The Dodgers’ baserunning tonight helped put them in position to win.

The Nationals’ baserunning tonight left one of their regulars limping and ultimately departing the game due to injury, then cost them one final chance to pull off what would've been a dramatic comeback in the ninth.

So it was the three key moments in a 4-1 series-opening loss to Los Angeles came on the bases. In the first two cases, those runners were successful at stealing second, but the Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández eventually came around to score the go-ahead run while Lane Thomas eventually came out with a left leg injury that will require an MRI. Then in the third case, a late stop sign from third base coach Ricky Gutierrez forced Luis García Jr. to slam on the brakes in the bottom of the ninth, with trailing runner Joey Gallo not paying attention, leading to a killer rundown. 

"That's a tough lineup," manager Davey Martinez said of the Dodgers. "When we have a chance to put some runs on the board, we've got to capitalize."

With a crowd of 27,806 in attendance to see the mighty Dodgers and their star-studded lineup, these two teams played another low-scoring, tight game, not all that different from last week’s series on the West Coast. The Nats took two out of three at Chavez Ravine; they’ll need to win the next two nights to pull off the same achievement on South Capitol Street.

The Nationals haven’t completely overcome the flu bug that has taken down several corners of the clubhouse the last two weeks: They had to place another ill player on the injured list today because of it.

Reliever Robert Garcia became the latest victim, placed on the 15-day IL with influenza prior to tonight’s series opener against the Dodgers. The club purchased the contract of right-hander Jacob Barnes from Triple-A Rochester to fill the bullpen vacancy and designated minor league infielder Jake Alu for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

Garcia first was afflicted with the virus more than a week ago and was unable to pitch for several days during the Nationals’ West Coast trip. The left-hander did come back to appear three times in a four-game span at the end of the week but did not look himself, retiring only one of the seven Astros batters he faced Friday and Saturday, his fastball velocity down from 95-96 mph to 92-93 mph.

“We noticed his velo was way down, and he was trying to pitch through it,” manager Davey Martinez said. “I don’t want him to get hurt, so we’re going to take care of him.”

Garcia, whose transaction was backdated two days, joins Keibert Ruiz on the IL with the flu, but the catcher is healthy again and nearly ready to return. Ruiz, who lost 18-to-20 pounds while sick, begins what should be a brief rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg tonight and should be activated later this week.

The circus has come to town. For the uninitiated, that’s Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who bring with them as much media as you’ll find for a postseason series. Seriously, the press box here is packed.

The Nationals will have to cope with that, not that they’re likely to care much. They did, after all, just take two of three at Dodger Stadium last week, not to mention three of their last four series, right?

To keep it going, though, they’re going to need something resembling a quality start from Patrick Corbin. And as we know, that’s been quite the challenge. The left-hander enters 0-3 with an 8.06 ERA in four starts, and Los Angeles got him for five runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings last week out west.

The Nats lineup will try to score first again, something that group suddenly has become adept at. CJ Abrams and Co. face veteran lefty James Paxton, who has yet to surrender more than three runs in his three starts this year.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 980 AM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 70 degrees, wind 12 mph out to left field

The Nationals return to action tonight as the Dodgers come to town looking for revenge from last week’s series in Los Angeles.

The Nats will have the opportunity to do something this week they haven’t done since 2014: Win the season series against the Dodgers.

That’s right, since going 4-2 against the Dodgers 10 years ago, the Nats are 0-6-2 in season series against their West Coast foes. The teams split the season series 3-3 in 2017 and 2022, and didn’t play each other in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, in which teams only played their division rivals and the same division in the other league. Overall, the Nats are 15-35 against the Dodgers since 2014.

Also, did you know this week marks Shohei Ohtani’s first trip to D.C.? He has hit .300 with a .697 OPS in eight games against the Nats, all of which came in Los Angeles as a member of either the Angels or Dodgers. And he made one start as a pitcher against the Nats last year in Anaheim, tossing seven shutout innings with one hit, five walks and six strikeouts.

But enough about these upcoming games. Let’s make some observations from the first month of the season …

Joey Meneses is by nature a worrier. It probably comes from the decade he spent in the minor leagues, bouncing around between organizations, even venturing to Japan at one point to try to keep his career alive.

