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“The fans were really fooled,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said at the end of Washington’s coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. The campaign began with a flag-raising ceremony at an empty Nationals Park before losing to the new team. The game ended with the Nationals, who had worn gold-trimmed uniforms all season, eliminated from playoff contention against the York Yankees. “Hopefully moving forward…we’re going to do something special for them, whether it’s bringing everyone back or bringing back the players that are here.”
More than a dozen players and coaches from Washington’s World Series-winning squad are scheduled to return for this weekend’s celebration, which includes fireworks and giveaways. The guest list is subject to change, but includes former Nationals Brian Dozier, Adam Eaton, Javy Guerra, Bob Henry, Howie Kendrick, Anibal Sanchez, Kurt Suzuki and Ryan Zimmerman. In addition, current players and coaches Henry Blanco, Patrick Corbin, Sean Doolittle, Dave Martinez, Octavio Martinez, Gerardo Parra, Tanner Rainey and Victor Robles.
(If the returning players could have half as much fun together as they did rewatching Game 7 of the 2019 World Series on a public Zoom call during the early stages of the pandemic, it would have been a good time.)
Current players from Washington’s 2019 team who currently play for other MLB teams, including Yan Gomez, Daniel Hudson, Anthony Rendon, Max Scherzer, Juan Soto, Michael A. Taylor, and Torii Turner. Other than that, the most notable names not scheduled to return are: 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg recently retired after his 13-year career was cut short by injury. Matt Adams wants to extend his career in the Mexican League, so he couldn’t make the trip. I hit a home run in my first game. last week. Fernando Rodney will also be absent.
There will be a fireworks show featuring “music from the 2019 World Champions” after Friday night’s series opener against the Astros, the sign-stealing team that Washington defeated in the World Series. Pedro Capo’s reggaeton hits “Karma” and “Baby Shark,” both standout hits from the Nationals’ World Series, will be heard throughout the weekend.
The first 20,000 fans at the game Saturday at 4:05 p.m. will receive a replica 2019 World Series ring. The souvenirs aren’t as exciting as the Class A Staten Island Yankees, which planned a mini-trash giveaway in conjunction with a visit by the Astros’ affiliate team in 2020, but they did so during a tour of the Nationals ballpark for media members. The ring on display looked nice last month. There’s no word on whether Oscar the Grouch will appear.
Saturday will also feature two pregame question and answer sessions with players from the 2019 team. Nationals radio play-by-play man Charlie Slowes will moderate a panel for season plan holders featuring the World Series champions on Washington’s current roster, while MASN TV voice Bob Carpenter will , will moderate a panel featuring visiting Nationals alumni, some of whom will be on TV. Radio broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays. (In a promotional video teasing his return to D.C., Dodger vowed to keep wearing the shirt. Don’t get your hopes up.)
On Sunday, the first 8,000 fans ages 12 and under will receive a viewfinder toy featuring images from the 2019 World Series. Players will sign autographs for fans who receive free tickets above the Nationals dugout. Free vouchers will be distributed in Section 103 on a first-come, first-served basis. Gates he will open to all fans at 12:15.
The Astros and Nationals have taken very different paths since Kendrick hit the game-winning home run off the foul pole in Washington’s Game 7 victory in Houston. The Astros have made the playoffs in each of the past four years and won the World Series in 2022, but the Nationals began a rebuild by trading away Scherzer, Turner, and Soto at the 2021 and 2022 deadlines. is the average batting average of 98 and the number of losses over the past three seasons. The five-year anniversary of the 2019 World Series win is worth celebrating, but the names of the teams not in this weekend’s lineup are a painful reminder of what might have been.
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