Team Spotlight: Washington Nationals

Based in Washington, DC, the American professional baseball team known as the Washington Nationals compete in MLB (Major League Baseball) and are members of the NL (National League) East division. While their permanent stadium was under construction, RFK Stadium is where the team played from 2005 to 2007. Located in the southeast quadrant of DC, on S. Capitol St., they moved to Nationals Park in 2008.

Where teams based in Washington, DC are concerned, the Nationals are the eighth such franchise in the major league. As the Montréal Expos in the MLB expansion, the franchise was founded in 1969. The MLB purchased the Expos after a failed contraction plan. In 2004, Washington DC was chosen for relocation. As the first franchise MLB relocation, in 2005, the Nationals were established.

Through the 2010's, the Nationals enjoyed considerable success after initially struggling, immediately following their Washington move.

Washington Nationals Achievements

In 2012, the team achieved their first division title and first playoff berth.

In 2017, 2016, and 2014, they won the National League East again. Each time, however, they failed to advance past the NLDS.

The team advanced to the World Series in 2019 beating the Houston Astros for their first championship – it took seven games.

The overall win-loss record for the Nationals, from 1969 to 2020, is 4,003 – 4,183.

Washington Nationals Trivia

Three stadiums have been used by the Nationals:

• 1969 to 1976 – Jarry Park Stadium
• 2003 to 2004 – Hiram Bithorn Stadium
• 1977 to 2004 – Olympic Stadium
• 2005 to 2007 – RFK Stadium
• 2008 to present – Nationals Park

Major league titles:

• Wildcard berths: 2019
• East Division titles: 2017, 2016, 2014, 2012, and 1981
• NL Pennants: 2019
• World Series titles: 2019

Current front office members:

• Dave Martinez – manager
• Mike Rizzo – general manager and president of baseball operations
• Mark Lerner – principal owner

Team colors: white, navy blue, and scarlet red

Washington Nationals and Expos Retired Numbers

Keeping in mind that Jackie Robinson's number 42 was retired league wide in 1997, here are more retire numbers by the Nationals and Expos…

Expos:

• Number 8 – Gary Carter 1993 (July)
• Number 10 – Rusty Staub 1993 (May)
• Also number 10 – Andre Dawson 1997 (July)
• Number 30 – Tim Raines 2004 (June)

Technically speaking, the Washington Nationals have no retired numbers from their team. When the team moved, in 2005, to Washington, DC, retired Expos numbers were put back into circulation.

Hall of Famers

Both Expos and Nationals have members in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. They are as follows…

Washington Nationals:

• Ivan Rodriguez
• Frank Robinson

Expos:

• Dick Williams
• Larry Walker
• Lee Smith
• Tim Raines
• Tony Perez
• Pedro Martinez
• Randy Johnson
• Vladimir Guerrero
• Andre Dawson
• Gary Carter

Spring Training for the Washington Nationals

Spring training is held in Florida for the Nationals. There, they play Grapefruit League games annually. Formally, in Viera, Florida's Space Coast Stadium, they held spring training from 2005 through 2016. This was an Expos-inherited training space. Spring training operations for the Nationals was moved, in 2017, to a new facility called The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. (Currently named FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches). This location is shared with West Palm Beach's Houston Astros. It is where, in 2017, the team played its first Grapefruit League game.