After finally breaking through in 2022 with two out-of-nowhere months of MVP-level production as a 30-year-old rookie with the Nationals, he still reported to camp the following spring worried he might not make the team. And even after driving in a team-high 89 RBIs in 2023, he still wasn’t sure about his future here after the Nats signed slugger Joey Gallo over the winter and invited top prospects Dylan Crews and James Wood to big league camp.

So imagine the thoughts swirling though Meneses’ mind as he came up to bat in the bottom of the 10th early Saturday evening, his batting average in the .180s, his slugging percentage barely topping .200, having already failed to come through in big spots in the sixth and eighth innings. Was the clock nearing midnight on his fairy tale, with a demotion to Triple-A looming in the near future?

Then watch Meneses’ reaction to his game-winning hit: a first-pitch gap shot to right-center that easily scored pinch-runner Nasim Nunez to beat the Astros. As he approached second base, he flung his helmet aside, spread out his arms and waited for his teammates to mob him. For the first time in a while, the smile on his face was wide.

“Like you said, I’ve been battling and struggling to start the season,” he said, via interpreter Octavio Martinez. “But this kind of at-bat and situation kind of relaxes me. And obviously I’m excited about it.”

Given the circumstances, it was fair to wonder if Mitchell Parker’s impressive major league debut last week was a bit flukish. Was that five-inning victory before a sellout crowd at Dodger Stadium as good as it was ever going to get for the Nationals’ 2020 fifth-round draft pick?

Given what he just accomplished today in his follow-up start against the Astros, it feels more appropriate to start wondering if this just might actually be the start of something really special.

With seven scoreless innings on only 73 pitches, Parker led the Nats to an easy 6-0 victory, improved to 2-0 as a big leaguer and authored Chapter 2 in what has suddenly become the most compelling – and unexpected – pitching story in recent club history.

"It doesn't seem like anything really fazes him," manager Davey Martinez said. "He goes out there and he challenges hitters. He competes. He's been giving us what we need."

The 24-year-old left-hander was in complete control throughout his home debut. He surrendered three hits (all singles). He allowed only one runner to reach scoring position. He didn’t issue a walk for the second straight outing. And he pounded the strike zone in a manner rarely seen in these parts.

As he described the illness that sidelined him now for nearly two weeks, Keibert Ruiz was asked if he’d ever been that sick before.

“When I got COVID,” the Nationals catcher said. “This was kind of the same. My whole body was in pain. Fever every three, four hours. The whole night sweating.”

Ruiz has finally moved past the worst of his case of influenza, which first began afflicting him 13 days ago in San Francisco and ultimately forced him to the 10-day injured list. He described himself as “90 percent” better now after a particularly rough stretch while the team was on the West Coast last week.

Ruiz has been able to start some baseball activities, hitting off a pitching machine, participating in some defensive drills and partaking in some light weight lifting. He was set to begin running before today’s game against the Astros.

The ordeal took a real toll on the 25-year-old, who lost 18-to-20 pounds.

After an absolutely beautiful Saturday here at the ballpark, the clouds have rolled in and the temperature has dropped nearly 20 degrees for today’s series finale against the Astros. Hopefully that’s not an omen of things to come for the Nationals, who were all sunshine and roses on Saturday.

The Nats have a chance to win another series; it would be three of their last four if they can pull this off. And if they do, it could come on the shoulders of Mitchell Parker once again.

The rookie left-hander makes his second career start, hoping to pick up right where he left off Monday night in Los Angeles, where he held the mighty Dodgers to two runs over five innings and became the first Nationals starter to win his major league debut since Stephen Strasburg. It’s another tough challenge today for Parker in the Astros. If he can throw strikes as he did last time out, it’ll put him in a good position to succeed.

The Nats won Saturday in spite of another atrocious performance with runners in scoring position. They were 0-for-10 until Jesse Winker and Joey Meneses finally delivered in the bottom of the ninth and 10th to emerge with the walk-off win. They’ve got to do a better job taking advantage of their scoring opportunities today against Hunter Brown, a late substitution for Houston, which had to scratch scheduled starter Cristian Javier due to neck discomfort. Brown has made four starts this season, one of them an absolute disaster (nine runs allowed in two-thirds of an inning against the Royals), but he was much better last time out (two runs in six innings against the Braves).

