Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
2024 Washington Nationals season
	Established in 1969; Based in Washington, D.C., since 2005;
Team logo	Cap insignia
Major league affiliations
	National League (1969–present) East Division (1969–present); ; ;
Current uniform
Retired numbers	11; 42; (as Montreal Expos: 8, 10, 10, 30)
Colors
	Scarlet red, navy blue, white; ;
Name
	Washington Nationals (2005–present); Montreal Expos (1969–2004);
Other nicknames
	Nats;
Ballpark
	Nationals Park (2008–present); Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (2005–2007); Olympic Stadium (1977–2004); Jarry Park Stadium (1969–1976);
Major league titles
World Series titles (1)	2019
NL Pennants (1)	2019
NL East Division titles (5)	1981; 2012; 2014; 2016; 2017;
Wild card berths (1)	2019
Front office
Principal owner(s)	Mark Lerner
President of baseball operations	Mike Rizzo
General manager	Mike Rizzo
Manager	Dave Martinez
Mascot(s)	Screech

The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East Division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadium while a new stadium was being built. In 2008, they moved to Nationals Park, located on South Capitol Street in the Navy Yard neighborhood of the Southeast quadrant of D.C., near the Anacostia River.^[5]

The Nationals are the eighth major league franchise to be based in Washington, D.C., and the first since 1971. The current franchise was founded in 1969 as the Montreal Expos as part of a four-team expansion. After a failed contraction plan, the Expos were purchased by MLB, which sought to move the team to a new city.^[6] Washington, D.C., was chosen in 2004, and the Nationals were established in 2005 as the first MLB franchise move since the third Washington Senators moved to Texas in 1971.

While the team initially struggled after moving to Washington, the Nationals had considerable success throughout the 2010s. The team had two back-to-back first overall picks in the MLB draft in 2009 and 2010, where they drafted Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. The team secured their first playoff berth and first division title in 2012. They won the National League East again in 2014, 2016, and 2017, but failed to advance past the NLDS each time. In 2019, the team advanced to the World Series and defeated the Houston Astros in seven games to earn their first championship.

As of the end of the 2023 season, the franchise's overall win–loss record is 4,194–4,478–4 (.484). Since moving to Washington, D.C., their overall win–loss record is 1,439–1,535 (.484)^[7]

^ "Washington Baseball Timeline–2000s". Nationals.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
^ "MLB and Nationals unveil the official logo of 2018 All-Star Game". MLB.com (Press release). MLB Advanced Media. July 26, 2017. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2019. The official logo of the 2018 All-Star Game is as patriotic as its iconic setting. The focal point of the mark is the pristine white United States Capitol dome, which is crowned with the bronze Statue of Freedom. A U.S. flag proudly waves behind it, while the logo is surrounded by a ring of stars. The two stars on the red ring represent the competing leagues, and the six stars on the navy field symbolize their divisions. The ribbon proudly states the location and year of the Midsummer Classic, and to punctuate the mark, the MLB batter is in the colors of scarlet and navy honoring the host franchise.
^ Collier, Jamal (June 14, 2018). "Mark Lerner named Nats' managing principal owner". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
^ Svrluga, Barry (June 14, 2018). "Nationals owner Ted Lerner, 92, to cede control of club to his son, Mark". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
^ "Facts & Figures". Nationals.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on October 24, 2019. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
^ Fainaru, Steve (June 28, 2004). "Expos for Sale: Team Becomes Pawn of Selig". The Washington Post. p. A01. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
^ "Washington Nationals Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.

[1] "Washington Baseball Timeline–2000s". Nationals.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.

[2] "MLB and Nationals unveil the official logo of 2018 All-Star Game". MLB.com (Press release). MLB Advanced Media. July 26, 2017. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2019. The official logo of the 2018 All-Star Game is as patriotic as its iconic setting. The focal point of the mark is the pristine white United States Capitol dome, which is crowned with the bronze Statue of Freedom. A U.S. flag proudly waves behind it, while the logo is surrounded by a ring of stars. The two stars on the red ring represent the competing leagues, and the six stars on the navy field symbolize their divisions. The ribbon proudly states the location and year of the Midsummer Classic, and to punctuate the mark, the MLB batter is in the colors of scarlet and navy honoring the host franchise.

[3] Collier, Jamal (June 14, 2018). "Mark Lerner named Nats' managing principal owner". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2019.

[WaPoRetire-4] Svrluga, Barry (June 14, 2018). "Nationals owner Ted Lerner, 92, to cede control of club to his son, Mark". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2019.

[5] "Facts & Figures". Nationals.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on October 24, 2019. Retrieved October 24, 2019.

[6] Fainaru, Steve (June 28, 2004). "Expos for Sale: Team Becomes Pawn of Selig". The Washington Post. p. A01. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.

[7] "Washington Nationals Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.

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