The 2020 Washington Nationals season was the Nationals' 16th season as the baseball franchise of Major League Baseball in the District of Columbia, the 13th season at Nationals Park, and the 52nd season since the original team was started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The team entered this season as the defending World Series champions.
On March 12, 2020, MLB announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the regular season would be delayed by at least two weeks in addition to the remainder of spring training being canceled. Four days later, it was announced that the start of the season would be pushed back indefinitely due to CDC recommendation.
Players returned to training camps on July 1 to resume spring training and prepare for a July 23 Opening Day. On September 19, the team suffered its 31st loss, assuring them of finishing the season with a losing record, their first since 2011.
On September 22 in game 2 of a doubleheader, the Nationals would get their 4,000th regular season win in franchise history on a walk-off home run by Yadiel Hernández to beat the Phillies 8–7. On September 24, the Nationals were eliminated from playoff contention, making them the 20th defending champion unable to win consecutive titles. The Nationals finished the regular season with a record of 26–34, giving them a fourth place finish in the National League East as a result of the Nationals' 6–4 head-to-head against the Mets, who also finished 26–34 (.433). The Nationals' .433 winning percentage was the second lowest of all time among defending champion seasons, behind only the 1998 Florida Marlins, who went 54–108 (.333).
Offseason
Team news The day after the Washington Nationals won the 2019 World Series on October 30, 2019, in Houston, Texas, nine members of that championship team officially filed for free agency: pitchers Jeremy Hellickson, Daniel Hudson, Fernando Rodney, and Jonny Venters; infielders Asdrúbal Cabrera, Brian Dozier, Howie Kendrick, and Anthony Rendon; and outfielder Gerardo Parra. On November 1, the Nationals announced they would not exercise their share of the 2020 mutual option for first baseman Matt Adams, making Adams a free agent as well. The Nationals also declined club options over first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and catcher Yan Gomes, who also became free agents, on November 2. They exercised club options to keep pitcher Sean Doolittle and outfielder Adam Eaton under contract for the 2020 season. Hellickson chose to retire instead of pursuing another career opportunity, citing a reoccurring shoulder injury.
There was media speculation around whether the Nationals would re-sign Rendon, who was a finalist in National League Most Valuable Player balloting, and Stephen Strasburg, who was the World Series MVP. Washington general manager Mike Rizzo expressed public interest in bringing back both players, who rejected one-year qualifying offers from the Nationals. However, in an early-December interview with Donald Dell, Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner said the club "can only afford to have one of those two guys", downplaying the possibility that both could fit into Washington's 2020 payroll. On December 9, 2019, at the annual winter meetings in Strasburg's hometown of San Diego, the Nationals announced they had come to terms with Strasburg on a new, seven-year deal, reported to be worth $245 million, a record for a free agent pitcher.Strasburg's deal held the record only briefly before the New York Yankees signed free agent Gerrit Cole to a nine-year, $324 million deal later that month. (See Footer, Alison, "Strasburg to Nationals on record 7-year deal", MLB.com, December 9, 2019 and "'I've Always Been Here': Cole Speaks Glowingly Of Yankees During Introductory Press Conference", CBSNewYork, December 18, 2019) At the press conference making the announcement, Rizzo also confirmed that the Nationals had re-signed Kendrick to what was reported as a one-year major league deal. Kendrick's signing was officially announced the following day, along with the re-signing of Gomes to a two-year deal. The team also re-signed Zimmerman and Cabrera to one-year major league deals and brought back Hudson on a two-year guarantee. Rendon ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Angels on a seven-year deal.
The Nationals were also linked in media reports to other free agents, including first baseman Justin Smoak (ultimately signed by the Milwaukee Brewers), third basemen Josh Donaldson (ultimately signed by the Minnesota Twins) and Maikel Franco (ultimately signed by the Kansas City Royals), along with starting pitchers Madison Bumgarner (ultimately signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks) and Zack Wheeler (ultimately signed by the Philadelphia Phillies).
Eight Nationals were eligible for salary raises through the arbitration system during the offseason: pitchers Roenis Elías, Koda Glover, Javy Guerra, Joe Ross, and Hunter Strickland; infielders Wilmer Difo and Trea Turner; and outfielder Michael A. Taylor. The Nationals signed Strickland and Difo to new one-year contracts. Hours before the deadline for teams to tender new contracts to arbitration-eligible players, on December 2, Glover announced his retirement from professional baseball at age 26. The Nationals tendered contracts to all eligible players except Glover and Guerra, who were non-tendered, although Guerra later re-signed with the Nationals on a minor league pact. The Nationals agreed to one-year contracts for each of their tendered players, avoiding arbitration.