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 980 AM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Cloudy, 52 degrees, wind 5 mph out to right field

Saturday was full of celebrations, fanfare and big moments. Both on and off the field.

The 2019 World Series championship team was in attendance for the Nationals’ second game against the Astros. Former players were recognized before and during the game for their heroics five years ago.

Then the current Nationals squad showed the old guys they have that same “finish the fight” attitude as the 2019 team. Jesse Winker hit a two-run single to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth inning. And then Joey Meneses walked it off in the bottom of the 10th with a first-pitch single to deep center field.

More hugs, high fives and a Gatorade bath ensued.

But one huge play may have gotten lost in all of the celebrations. One defensive play in the top of the 10th that set up Meneses’ big swing.

With much of the 2019 World Series championship roster in the house, the 2024 Nationals took a page from their celebrated predecessors and mounted a late comeback that special group surely could appreciate.

Then they pulled off a feat even the greatest team in Nats history never pulled off: They beat the Astros at home.

With a furious rally in the bottom of the ninth capped by Jesse Winker's two-run single, the Nationals stormed back to force extra innings. Then with one swing from Joey Meneses in the bottom of the 10th, they completed a 5-4 victory over Houston to cap a celebratory afternoon on South Capitol Street.

"I think it's cool, especially with those guys in the stands who had that great run in '19," said Lane Thomas, whose outfield assist in the top of the 10th set the stage for Meneses' game-winning hit. "It's cool to do that in front of them."

Trailing 4-2 with three outs to go, and unable to deliver any clutch hits throughout the game, the Nats finally came through when they needed it against Astros closer Ryan Pressly. Nick Senzel reached on catcher’s interference, then CJ Abrams launched a double high off the wall in right-center to put the tying run in scoring position with nobody out.

Most members of the 2019 Nationals enjoyed long, distinguished careers, playing for multiple franchises and experiencing personal highs and lows along the way. None of them, though, ever played for a team quite like that one.

Because of how the season ended, yes. But also because of the bond they all created along the way.

“I’d still be playing if we had that group in 2019 over and over again,” said Brian Dozier, who retired in 2021. “It was a great group.”

The members of the franchise’s first World Series roster are forever connected, and when they gathered back at Nationals Park this weekend for the five-year celebration of that achievement, they were instantly transported back to the greatest season of their lives.

Twelve players from that roster were in attendance, including alumni Ryan Zimmerman, Howie Kendrick, Adam Eaton, Kurt Suzuki, Aníbal Sánchez, Sean Doolittle, Gerardo Parra, Javy Guerra and Dozier. Many of the 10 players still actively playing elsewhere sent in video messages. All received rousing ovations from the crowd that assembled to celebrate a championship in a way that wasn’t possible in 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions.

It’s going to be a special day at Nationals Park, the highlight of this World Series anniversary weekend. A bunch of players from the 2019 club will be honored before and during the game against the Astros, and they’ll get the recognition from Nats fans they so deserve.

But there’s also a game to play, and the Nationals would love to get back on the winning track after dropping the series opener. They will try to get it going at the plate against Ronel Blanco, who has been nothing short of brilliant so far. The 30-year-old right-hander tossed a no-hitter in his season debut, then allowed one hit over six innings his next time out before allowing (gasp) two runs in six innings in his third start.

Trevor Williams has been quite good for the Nats, as well. He enters this one with a 2-0 record and 3.45 ERA in three outings. Two questions entering this one: Can he keep it up against the Astros lineup, and how far is Davey Martinez willing to push him, especially after using five relievers Friday night?

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 4:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Sunny, 69 degrees, wind 14 mph left field to right field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF Jesse Winker
RF Lane Thomas
2B Luis García Jr.
1B Joey Gallo
DH Joey Meneses
CF Eddie Rosario
C Riley Adams
3B Nick Senzel

While Friday night technically kicked off the Nationals’ weekend-long celebration of the 2019 World Series championship’s five-year anniversary, today is when the real festivities begin.

Several Nats alumni from the 2019 team will be at today’s game to participate in reunion events around the ballpark, including a Q&A session with fans. The first 20,000 fans to today’s game will receive a replica World Series ring. And tomorrow’s finale includes a 2019 World Series viewing toy giveaway for the first 8,000 fans 12 and under, plus autograph sessions.

