Nationals release 2023 schedule

As the Nationals look forward to watching Cade Cavalli, CJ Abrams and possibly MacKenzie Gore finish out the last month of the 2022 season, they announced the complete 2023 schedule earlier today.

The 2023 Major League Baseball season will be the first to feature a balanced schedule for all 30 teams since interleague play was introduced in 1997. Each of the 30 clubs will play against one another, while also hosting every other club in their home market at least once every other season.

Opening day will start the 19th season of Nationals baseball in our nation’s capital with the Braves visiting on Thursday, March 30. It will be the fifth time the Nats have faced the Braves on opening day. It will also start a six-game homestand against the Braves and Rays to start the regular season.

The Nats’ first road trip of 2023 takes them to Colorado and Anaheim for seven games to face the Rockies and Angels. It will be the second year in a row the Nats will travel to face old friend Anthony Rendon and the Halos, who do not make a trip to D.C. next year.

The annual Battle of the Beltways series against the Orioles are earlier and later than usual next year. The two rivals will play two games April 18-19 at Nationals Park and two games Sept. 26-27 at Camden Yards during the Nats’ final road trip of the season.

The Nationals will finish their four visits to the West Coast by the end of June. Including their first road trip of the season, they will also play in Arizona and San Francisco from May 5-10, at the Dodgers on May 29-31, and in San Diego and Seattle from June 23-28.

The Nats will host the Reds for a four-game series July 3-6, to include the annual Fourth of July game at Nationals Park. After that, they will host the Rangers for a three-game series July 7-9 before the All-Star break (July 10-13 in Seattle). The Nationals will open on the road following the break for the second consecutive season, playing at the Cardinals on July 14-16 and at the Cubs on July 17-19 to open the season’s second half. 

Other holiday matchups include at the Rockies for Easter on April 9, against the Mets for Mother’s Day on May 14, at the Dodgers on Memorial Day on May 29 and against the Marlins for Father’s Day on June 18. The Nats will enjoy a rare off-day for Labor Day on Sept. 4.

The Nats will host the Phillies at Nationals Park for two games of a three-game set starting on Aug. 18 before both clubs travel to Williamsport, Pa., for the annual Little League Classic on Sunday, Aug. 20. The Little League Classic will still count as a home game for the Nats.

​​Washington’s final homestand of the season will bring the White Sox and Braves to Nationals Park for seven games Sept. 18-24 before the Nationals end the 2023 season the following weekend in Atlanta from Sept. 29-Oct. 1.

The 2023 schedule breaks down to 52 total games against divisional opponents (decreased from 76), 64 total games (32 home games and 32 away games) against non-divisional league opponents (decreased from 66) and 46 total games against interleague opponents (increased from 20)

The Nats will play 13 games (four total series) each against the Braves, Marlins, Mets and Phillies. They’ll play seven home games against the Braves and Marlins, and six home games against the Mets and Phillies (including the Little League Classic).

The Nationals will host 13 homestands and 14 weekend series during the 2023 season. They do not have any homestands or road trips that will be longer than nine games.

Times have also been released for the Nats’ home games (subject to change). They will stick with mostly 4:05 p.m. starts on Saturdays (with a few 1:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. starts) and 1:35 p.m. starts on Sundays, along with the traditional 11:05 a.m. start on the Fourth of July.

If you're keeping track of when former Nationals return to D.C.: Juan Soto and the Padres are here May 23-25; Max Scherzer and the Mets come to Nats Park on May 12-15 and Sept. 5-6; and Bryce Harper and the Phillies are in Washington from June 2-4 and Friday and Saturday, Aug. 18-19 before going to Williamsport.