A few days later, the Nationals signed a new reliever, former Oakland Athletics minor league closer Kyle Finnegan. Finnegan was the first free agent signing of the offseason announced by the team, on December 8, 2019. The Nationals added to their bullpen again on January 3, 2020, announcing they had signed veteran Will Harris to a three-year contract. On January 29, the team acquired reliever Ryne Harper from the Minnesota Twins.
The Nationals added new positions player to their roster as well, announcing the signings of infielders Starlin Castro to a two-year deal and Eric Thames to a one-year deal on January 7 and 8, respectively.
Transactions November 20, 2019: The Nationals selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Ben Braymer from the Class-AAA Fresno Grizzlies. December 1, 2019: The Nationals signed infielder Wilmer Difo to a one-year major league contract. December 2, 2019: The Nationals signed right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland to a one-year major league contract and declined to offer arbitration to right-handed relievers Koda Glover and Javy Guerra; Glover retired and Guerra elected free agency. December 8, 2019: The Nationals signed right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan to a major league contract. December 9, 2019: The Nationals signed right-handed starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg to a seven-year major league contract. December 10, 2019: The Nationals signed catcher Yan Gomes to a two-year major league contract and infielder Howie Kendrick to a one-year major league contract with a mutual option. December 12, 2019: The Nationals lost minor league pitcher Sterling Sharp to the Miami Marlins in the Rule 5 draft. January 3, 2020: The Nationals signed right-handed reliever Will Harris to a three-year major league contract. January 7, 2020: The Nationals signed infielder Starlin Castro to a two-year major league contract. January 8, 2020: The Nationals signed infielder Asdrúbal Cabrera to a one-year major league contract and first baseman and outfielder Eric Thames to a one-year major league contract with a mutual option. January 14, 2020: The Nationals signed right-handed reliever Daniel Hudson to a two-year major league contract. January 28, 2020: The Nationals signed first baseman Ryan Zimmerman to a one-year major league contract and signed infielder/outfielder Emilio Bonifácio to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. January 29, 2020: The Nationals acquired right-handed reliever Ryne Harper from the Minnesota Twins for minor league pitcher Hunter McMahon. July 22, 2020: The Nationals selected the contracts of infielder/outfielder Emilio Bonifácio, right-handed pitcher Javy Guerra, and left-handed pitcher Sam Freeman from the alternate training site.
Spring training The Nationals held spring training at their facility at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida, which they share with the Houston Astros. It was their fourth year at the facility.
On February 12, the Nationals announced they had invited the following players on minor league contracts to participate in major league spring training: left-handed pitchers Fernando Abad and Sam Freeman; right-handed pitchers Dakota Bacus, Bryan Bonnell, Wil Crowe, Paolo Espino, Jhonatan Germán, Javy Guerra, David Hernandez, Kevin Quackenbush, and Derek Self; catchers Welington Castillo, Taylor Gushue, and Jakson Reetz; infielders Luis García Jr., Drew Ward, and Jacob Wilson; outfielders Yadiel Hernández and Mac Williamson; infielder/outfielders Emilio Bonifácio and Brandon Snyder; and outfielder/left-handed pitcher J. B. Shuck.
On March 12, the remainder of spring training was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Nationals had a record of 6–11–2 before this happened. When the new schedule was announced for the 2020 season, it included three new exhibition games against the Phillies and Orioles, which count as Spring Training games.
Regular season
Opening Day
The Nationals' season started out with Juan Soto, their starting left fielder and co-recipient of the 2019 Babe Ruth Award, testing positive for COVID-19 and being placed on the injured list hours before first pitch on Opening Day on July 23 versus the New York Yankees. Despite testing negative on follow-up rapid testing, Soto was unable to participate in baseball activities due to MLB and District of Columbia health protocols.
In the first game of the season the Nationals were held to one run—a solo home run from right fielder Adam Eaton—by Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, whom they had beaten twice during the 2019 World Series, before heavy rains forced the game to be called midway through the sixth inning. Nationals starter Max Scherzer gave up all four of New York's runs in the loss, three of them batted in by Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton.
Opening Day lineup +Opening Day StartersName Position Trea Turner Shortstop Adam Eaton Right field Starlin Castro Second base Howie Kendrick Designated hitter Eric Thames First base Kurt Suzuki Catcher Asdrúbal Cabrera Third base Andrew Stevenson Left field Víctor Robles Center field Max Scherzer PitcherJuan Soto tested positive for COVID-19 and thus was placed on the IL.
Game recap
Season standings
National League East
National League Wild Card
Record vs. opponents
July