With the Washington Nationals Opening Day just over two weeks away, let’s take a look at the best matchups on the Nationals’ 2019 calendar.
Each August, the Washington Nationals receive the schedule for the upcoming season.
Despite the fact that the Nats are still concerned with the current season’s schedule, it allows for some early look-ahead opportunities, and it gives players and coaches plenty of time to circle dates on their calendars.
This season, the Nationals open at home on March 28 against the New York Mets.
The Nats close the season at home on September 29, but, strangely, against the Cleveland Indians.
Cleveland? Yep. Cleveland. In addition to facing their regular dose of National League opponents, the Nationals play the teams from the American League Central.
This includes that home series against the Indians, a home-and-home series with the Chicago White Sox, a road series against the Detroit Tigers, and a home series against the Kansas City Royals right before the all-star break.
There are many little factoids we can pull from just by glancing at the calendar.
The Nationals’ longest homestand is 11 games long, starting on June 13 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and ending on June 23 against the Atlanta Braves, along with a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies sandwiched in-between.
The Nats will face their longest road trip fairly early in the season, and it is a brutal stretch of games. Starting on May 3, the Nats will play three games against the Phillies, and then a two, four-game series against the two teams from the 2018 NLCS: The Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Just like the players circle dates on their calendars, so should fans. Here, we will pick out the five most significant series on the Nationals calendar.