ever was. As time passes and more of the accomplishments of his long career in the Negro Leagues are verified, it’s likely his case will grow stronger. He played professionally from the late 1920s into the 1960s. Game accounts and box scores of his many appearances … Continue reading Satchel Paige and D.C.
Soto’s official first game came five days before his real debut
Juan Soto made his major league debut with the Nationals on May 20, 2018, but the official record for that season has him hitting a pinch-hit home run in a game listed as being played on May 15. How could that be? Easy enough: Because of rain, the May 15 game in Washington was suspended … Continue reading Soto’s official first game came five days before his real debut
Nationals equal an obscure stolen base record
In consecutive games – April 7-8-9, 2024 -- three different Nationals each stole three bases, matching a century-old record that never had been equaled in the A.L or N.L. by three different players on one team. It was first achieved by the Indianapolis team in the short-lived Federal League in 1914. The Elias Sports Bureau … Continue reading Nationals equal an obscure stolen base record
Hanrahan’s Four Inherited Runners: A Baseball Anomaly
On May 10, 2008, at Nationals Park, a scoring quirk let Nationals’ reliever Joel Hanrahan do what no other pitcher in the history of the American and National leagues has ever done: He was charged with allowing four inherited runners to score. It's a record that might some day be equaled, but it can't be … Continue reading Hanrahan’s Four Inherited Runners: A Baseball Anomaly
Mark Zuckerman, an heir to Povich, Addie and Boswell in D.C. baseball coverage
Mark Zuckerman has been covering the Nationals since the team came into existence in 2005, first for the Washington Times, then when that paper dropped sports, briefly on his own expense – an amazing and costly level of dedication --before being hired by CSN and then MASN, where he remains. He has become a 10-year … Continue reading Mark Zuckerman, an heir to Povich, Addie and Boswell in D.C. baseball coverage
Two stops later, Soto makes clear he wanted to stay in D.C.
Juan Soto reportedly turned down an offer of $440 million over 15 years from the Washington Nationals in the summer of 2022. He’s represented by the super-agent Scott Boros, who had worked out deals with Washington in the past for free agents as high-profile as Max Scherzer. With uncertainty about the MASN situation and the … Continue reading Two stops later, Soto makes clear he wanted to stay in D.C.
July 15, 2005: Nationals lose on a walk-off balk
In the first year in Washington, the Nationals surprisingly were leading the National League East half way through the season. After winning 24 one-run games before the All-Star break, thanks in large part to the work of their All-Star closer, Chad Cordero, the Nats had suddenly experienced a reversal of fortune. In Milwaukee on July … Continue reading July 15, 2005: Nationals lose on a walk-off balk
July 6-7, 2018: Mark Reynolds tops a walk-off homer with a career game
Veteran slugger Mark Reynolds platooned with Matt Adams at first base for the 2018 Nationals when Ryan Zimmerman was hurt, appearing in 86 games overall and hitting .248 with 13 home runs. On Friday night, July 6, in Washington, Reynolds hit a pinch-hit, walk-off homer, to beat the Miami Marlins, 3-2. The next night, however, … Continue reading July 6-7, 2018: Mark Reynolds tops a walk-off homer with a career game
June 8, 2010: Was Strasburg’s debut the greatest ever?
In its first issue of 2024, the venerable Baseball Digest chose Stephen Strasburg’s 2010 debut, at Nationals Park against Pittsburgh, as the greatest first-game performance in MLB history. Clearly, because of the hype surrounding Strasburg’s selection as the first player chosen in the 2009 draft, and his short but dominant two stops in the minors, … Continue reading June 8, 2010: Was Strasburg’s debut the greatest ever?
April 30, 2017: Rendon’s 10-RBI, 3-homer, game
Anthony Rendon began the afternoon of April 30, 2017, with five runs batted in for the month and had yet to homer in 22 games. He was hitting .226. To call it a slow start would be an understatement for the Nationals’ third baseman, who already had a Silver-Slugger season for Washington in 2014. Noah … Continue reading April 30, 2017: Rendon’s 10-RBI, 3-homer, game
Darold Knowles: all-star closer for the expansion Nats
Lefty Darold Knowles holds a record that can’t be broken, having appeared in all seven games of the 1973 World Series with the Athletics, but his best years came as the premier reliever for the expansion Senators from 1967 to 1970. Knowles was acquired from the Phillies on November 30, 1966, for fading outfielder Don … Continue reading Darold Knowles: all-star closer for the expansion Nats
Where the Nats are on the rebuild, after 2023
After the elation of winning the 2019 World Series, it’s been a rough ride for the Washington Nationals and their fans. First, Covid-19 prevented fans from celebrating at Nationals Park during the curtailed 2020 season. Since then, no World Series winner in history has fallen so fast and so far. The 2020 Nats finished tied … Continue reading Where the Nats are on the rebuild, after 2023
August 29, 2023: Rookie Jacob Young achieves an unusual Nationals’ first
In his fourth big-league game and third start after his 2023 call-up, center fielder Jacob Young was a busy man against the home-standing Toronto Blue Jays. In the seventh, he laid down a perfect bunt and beat it out without throw for his first hit in the majors. Noted for his speed, the Nationals 2022 … Continue reading August 29, 2023: Rookie Jacob Young achieves an unusual Nationals’ first
Griffith Stadium in 1956 became the last A.L. ball park to sell beer
Beer sales weren’t allowed in Washington’s Griffith Stadium until August 10, 1956. That left only Forbes Field in Pittsburgh and Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia as the only major league ball parks where, thanks to Pennsylvania law, fans couldn’t buy beer.* Washington’s longtime owner Clark Griffith had died in October 1955. A teetotaler, he favored … Continue reading Griffith Stadium in 1956 became the last A.L. ball park to sell beer
2023 Nats snap a record streak of not sweeping a series
On July 23, 2023, the Washington Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-1, in Washington. Led by a young core of Josiah Gray, MacKenzie Gore, Lane Thomas, CJ Abrams, Keibert Ruiz, and Luis Garcia, with veteran contributions from Jeimer Candelario and Dom Smith, the Nationals took all three games in the series from the contending … Continue reading 2023 Nats snap a record streak of not sweeping a series
A pitcher wearing number 1? It’s happened before
It's rare but not unique. Five pitchers in MLB history had worn uniform number 1 before MacKenzie Gore of the Nationals began wearing it in 2023. Gore became the first Nationals’ pitcher to wear a single-digit number, let alone number 1. He also became the first MLB pitcher to wear it for more than one … Continue reading A pitcher wearing number 1? It’s happened before
One-year (D.C.) wonder: Soriano’s 2006 season
The initial excitement over baseball's return to D.C. in 2005 and the unexpected thrill of a team in first place in July had faded a bit by that December. The Nationals second-half collapse had focused attention on the transplanted team’s lack of ownership. On December 8, however, hopes for the 2006 season were instantly raised … Continue reading One-year (D.C.) wonder: Soriano’s 2006 season
Washington baseball history 