Washington Nationals: Top 5 Most Anticipated Series in 2019
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.
June 13-16: Home Series Against Arizona Diamondbacks
This series will have it all.
First, on Thursday, is “Pups in the Park #4.” Ruff said.
The next night is the third “Fireworks Friday” promotion of the season.
The headliner promotion, however, is on Saturday: Star Wars Day. The first 10,000 fans into the stadium on June 15 will receive a “Sean Doolittle Obi-Wan Kenobi Bobblehead.” Or, as the Nationals website calls it, Obi “Sean” Kenobi.
An article from The Washington Post last month details just how excited Doolittle is to receive this “honor.”
Of course, those are the highlights regarding the off-the-field festivities. On the field, it will be one of Patrick Corbin looking to strike back against his former team, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Due to the series lasting four games, it is more likely than not that Corbin will get to face his former team for the first time.
Corbin spent the first six seasons of his career in the desert, posting a 3.91 ERA in just under 1000 innings.
This offseason, the Diamondbacks lost their two biggest offensive weapons in Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock.
With the D-Backs’ next best hitters taking at-bats left-handed, such as Jake Lamb and David Peralta, Corbin will be in a prime position to carve up his former team in a stadium far, far away from his old home.
July 22-25: Home Series Against the Colorado Rockies
Unlike one former National that became a free agent this winter, there is no doubt about what kind of reception Daniel Murphy will receive when he arrives back in D.C. this summer.
After signing with the Nationals in the offseason after his historic heater in the 2015 postseason, Murphy quickly became one of the most productive and most liked Nationals in the team’s short history.
In his first season in 2016, Murphy finished as the MVP runner-up by slashing .347/.390/.595 and leading the National League in OPS (.985).
Murphy followed that season up by winning his second consecutive silver slugger award and making the all-star for the third time in his career.
As a National, Murphy totaled 413 hits, 99 doubles, 100 walks, and made lots of fans along the way.
This offseason, Murphy signed a two-year, $24 million deal with the Colorado Rockies. There is no doubt that with Murphy’s skills with the bat, he will make Coors Field looks like a little league yard.
When Murphy comes back to Nationals Park, he will bring a friend: Former Expo and National Ian Desmond.
Desmond is going on his third season as a Rockie where he has struggled despite the benefits of his hitter-friendly home field.
Along with Murphy and Desmond are stars Nolan Arenado and breakout star Kyle Freeland. Make no mistake, this series will not be one to miss.
August 23-25: Road Series Against the Chicago Cubs
Going to Wrigley Field is reason enough to get excited about a baseball game. However, the 2019 Nationals will be going with revenge on their mind.
After the 9th inning debacle on Sunday Night Baseball last season, the Nats will look for retribution against the Chicago Cubs for effectively ending their season.
Nationals fans likely did not forget about it, and it is even more likely the players and coaches did not forget either.
Nats fans likely have not forgiven the Cubs for the 2017 postseason either, in which the Cubs defeated the Nationals in the NLDS in five games.
The Cubs will be refocused this season after losing in the Wild Card game at home last October to the Rockies.
Yu Darvish will return to the team after pitching only 40 innings and missing most of last season due to various right arm injuries.
Also, Anthony Rizzo looks to bounce back after posting his worst OPS mark since the 2013 season (granted, most players would kill to have a .846 OPS).
In a series between two N.L. pennant contenders, this series will be one of the highlights of the season. Despite the results ending poorly for the Nats so far, these two teams create fireworks on the diamond together.
March 28-31: Home Series Against the New York Mets
Opening Day baseball is right around the corner! The Nats open at home this season against a new-look Mets team looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
The Mets took 11 of 19 games from the Nationals last season and are primed to keep playing well.
This offseason, the Mets added former Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos and traded for second baseman Robinson Cano and all-star closer Edwin Diaz. They also acquired Jed Lowrie who accumulated a 4.9 WAR last season for the Oakland Athletics.
With Jacob deGrom and a healthy Noah Syndergaard, the Mets look like contenders once again. However, the road to October starts in D.C this season.
Last season, however, the Nationals opened in Cincinnati and earned a 2-0 win behind six strong innings from Max Scherzer.
With a Scherzer/deGrom matchup looming on the 28th, it might be a “first team to score two runs wins” scenario. Baseball is unpredictable, but one thing is certain: Baserunners will be a scarce resource when those two toe the rubber.
The Nationals have won their previous three Opening Day games and six of their last seven Opening Day games. The club will look to continue that streak against their Big Apple rivals.
April 2 &3: Home Series Against the Philadelphia Phillies
You probably could have guessed that this series is #1.
Like it or not, a ticket to see the Nationals vs. Phillies on April 2 will be a hot commodity in the D.C. area as Bryce Harper will make his return to the team that drafted and developed him.
The question is whether Harper will receive cheers, boos, or a mixture of both?
It appeared that most fans would accept Harper leaving to a west coast team, perhaps the San Francisco Giants or the San Diego Padres.
However, signing the most expensive contract in North American sports history with the team’s division rival may have been a deal breaker.
What makes this series even more exciting is the potential matchup between Harper and Nationals ace Scherzer.
After Scherzer’s scheduled start on March 28, he will have four days of rest before April 2, and five days of rest before April 3.
Should those two square off, it would be a fan’s dream.
Hopefully, for the Nationals fans, it would end in Scherzer stalking around the mound, or simply walking off of it and into the first-base dugout.
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Which Nationals series are you looking forward to the most? Are you planning to go to any of these games? Let us know by messaging us on Twitter, @DistrictOnDeck!