The 2019 Washington Nationals season was the Nationals' 15th season competing as the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise representative in the District of Columbia, the 12th season at Nationals Park, and the 51st since the original team was started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The team clinched a playoff berth for the third time in four seasons on September 24. The Nationals won their first ever National League pennant on October 15, and eventually won their first World Series in franchise history on October 30, becoming the seventh Wild Card team to win the World Series. The Nationals also set franchise records in home runs (231) and runs scored (873).
They opened the regular season at home against the New York Mets on March 28 and closed it at home against the Cleveland Indians on September 29. They beat the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLWC Game on October 1, winning their first playoff round since 1981, and first since moving to Washington D.C.. In the NLDS, they upset the Los Angeles Dodgers - two-time defending National League champions and winner of 106 games - in five games, to advance to the NLCS for the first time since 1981. They swept the St. Louis Cardinals, winning the pennant and advancing to the World Series for the first time in Nationals franchise history. This ended the longest drought (50 seasons) for a team to win their first league pennant in MLB history. This was also Washington, D.C.'s first appearance in the World Series since the American League's Senators in 1933. They defeated the Houston Astros (107–55) in seven games to capture the franchise's first World Series championship, and the first for Washington, D.C. since 1924.
The Nationals also became just the second team to sweep their opponent in a best-of-seven game LCS and then win the World Series, the other team being the 1995 Atlanta Braves. In their World Series win they also became the first team in the history of North American professional sports to win each road game in a best-of-seven playoff series.
The Nationals' 2019 season is widely regarded as one of the most remarkable turnarounds in modern baseball history. After starting the season 19–31, the team rebounded to finish 93–69 and ultimately win the World Series. At one point in late May, their championship odds were estimated at just 1.5 percent before they posted a 74–38 record over the remainder of the season. Their postseason run further underscored the improbability of their success, as they won five elimination games—trailing in all of them—and became the first team in Major League Baseball history to do so. In the years since, the team has frequently been cited as a benchmark example of resilience following a poor start.
, this represents the most recent winning season and playoff berth for the Nationals.
Offseason
Team news With the Nationals coming off a disappointing 82–80 2018 season, general manager and president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo nonetheless declared confidence in manager Dave Martinez and his coaching staff, all under contract for the 2019 season.
The Nationals' player development contract with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs expired following the 2018 minor league season. Instead, the Nationals signed a two-year player development contract with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League, although Rizzo publicly acknowledged Fresno was team officials' "second choice" behind the Nashville Sounds, who signed a four-year deal with the Texas Rangers instead.
Set to become a free agent after the 2018 season, Bryce Harper indicated in numerous interviews and speaking appearances that he was interested in reaching a new deal with the Nationals, despite considerable media speculation that Washington would be unwilling to meet Harper's likely asking price for a contract. The Nationals made Harper what principal managing owner Mark Lerner later described as "one heck of an offer" in an attempt to extend him toward the end of the 2018 season, reported to be roughly $300 million over ten years, which would have been a record-setting amount for a free agent in American sports, but Harper elected free agency and Lerner said in December he expected him to sign for a higher bid elsewhere. Harper ultimately signed with the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies for a reported $330 million over 13 years, the largest free agent contract in the history of North American sports, after a pursuit that stretched into March. Along with Harper, starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson, catcher Matt Wieters, infielder Mark Reynolds, and relievers Joaquín Benoit, Tim Collins, Kelvin Herrera, and Greg Holland became free agents after the 2018 season. Catcher Jhonatan Solano elected free agency as well after being outrighted from the roster. Hellickson signed a new one-year major league contract to stay in Washington for the 2019 season.
The Nationals negotiated a deal with free agent reliever Trevor Rosenthal, which was officially announced November 3. On November 20, the Nationals announced a reunion with their former catcher Kurt Suzuki, who last suited up for Washington in the 2013 season. Left-handed-hitting first baseman Matt Adams, who had played for Washington during the 2018 season before being claimed off waivers in August by the St. Louis Cardinals, also reunited with the Nationals on a one-year deal with a mutual option for the 2020 season. The Nationals' stated top pitching target, left-handed starter Patrick Corbin, was introduced December 7 in a press conference as Washington inked him to a six-year deal. Washington added another free agent to its starting rotation on December 27, when the team announced the signing of right-hander Aníbal Sánchez. Shoring up another positional weakness, the Nationals officially signed veteran second baseman Brian Dozier to a one-year deal on January 13. Days after releasing former top pitching prospect Sammy Solís in March, the Nationals signed another veteran left-handed reliever, Tony Sipp, to a one-year major league contract with a 2020 mutual option.
