Top 5 Most Anticipated Match-ups on the Nationals’ 2015 Schedule
Sep 28, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (center) is congratulated by catcher Wilson Ramos (right) and Kevin Frandsen (19) after recording the final out of a no-hitter against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
It’s been over three months since the Nationals’ 2014 season came crashing to a halt just a few weeks too early and Nationals fans began looking forward to 2015. The offseason has held intrigue of its own, with the Nationals making a few exciting minor league deals, as well as a couple of big trades (who saw that Escobar–Clippard deal coming?).
But front office dealings can never match the true excitement that the advent of the season and real games bring with them. It’s really just something to bide our time with until Opening Day happens.
Fortunately, that day is just around the corner. Pitchers and catchers will report just more than a month from now, spring training will start soon after, and after that, it’s on to the games that count!
So what do Nationals fans have to look forward to in 2015? There’s certainly a lot of potential for this team. But what opponents on the Nationals calendar are the most exciting match-ups? To answer that question, I’ve put together this list of my Most Anticipated Nationals Games of 2015. Enjoy!
Author’s note: I’m using the term “game” a little loosely here. The 162 game season in baseball means there’s a lot of repetition when it comes to games. It also means that there’s a lot more uncertainty in terms of player availability. Sure, I’m looking forward to seeing the Nationals face certain pitchers, but it’s much harder to pinpoint those on the calendar. So instead, for the most part, these are my most anticipated series of 2015.
Sep 21, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
5. May 19 – 20 vs. New York Yankees
The Bronx Bombers will only be paying the Nationals a brief visit in the middle of May, but this is certainly a great chance for Nationals fans to check out the new look Yankees, which is enough to land it a spot on my top games to watch.
These certainly aren’t the Yankees most fans are used to seeing. They’ve missed the playoffs both of the past two seasons. Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter have both retired. Robinson Cano is in Seattle. And Alex Rodriguez… Well, he’s still hanging around enough to be a nuisance.
It will be interesting to see the Yankees this season. It seems the team is moving in a slightly different direction lately. They’re trimming the payroll (though they’ll likely still be over $200 million), and they’re starting to get younger. There’s still time left in free agency, so this note is subject to change, but for now, it appears the Yankees are changing the way they do business, and that makes for an interesting series.
Also, it’s worth saying that the Nationals don’t have many opportunities to see a lot of the American League teams, so this sort of match-up is just the type that Nationals fans should really be looking forward to. It may be a few years before they get the chance to see the Yankees again.
Sep 28, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) celebrates with Atlanta Braves catcher Evan Gattis (24) after the final out in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Braves defeated the Phillies, 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
4. April 27 – 29 at Atlanta Braves
Is there any real doubt which team has been the Nationals’ biggest rival the past few seasons? The Braves have been there to play the Montague to the Nationals’ Capulet, constantly knocking Washington down every time they’d started to build even the slightest bit of momentum.
That finally seemed to change in 2014. In spite of floundering against the Braves for the early part of the season, the Nationals finally managed to turn things around in the second half. They ended the season 8-11 against Atlanta, but they took 2 of 3 in the last two series of the year. A lot of the Nationals 2015 hopes will depend on beating division opponents, and that will hinge on them continuing their success against their biggest rival.
Fortunately for the Nats – and sadly for the rivalry – the Braves appear to be in a bit of a rebuilding year. They’ve dumped a lot of their key players, including outfielders Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, and Evan Gattis. It’s hard to believe that they won’t be competing for a shot at the playoffs, but from their offseason moves, it’s pretty apparent that they are taking the team in a new direction.
Hopefully, the Nationals can take advantage and crush the Braves in this, their first series against their biggest menace and my fourth ranked series of 2015.
Oct 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner heads to the dugout after retiring the Kansas City Royals in the fifth inning during game seven of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
3. July 3 – 5 vs. San Francisco Giants
The Nationals will have to wait until July for their first shot at the defending World Series champions, when the Giants will make the trip to the District for a three game tussle. This will offer a chance for Washington to measure itself against the best in baseball, which is why this series makes the list.
Yes, yes, I’m well aware that this “isn’t the same team as last year.” The Giants will be without Pablo Sandoval and several other key pieces from their title run, so how can this possibly provide any sort of information on the state of the Nats?
The answer to that lies in what the Giants do still have. They still have their manager, Bruce Bochy, and they still have their Face of the Franchise in Buster Posey. Assuming that his arm (amazingly) still hasn’t fallen off after pitching ten thousand innings in the World Series, Madison Bumgarner will be there, too. That’s certainly enough to get a decent estimate of what sort of mettle the 2015 Nationals are playing with around midseason.
Of course, that isn’t foolproof, either. The Nationals actually went 5-2 in the regular season against the Giants before being chased out of the NLDS by the eventual champs. Winning this series won’t be quite the same sort of revenge that winning a playoff series against San Francisco would be, so I’m only slotting this at number three.
Sep 2, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro (13) scores on a Jorge Soler (not pictured) single against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
2. May 25 – 27 at Chicago Cubs
Both Chicago teams have really made a lot of noise during free agency, and the Nationals will get a shot at the team from the north side of town at the end of May in what could turn out to be an incredibly exciting series with as much “playoff implication” as a series can have prior to the All Star break, which is why this series lands at number two on my list.
The Cubs really look to be a team on the rise. Theo Epstein, the young GM who came to fame through his success with the Red Sox, looks like he may be making a run at another curse. He added Joe Madden to manage the team, which is getting a lot of production out of young stars like Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo, and signed free agents Jason Motte and Jon Lester. These new look Cubs may be a force to contend with in the NL years into the future.
There’s also something special about watching games that are played at Wrigley Field, even on TV. I know Fenway is older, but Wrigley has always struck me as the quintessential baseball stadium. If you’re a Nationals fan and you happen to be in the Windy City, you owe it to yourself to catch a game, especially if you’ve never taken in a game at this fantastic baseball mecca. Seriously, take it from someone who’s had the privilege of going.
Aug 13, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen (59) talks with starting pitcher Matt Harvey (33) on the mound during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
1. April 6 – Home opener vs. New York Mets
The Nationals will open the season within the friendly walls of Nationals Park, which is almost certain to be full of red-clad, towel-waving fans yelling until they’re hoarse. The last baseball game played in Nationals Park was a playoff game, and I fully expect for there to be an almost playoff-like atmosphere in DC for the start of the year.
Obviously, the Mets aren’t the most intimidating foe, even considering the fact that they’re a divisional opponent. But there might be a little drama brewing on the bulletin board to give this match-up a bit more “oomph” in terms of watchability.
Matt Harvey, the Mets young star pitcher who missed all of 2014 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, has already told reporters that he’s counting the 2015 season opener as a win. Sure, it was said back in September, but as this game looms ever closer on the calendar, expect it to be mentioned a little bit more often.
I’m certain that Matt Williams and the rest of the Nats coaching staff will make sure the heavy hitters in the lineup have heard any bit of bravado Harvey has dared spew prior to the game. It’d be great for the Nats to come out and make Harvey eat crow. A little chin music might be heard, as well.
Of course, there’s also the chance that Harvey doesn’t even pitch this game, but I’m hoping that doesn’t happen. Sure, the home opener will be great to watch regardless of the Mets starter, but it could certainly add to the potential storylines going into the game, and that never hurts.
Obviously, this will be the most anticipated game of the year because it’ll be the first Nats game in months. Harvey’s talk just makes it even more exciting. And, if the Nationals also complete a deal to send Ian Desmond to New York, that’s just one more reason this will bethe most anticipated match-up of the 2015 season.