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Washington Nationals

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Founded: 1969 · Metro Area: Washington-Baltimore · NL · NL East · Home: Nationals Park

Formerly based in Montreal.

WWikipediaQQ825838
RivalriesBeltway Seriesvs Baltimore Oriolestwo-way

The Heartbreak Index4.0 · #517

The Numb · MLB, 2019

4.0
Heartbreak
#517
of 1,138 clubs
#27
in MLB
1.6
agony · 2.4 despair
The clocks
  • MLB since 20190.5
  • MLB final appearance since 20190.3
  • MLB deep run since 20190.1
Heaviest wounds

playoff run died early, 2019 · playoff run died early, 2017 · playoff run died early, 2016 · playoff run died early, 2014

One formula, every club the site covers. See the whole board →

Who controls the club

The entity that holds control today, one per franchise; co-controllers and minority holders are listed, never summed.

How this is measured

Exactly one control entity is recorded per franchise, so a portfolio can never count a club twice. Co-controllers and minority holders are shown as published and carry no weight in any total.

The chip names the evidence. Sourced: a primary source is linked (league, club, filing or tier-one outlet). Cross-checked: matched against the ownership-change sweep. Contested: disputed or mid-sale. Rows are reviewed weekly.

Stakes are as published, often only “majority”, and are not pro-rated. A record of control is not a claim about anyone’s intent or conduct.

Who controls the clubMark Lerner
Mark Lernerfamily· Majority
Cross-checkedas of 11 Aug 2026

The Lerners publicly ended their sale process in Feb 2024.

Mark Lerner on the owners board →

YouTube

+31,761
views gained since 23 Oct 2026
0
subscribers gained since 23 Oct 2026

Open the official channel on YouTube

Calculated by Citizen of Nowhere from YouTube channel statistics, as of 2 Nov 2026. Not part of the Fan Attention Index. Not ranked.

Data from YouTube API Services · YouTube Terms of Service · How we use YouTube data

1
World Series
1 WS Appearances
1
Pennants
2 LCS App · 5 Div titles
6
Playoff appearances
Postseason 24-22
0.481
All-time win pct
58
Seasons
since 1969

Championships

Pre-1903 cup wins (Temple Cup, World's Series, NL pennants) in slate; modern World Series titles in gold.

2019
Pre-1903 cup / NL pennantWorld Series (1903-present)

Pennants

Every World Series appearance and pre-1903 cup appearance. Solid chip = won the pennant (WS / cup); outlined chip = lost the WS / cup.

2019

All-time record

Regular-season W-L4331-4665
Win pct0.481
Playoff record24-22
Championship appearances1 (1 wins)
LCS appearances2
Division titles5
Total seasons58
.500 or better seasons25
Most recent championship2019

Stadium history

Grouped by physical ballpark. Naming-rights eras nested.

Nationals Park

2008-present
Washington, DC

RFK Stadium

2005-2007
Washington, DC

Hiram Bithorn Stadium

2003-2004
San Juan, Puerto Rico

Olympic Stadium

1977-2004
Montreal, QC

Jarry Park

1969-1976
Montreal, QC
Season-by-season
1969 to 2026 · 58 seasons · click to expand
2026Washington Nationals
W-L
77-85
Win%
0.475
RS
821
RA
815
NL East · 4
—
2025Washington Nationals
W-L
66-96
Win%
0.407
RS
687
RA
899
NL East · 5
—
2024Washington Nationals
W-L
71-91
Win%
0.438
RS
660
RA
764
NL East · 4
—
2023Washington Nationals
W-L
71-91
Win%
0.438
RS
700
RA
845
NL East · 5
—
2022Washington Nationals
W-L
55-107
Win%
0.340
RS
603
RA
855
NL East · 5
—
2021Washington Nationals
W-L
65-97
Win%
0.401
RS
724
RA
820
NL East · 5
—
2020Washington Nationals
W-L
26-34
Win%
0.433
RS
293
RA
301
NL East · 4
—
2019Washington Nationals
W-L
93-69
Win%
0.574
RS
873
RA
724
NL East · 2
Champion
2018Washington Nationals
W-L
82-80
Win%
0.506
RS
771
RA
682
NL East · 2
—
2017Washington Nationals
W-L
97-65
Win%
0.599
RS
819
RA
672
NL East · 1
Div Title
2016Washington Nationals
W-L
95-67
Win%
0.586
RS
763
RA
612
NL East · 1
Div Title
2015Washington Nationals
W-L
83-79
Win%
0.512
RS
703
RA
635
NL East · 2
—

Top 12 postseason games

Highest-rated postseason games in franchise history by the site's Game Score metric, which combines hype, quality, stakes, and matchup rank. Losses can outrank routine wins because the formula scores game quality, not franchise spin.