For those fans who don’t have tickets for the games, former players will be joining the MASN and Nationals Radio Network (English and Spanish) broadcasts today and tomorrow, with special features also airing during the pregame shows.

And after five years – with a global pandemic happening right after the club’s first championship – the Nats are ecstatic to celebrate this weekend with former players and fans.

“I'm very excited,” said Davey Martinez, the Nats’ longest-tenured manager and the only one to not just win a playoff series, but win a championship. “I'm looking forward to seeing all the guys again, I really am. It's gonna be a fun weekend.”

It was no wonder the Nationals chose this weekend to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the 2019 World Series championship with the Astros in town for three games.

The pregame fanfare was a nice trip down memory lane. Clips of former players, such as Max Scherzer, Juan Soto and Anthony Rendon sharing memories and thanking fans were played on the new video board at Nats Park, along with highlights from that magical postseason run. The announced attendance of 22,999 fans gave loud ovations for manager Davey Martinez and first base coach Gerardo Parra during lineup introductions. And they booed loudly when Jose Altuve was introduced for the first (and his every subsequent) at-bat of the night.

But by the end of this series opener, the final result – a 5-3 loss – showed just how far apart these two franchises are five years after that Fall Classic intertwined them forever. (Although even with the loss, the Nats still have a better record at 8-11 than the Astros at 7-14.)

The game started off strong for MacKenzie Gore, making his fourth start of the season. He struck out Altuve and Yordan Alvarez on 97 and 98 mph fastballs and got Alex Bregman to fly out to right field on 16 pitches in the first.

The crowd was still coming through the gates, but they were into it.

As the Nationals prepare to welcome the Astros to D.C. for three games this weekend, when the organization and fan base are celebrating the five-year anniversary of their World Series win over Houston, there was some baseball news to attend to before the festivities begin.

Davey Martinez has three prominent players on the injured list, and each of them is progressing nicely and nearing a return.

Josiah Gray, who landed on the 15-day IL on April 9, retroactive to April 6, with a right elbow/forearm flexor strain, has been able to increase his throwing distance over the past couple of days.

“Josiah Gray played catch up to 60 feet the last two days,” the manager said ahead of Friday’s opener. “He feels good, so he will continue his progress.”

Gray is eligible to come off the injured list after this weekend, but the Nats will likely want to see him return to the mound a few times before returning him to the active roster. And they’re hoping that once this injury has been healed it will turn into better results for the right-hander, who allowed 13 runs and 15 hits in 8 ⅓ innings over his first two starts.

The Nationals return home from a 5-4 West Coast road trip for a celebratory weekend as the organization relives the magical 2019 World Series run for the championship’s five-year anniversary. And it is no coincidence the team they are hosting during this celebration is the team they defeated in seven games to win the World Series: the Houston Astros.

To kick off the weekend, the Nats will send to the mound one of the young pitchers they hope will help lead them to their next championship, MacKenzie Gore. The 25-year-old left-hander is off to a great start to the season and has been the Nats’ best starter to date. He leads the rotation with a 2-0 record, 2.81 ERA and 23 strikeouts over his first three starts. And although his 16 innings don’t quite qualify him for league leader boards just yet, his 12.94 strikeout-per-nine-innings rate would currently rank third among qualified major league pitchers.

After having strong outings against the Pirates, Phillies and Athletics, Gore will test his stuff against a dangerous Astros lineup that ranks in the top three in the majors in home runs, average and OPS.

Justin Verlander makes his long-awaited season debut for the Astros tonight. The three-time Cy Young Award winner started the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder and made two minor league rehab starts before rejoining the big league club. The 41-year-old right-hander is expected to be on some sort of pitch limit, so it will be in the Nats’ best interest to work good at-bats.

And just for the record, since it is World Series reunion weekend: Verlander went 0-2 and allowed seven runs over 11 innings for a 5.73 ERA in two World Series home starts against the Nats five years ago.

It’s been noted many times before the Nationals never got to enjoy the traditional “victory lap” that comes the season after a team wins a championship, because the 2020 season was delayed, condensed and played in empty ballparks due to COVID-19.

