{"id":19490,"date":"2026-04-04T13:11:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T17:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=19490"},"modified":"2026-04-04T13:11:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T17:11:38","slug":"nats-opening-day-history-updated-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=19490","title":{"rendered":"Nats Opening Day History updated for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>One of these random files I have maintained since 2005 is a history of our Opening days.  Now that we&#8217;ve had both our opening day on the road and our 2026 home Opener, here&#8217;s that data updated for 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Home Opener Attendance and Weather through the years<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The weather for 2026&#8217;s home opener was solid: 62 and partly cloudy is a heck of a lot better t han it has been in the past.  2011?  41, overcast, windy.  2022 a 4+ hour delay, 52 and rainy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think the best weather we ever had for a home opener may have been the infamous Philly invasion: 1pm 80-degree and sunny day.  Too bad it was ruined by so many South Jersey bros who had been drinking for 3 hours by the time they got to the stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2026: 41,161 (2:45 fri game, 62, partly cloudy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2025: 41,231 (4:05 thurs game, 57, sunny, slight wind)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2024: 40,405 (4:05 tues game, 53, cloudy, slight wind)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2023: 35,756 (105 thurs game, 45 degrees and sunny)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2022: 35,052 (7:05 thurs game (pushed back from 4:05, then delayed to 8:21 weather. 52 degrees, cloudy, rainy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2021: 4,801 (4:05 tuesday game, 74 degrees, partly cloudy, 5mph wind)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2020: 0 (7:09 thurs game, 90, partly cloudy, 7mph wind)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2019: 42,263 (1:07 thurs game, 56, partly cloudy, no wind)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2018: 42,477 (1:08 thurs game, 42, partly cloudy, slight wind)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2017: 42,744 (1:05 monday game, 66 and cloudy, slight wind)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: 41,650 (4:05 thursday game, 60 and 1.5hr rain delay)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2015: 42,295 (4:05 monday game, 75 and gorgeous)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: 42,834 (1:05 friday game, 50s and overcast)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2013: 45,274 (1:05 monday game, 60 and beautiful)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2012: 40,907 (1:05 thursday game 56, partly cloudy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2011: 39,055 (1:05 thursday game, 41 degrees and overcast)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2010: 41,290 (1pm game monday, beautiful weather 80s and sunny): This was Phillies Invasaion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2009: 40,386 (3pm game on a monday, chilly 53degr and overcast).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2008: 39,389 (season and stadium opener), 8pm sunday night, Braves, nat&#8217;l tv clear but cold.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2007: 40,389 (in rfk, 1pm game vs Florida, 72 degrees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2006: 40,516 (in rfk, tuesday day game vs Mets, 72 degr and sunny)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2005: 45,596 (in rfk, debut of entire franchise, 62 degr and clear, evening game).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Home opener Results and Box Scores<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Nats are just 6-16 all time through 2026 in their home openers, a pretty interesting stat given that for most of the 2010s they were one of the best teams in the sport.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2026: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/dodgers-vs-nationals\/2026\/04\/03\/822758\/final\/box\">Dodgers d Nats 13-6<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2025: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/phillies-vs-nationals\/2025\/03\/27\/778555\/final\">Phillies d Nats 7-3<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2024: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/pirates-vs-nationals\/2024\/04\/01\/744875\/final\/box\">Pirates d Nats 8-4<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2023: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/braves-vs-nationals\/2023\/03\/30\/718780\">Braves d Nats 7-2<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2022: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/mets-vs-nationals\/2022\/04\/07\/662571\/final\/box\">Mets d Nats 5-1<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2021: W <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/braves-vs-nationals\/2021\/04\/06\/634624#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=box,game=634624\">Nats d Braves 6-5<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2020: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/yankees-vs-nationals\/2020\/07\/23\/630851#game_state=final,game_tab=,game=630851\">Yankees d Nats 4-1<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2019: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/mets-vs-nationals\/2019\/03\/28\/565895#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=wrap,game=565895\">Mets d Nats 2-0<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2018: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/mets-vs-nationals\/2018\/04\/05\/529504#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=wrap,game=529504\">Mets d Nats 8-2<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2017: W <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS201704030.shtml\">Nats d Marlins 4-2<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: L <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/mlb\/gameday\/index.jsp?gid=2016_04_07_miamlb_wasmlb_1#game=2016_04_07_miamlb_wasmlb_1,game_state=Wrapup,game_tab=box\">Marlins d Nats 6-4<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2015: L <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/mlb\/gameday\/index.jsp?gid=2015_04_06_nynmlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=box\">Mets d Nats 3-1 <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: L <a href=\"http:\/\/washington.nationals.mlb.com\/mlb\/gameday\/index.jsp?gid=2014_04_04_atlmlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=box&amp;c_id=was#gid=2014_04_04_atlmlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=box\">Braves d Nats 2-1 <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2013: W <a href=\"http:\/\/washington.nationals.mlb.com\/mlb\/gameday\/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_01_miamlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=recap&amp;c_id=was#gid=2013_04_01_miamlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=box\">Nats d Marlins 2-0<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2012: W <a