The Nationals swung a rare October trade with the division-rival Miami Marlins, acquiring former closer Kyle Barraclough for international bonus money on October 10. Ten days after signing Suzuki, the Nationals made another trade to bolster their catching corps, sending pitcher Jefry Rodríguez, a minor league outfielder, and a player to be named later to the Cleveland Indians for veteran Yan Gomes. Less than a week after signing Corbin, the Nationals dealt from their starting rotation as they sent veteran right-hander Tanner Roark to the Cincinnati Reds for Tanner Rainey, a rookie reliever. The team traded right-handed reliever Trevor Gott off waivers to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations in February, on the eve of the start of spring training. Catcher Pedro Severino, out of minor league options and blocked from the major league roster by Suzuki and Gomes, was placed on waivers toward the end of March and claimed by the Baltimore Orioles on March 23.
The Nationals tendered contracts to all of their arbitration-eligible players—Barraclough, Roark, Solís, Anthony Rendon, Joe Ross, Michael A. Taylor, and Trea Turner—but traded Roark before the terms of his 2019 contract were agreed upon and released Solís during spring training, on the last day the team would owe him only one-sixth of his 2019 salary. Barraclough and Taylor did not settle with the team on contract terms, sending Washington to salary arbitration for the first time since the 2014–15 offseason. The arbitration panel sided with the team against both players.
Transactions October 10, 2018: The Nationals acquired right-handed relief pitcher Kyle Barraclough from the Miami Marlins for international slot money. November 3, 2018: The Nationals signed right-handed relief pitcher Trevor Rosenthal to a one-year major league deal. November 16, 2018: The Nationals signed right-handed pitcher Henderson Álvarez to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. November 20, 2018: The Nationals signed catcher Kurt Suzuki to a two-year major league deal. November 30, 2018: The Nationals acquired catcher Yan Gomes from the Cleveland Indians for right-handed pitcher Jefry Rodríguez, minor league outfielder Daniel Johnson, and minor league infielder Andruw Monasterio. December 7, 2018: The Nationals signed left-handed starting pitcher Patrick Corbin to a six-year major league deal. December 12, 2018: The Nationals acquired right-handed relief pitcher Tanner Rainey from the Cincinnati Reds for right-handed starting pitcher Tanner Roark. December 18, 2018: The Nationals signed first baseman Matt Adams to a one-year major league deal. December 27, 2018: The Nationals signed right-handed starting pitcher Aníbal Sánchez to a two-year major league deal. January 13, 2019: The Nationals signed second baseman Brian Dozier to a one-year major league deal and designated infielder/outfielder Matt Reynolds for assignment. February 8, 2019: The Nationals signed right-handed starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson to a one-year major league contract and designated right-handed relief pitcher Trevor Gott for assignment. February 12, 2019: The Nationals signed left-handed pitcher Vidal Nuño, right-handed pitchers Aaron Barrett, Scott Copeland, and J. J. Hoover, infielder Brandon Snyder, and outfielder Hunter Jones to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training. February 13, 2019: The Nationals sold right-handed relief pitcher Trevor Gott to the San Francisco Giants. March 9, 2019: The Nationals unconditionally released left-handed relief pitcher Sammy Solís. March 13, 2019: The Nationals signed left-handed relief pitcher Tony Sipp to a one-year major-league deal. March 23, 2019: The Nationals lost catcher Pedro Severino to the Baltimore Orioles on a waiver claim. March 27, 2019: The Nationals selected the contract of infielder Jake Noll.
Spring training The Nationals held spring training at their facility at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida, which they shared with the Houston Astros. It was their third year at the facility.
The day before opening camp, the Nationals announced a slate of non-roster invitees to major league spring training including top infield prospects Carter Kieboom and Luis García Jr., as well as left-handed pitcher Vidal Nuño; right-handed pitchers Henderson Álvarez, Aaron Barrett, Wil Crowe, J. J. Hoover, and Ronald Peña; catchers Tres Barrera and Taylor Gushue; infielders Jose Marmolejos, Jake Noll, Matt Reynolds, and Brandon Snyder; and outfielders Hunter Jones and Chuck Taylor.
Veteran utilityman Howie Kendrick had recovered enough from a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in May 2018 to participate in spring training workouts and games from the beginning. However, Kendrick suffered another leg injury, a strained hamstring, while running the bases in an early March game, taking him out of commission for at least a few weeks. Outfielder Michael A. Taylor, competing for the role of starting center fielder, sprained his left knee and hip after catching a cleat in a March game. Also hampered by injuries were right-handed relievers Justin Miller, who strained his lower back and missed just over a week before returning to action in mid-March, and Koda Glover, who was lifted from his first spring game in late February with a forearm strain and was shut down from throwing.
The Nationals broke camp at West Palm Beach on March 24 to head north for the year. On March 25, they defeated the New York Yankees 5–3 in an exhibition game at Nationals Park. Including that game, the Nationals completed spring training with a Grapefruit League record of 17–12–2, third-best in the Grapefruit League and better than any Cactus League team's record.