Nearly five years later, the club will attempt to make up for lost time with an anniversary weekend celebration of the 2019 World Series champs.

With the Astros in town for a three-game interleague series, it only made sense to revisit that epic series now, even if five full years have yet to pass and this is only the second homestand of the current season. So the weekend will feature a number of special events and giveaways, plus the return of several members of the championship roster and coaching staff.

Tonight’s series opener features a postgame fireworks show, with a distinct 2019 theme to it. The first 20,000 fans to attend Saturday’s game will receive a replica World Series ring and have the opportunity to listen to Q&A sessions with players and coaches. And Sunday’s finale, geared toward kids, includes a 2019 World Series viewing toy for the first 8,000 fans 12 and under, plus autograph sessions with several alumni.

The list of scheduled attendees includes the five members of the World Series roster who either still play or coach for the Nationals: Patrick Corbin, Sean Doolittle, Gerardo Parra, Tanner Rainey and Victor Robles. Seven retired players from the team are also scheduled to appear: Brian Dozier, Adam Eaton, Javy Guerra, Howie Kendrick, Anibal Sanchez, Kurt Suzuki and Ryan Zimmerman.

LOS ANGELES – At the end of a 10-day, three-city jaunt that included stops in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles, CJ Abrams was asked how long the Nationals’ just-completed road trip felt.

“It feels long,” the shortstop said. “We’re excited to get back home and beat some more people up.”

Abrams said this with his usual soft voice, no emphasis on that last phrase, so it was easy to gloss right over it. But in those few words, the brightest young star on the Nationals conveyed what many in the clubhouse are beginning to sense.

This team isn’t content with simply making progress anymore. This team is ready to start winning, no matter the level of competition it’s facing.

Overall, the Nationals head home with an 8-10 record that doesn’t inspire a whole lot of confidence. But dig deeper, and it’s not hard to see how this team is starting to come together, and how there’s reason to believe the results are going to keep getting better as this season plays out.

LOS ANGELES – Jake Irvin walked to the dugout after striking out Will Smith to end the bottom of the sixth this afternoon at Dodger Stadium. The scoreboard showed six zeros for the home team, and it showed only 73 pitches for the visiting starter.

In another world, Irvin would have received a slap on the back and encouragement to get ready to head back out for the seventh. In this world, he was given a round of high fives and hugs from everyone in the Nationals dugout, manager Davey Martinez informing the right-hander his day was done.

Love it or hate it, this is the state of baseball in 2024. Teams aren’t letting their young starters go deep anymore, certainly not early in the season. So all Irvin could do today was join everyone else and watch the final three innings, hoping his teammates could finish the job.

They did, with three relievers combining to hold the Dodgers lineup in check in the seventh, eighth and ninth and ultimately rewarding Irvin with a 2-0 victory in a captivating finale to this series and this West Coast trip.

"He's been unbelievable. He's been outstanding, actually," said Martinez, who received a beer shower from his coaches and players after notching his 400th managerial win. "He just keeps getting better and better. The confidence keeps growing."

LOS ANGELES – Take a glance at the major league leaders in the top offensive rate categories, note the expected names that consistently show up and then try not to gasp when Jesse Winker’s name shows up right there alongside everyone else.

Winker, who made the Nationals’ roster Opening Day roster off a minor league deal signed the day before spring training began, currently ranks third in the majors in batting average (.373), first in on-base percentage (.500), 13th in slugging percentage (.608) and fifth in OPS (1.108). The only names ahead of him in that last category: Tyler O’Neill, Mookie Betts, Marcell Ozuna and Jose Altuve.

Nobody’s suggesting Winker will remain there throughout the season. But given his hot start, and his track record of success several years ago while playing for the Reds, there’s reason to be optimistic he can remain productive for the Nats.

“I feel good with the work I’m putting in,” he said. “Obviously, it’s nice when you’re getting results, but I feel great with the work I’m doing with (hitting coach Darnell Coles and assistant hitting coach Chris Johnson).”

Winker entered the season figuring to share playing time in left field with Eddie Rosario. Three weeks later, he’s become not only an everyday player, but the Nationals’ No. 2 hitter in recent days, batting behind CJ Abrams.