href=\"http:\/\/washington.nationals.mlb.com\/mlb\/gameday\/index.jsp?gid=2012_04_12_cinmlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=wrap&amp;c_id=mlb#gid=2012_04_12_cinmlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=box\">Nats d Reds 2-0 <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2011: L <a href=\"http:\/\/washington.nationals.mlb.com\/mlb\/gameday\/index.jsp?gid=2011_03_31_atlmlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=wrap&amp;c_id=mlb#gid=2011_03_31_atlmlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=box\">Braves d Nats 2-0 <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2010: L <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/mlb\/gameday\/index.jsp?gid=2010_04_05_phimlb_wasmlb_1&amp;mode=wrap\">Phillies d Nats 11-1 <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2009: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS200904130.shtml\">Phillies d Nats 9-8 <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2008: W <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS200803300.shtml\">Nats d Braves 3-2 <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2007: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS200704020.shtml\">Marlins d Nats 9-2<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2006: L <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS200604110.shtml\">Mets d Nats 7-1<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2005: W <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS200504140.shtml\">Nats d Diamondbacks 5-3 <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Nats Season Openers.<\/strong><br>We are slightly better in Season openers: Record: 9-13. We&#8217;ve been home 13 times, away 9 times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2026: Away: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/nationals-vs-cubs\/2026\/03\/26\/824704\/final\/wrap\">Nats d Cubs 10-4<\/a>. WP Lord, LP Boyd (Starters Cavalli, Boyd).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2025: Home: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/phillies-vs-nationals\/2025\/03\/27\/778555\/final\">Phillies d Nats 7-3<\/a>, WP Alvarado, LP Poche (Starters: MaKenzie, Wheeler) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2024: Away: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/nationals-vs-reds\/2024\/03\/28\/746737\/final\/wrap\">Reds d Nats 8-2<\/a>. WP: Montas. LP Grey (Starters: Grey, Montes). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2023: Home: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/braves-vs-nationals\/2023\/03\/30\/718780\">Braves d Nationals 7-2.<\/a> WP: Luetge, LP Corbin (starters: Fried, Corbin): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2022: Home: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/mets-vs-nationals\/2022\/04\/07\/662571\/final\/box\">Mets d Nationals 5-1<\/a>. WP: Megill, LP Corbin (starters same): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2021: Home: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/braves-vs-nationals\/2021\/04\/06\/634624#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=box,game=634624\">Nationals d Braves 6-5<\/a>. WP: Hudson, LP Smith (starters Scherzer v Smyly): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2020: Home: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/yankees-vs-nationals\/2020\/07\/23\/630851#game_state=final,game_tab=,game=630851\">Yankees d Nationals 4-1<\/a>. WP: Cole, LP Scherzer (starters same): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2019: Home: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/mets-vs-nationals\/2019\/03\/28\/565895#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=box,game=565895\">Mets d Nationals 2-0<\/a>. WP: deGrom, LP Scherzer (starters same): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2018: Away: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/gameday\/nationals-vs-reds\/2018\/03\/30\/529420#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=wrap,game=529420\">Nats d Reds 2-0<\/a>. WP Scherzer, LP Bailey (starters same): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2017: home: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS201704030.shtml\">Nats d Marlins 4-2<\/a>. WP Strasburg, LP Phelps (Starters Strasburg, Volquez): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: away: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/ATL\/ATL201604040.shtml\">Nats d Braves 4-3.<\/a> WP Treinen, LP O&#8217;Flarity (starters Scherzer, Teheran): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2015: home: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS201504060.shtml\">Mets d Nats 3-1<\/a>. WP: Bartolo Colon. LP: Max Scherzer <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: away: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/NYN\/NYN201403310.shtml\">Nats d Mets 9-7<\/a>. WP Aaron Barrett, LP Familia (starters Strasburg, dillon Gee): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2013: home: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS201304010.shtml\">Nats d Marlins 2-0.<\/a> WP: Stephen Strasburg. LP: Ricky Nolasco. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2012: away: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/CHN\/CHN201204050.shtml\">Nats d Cubs 2-1.<\/a> WP Clippard, LP Marmol (starters: Strasburg and Ryan Dempster): <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2011: home: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS201103310.shtml\">Braves d Nats 2-0<\/a>. WP: Derek Lowe. LP: Livan Hernandez. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2010: home: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS201004050.shtml\">Phillies d Nats 11-1<\/a>. WP: Roy Halladay. LP: John Lannan <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2009: away: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/FLO\/FLO200904060.shtml\">Marlins d Nats 12-6<\/a>. WP: Nolasco, LP; Lannan <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2008: home: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS200803300.shtml\">Nats d Braves 3-2<\/a>. WP: Rauch. LP: Moylan (Starters: Tim Hudson and Odalis Perez)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2007: home: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/WAS\/WAS200704020.shtml\">Marlins d Nats 9-2<\/a>. WP: Dontrelle Willis. LP: John Patterson <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2006: away: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/NYN\/NYN200604030.shtml\">Mets d Nats 3-2<\/a>. WP: Glavine, LP: Hernandez. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2005: away: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/boxes\/PHI\/PHI200504040.shtml\">Phillies d Nats 8-4<\/a>. WP: Lieber, LP: Hernandez. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of these random files I have maintained since 2005 is a history of our Opening days. Now that we&#8217;ve had both our opening day on the road and our 2026 home Opener, here&#8217;s that data updated for 2026. Home Opener Attendance and Weather through the years The weather for 2026&#8217;s home opener was solid: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-natsgeneral"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19490"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19490\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19492,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19490\/revisions\/19492"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}