1
Washington Nationals 6-2 Houston Astros
2019-10-30 · 2019 World Series G7 · Minute Maid Park
1.713
W
2
Washington Nationals 7-2 Houston Astros
2019-10-29 · 2019 World Series G6 · Minute Maid Park
1.624
W
3
Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 Washington Nationals
2016-10-13 · 2016 Division Series G5 · Nationals Park
1.365
L
4
Houston Astros 7-1 Washington Nationals
2019-10-27 · 2019 World Series G5 · Nationals Park
1.332
L
5
Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 Washington Nationals
2016-10-11 · 2016 Division Series G4 · Dodger Stadium
1.326
L
6
Washington Nationals 7-3 Los Angeles Dodgers
2019-10-09 · 2019 Division Series G5 · Extras · Dodger Stadium
1.326
W
7
Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Montreal Expos
1981-10-19 · 1981 NLCS G5 · Olympic Stadium
1.302
L
8
Houston Astros 4-1 Washington Nationals
2019-10-25 · 2019 World Series G3 · Nationals Park
1.283
L
9
Chicago Cubs 9-8 Washington Nationals
2017-10-12 · 2017 Division Series G5 · Nationals Park
1.241
L
10
Washington Nationals 5-4 Houston Astros
2019-10-22 · 2019 World Series G1 · Minute Maid Park
1.239
W
11
St. Louis Cardinals 9-7 Washington Nationals
2012-10-12 · 2012 Division Series G5 · Nationals Park
1.233
L
12
Washington Nationals 2-1 St. Louis Cardinals
2012-10-11 · 2012 Division Series G4 · Nationals Park
1.188
W

Rating through time

Where Nationals sat against the rest of the league at the end of every season it played, from 1969 to 2026. Above average in 26 of 58 seasons.

80s90s00s10s20s13501500165019692026

Highest it ever rated
1588 2019, week 33
Lowest it ever rated
1407 1969, week 21

One point per season, at the rating it finished on, with a rule at every decade. Tap or drag any year for what it started on, where it peaked and where it finished. 1500 is the league average by construction, not a chosen line. The week-by-week detail for any season is on its own season page.

Games it had least right to win

Every Nationals game ranked by the Elo win probability before first pitch. The last column is that probability; the lower it was, the bigger the upset.

Least likely wins, all time
  1. 12022-07-25beat Los Angeles Dodgers (away)4–1
  2. 22022-07-26beat Los Angeles Dodgers (away)8–3
  3. 32022-09-21beat Atlanta Braves (away)3–2
  4. 41976-07-15beat Cincinnati Reds (away)4–3
  5. 52023-09-29beat Atlanta Braves (away)10–6
  6. 62022-09-03beat New York Mets (away)7–1
  7. 71998-05-28beat Atlanta Braves (away)9–5
  8. 81969-06-21beat Chicago Cubs (away)3–2
  9. 92008-08-22beat Chicago Cubs (away)13–5
  10. 102023-10-01beat Atlanta Braves (away)10–9
Least likely losses, all time
  1. 12019-08-27lost to Baltimore Orioles (home)0–2
  2. 22017-09-09lost to Philadelphia Phillies (home)4–5
  3. 32016-07-02lost to Cincinnati Reds (home)4–9
  4. 42016-08-12lost to Atlanta Braves (home)5–8
  5. 51994-08-04lost to St. Louis Cardinals (home)3–7
Biggest upsets by decade7 decades
1960s
  1. 11969-06-21beat Chicago Cubs (away)3–2
  2. 21969-06-22beat Chicago Cubs (away)5–4
  3. 31969-09-06beat St. Louis Cardinals (away)3–2
1970s
  1. 11976-07-15beat Cincinnati Reds (away)4–3
  2. 21970-05-11beat New York Mets (away)3–0
  3. 31970-06-05beat Atlanta Braves (away)3–2
1980s
  1. 11986-09-08beat New York Mets (away)9–1
  2. 21986-09-09beat New York Mets (away)9–7
  3. 31987-05-02beat New York Mets (away)11–7
1990s
  1. 11998-05-28beat Atlanta Braves (away)9–5
  2. 21998-06-12beat Atlanta Braves (away)7–5
  3. 31999-07-19beat New York Yankees (away)6–4
2000s
  1. 12008-08-22beat Chicago Cubs (away)13–5
  2. 22009-06-17beat New York Yankees (away)3–2
  3. 32009-06-18beat New York Yankees (away)3–0
2010s
  1. 12011-09-20beat Philadelphia Phillies (away)4–3
  2. 22010-08-19beat Atlanta Braves (away)6–2
  3. 32010-04-15beat Philadelphia Phillies (away)7–5
2020s
  1. 12022-07-25beat Los Angeles Dodgers (away)4–1
  2. 22022-07-26beat Los Angeles Dodgers (away)8–3
  3. 32022-09-21beat Atlanta Braves (away)3–2

Probabilities are Neil Paine's Elo, home advantage included, over 9,204 decided games. Ties are left out. The week-by-week rating for any season is on its season page.

Award winners

League-wide awards held by Nationals players or managers. Curated to the headline tier: MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, postseason MVPs, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, and the rare Triple Crown.

NL MVP · 1

  • 2015Bryce Harper

NL Cy Young · 3

  • 2017Max Scherzer
  • 2016Max Scherzer
  • 1997Pedro Martinez

NL Rookie of the Year · 3

  • 2012Bryce Harper
  • 1977Andre Dawson
  • 1970Carl Morton

NL Manager of the Year · 4

  • 2014Matt Williams
  • 2012Davey Johnson
  • 1994Felipe Alou
  • 1987Buck Rodgers

WS MVP · 1

  • 2019Stephen Strasburg

NLCS MVP · 1

  • 2019Howie Kendrick

All-Star Game MVP · 3

  • 1987Tim Raines
  • 1984Gary Carter
  • 1981Gary Carter

Hank Aaron Award · 1

  • 2015Bryce Harper

Comeback Player of the Year · 3

  • 2017Ryan Zimmerman
  • 2016Anthony Rendon
  • 2007Dmitri Young

Babe Ruth Award · 2

  • 2019Juan Soto
  • 2019Stephen Strasburg

Reliever of the Year Award · 2

  • 2005Chad Cordero
  • 1985Jeff Reardon