Nats to open 2022 at Mets, home opener vs. Phillies

The Nationals will open the 2022 season at Citi Field, facing the Mets, before returning to D.C. to host the Phillies in their home opener four days later.

Major League Baseball is nothing if not predictable when it comes to scheduling.

The league unveiled its 2022 schedule today, and it features all kinds of familiar-looking matchups. The Nationals open March 31 on the road against the Mets, the fourth consecutive year they will have been scheduled to face New York on opening day, though the 2020 and 2021 matchups didn't actually happen as planned due to COVID-19.

Following their three-game series in Flushing, the Nationals will celebrate their home opener April 4 against the Phillies. It'll be the third time they've faced Philadelphia in their home opener, though the first time since 2010.

Independence Day will see the Nationals host the Marlins in the finale of a four-game, wraparound weekend series, with the traditional 11:05 a.m. first pitch.

Interleague play will come against the American League West, with matchups that were supposed to happen in 2020 but were eliminated when the schedule was overhauled to include only regional matchups.

The highlight of the interleague slate might well be the Astros' visit to Nationals Park on May 13-15, featuring perhaps Dusty Baker's return and the first official rematch between the 2019 World Series participants.

The Nats also will host the Mariners (June 12-13) and Athletics (Aug. 30-Sept. 1). They'll travel to face the Angels and Anthony Rendon (May 6-8), the Rangers (June 24-26) and Mariners (Aug. 23-24). They haven't played at Texas since their inaugural season of 2005, and the Rangers have since moved into a new ballpark.

The annual Battle of the Beltways will feature a pair of two-game series: June 21-22 in Baltimore, then Sept. 13-14 in Washington.

The regular season concludes with a six-game homestand against the Braves (Sept. 26-28) and Phillies (Sept. 30-Oct. 2).