Current Nats recall '19 World Series in team's return to Houston

This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Patrick Corbin may be the only member of the 2019 Nationals World Series team on the '23 active roster, but many of the players in the Nats’ clubhouse have their own memories -- and even firsthand experiences -- from watching Washington win it all against Houston.

This week, in the Nationals’ first return to Minute Maid Park since capturing Game 7 of the World Series, those who were not in the organization at the time shared what stood out to them about their future team’s historic victory vs. the Astros.

OF Stone Garrett: “My friend and I were at [Games 2 and 7]. We were just watching, we were there for a good time. Obviously, he was rooting for the Astros, and I was just there to watch. [Game 7] was an exciting game. When Howie [Kendrick] hit the home run, obviously the stadium got super quiet. We were somewhat close to the family section, so they were going crazy.”

3B Jeimer Candelario: “I remember when [Juan] Soto went deep against [Justin] Verlander [in Game 6]. He threw him a ball -- a high, high ball. He thought it was a strike, and then Soto said, 'No, you’ve got to come down a little bit.' Then he threw his next pitch -- the same pitch, but a little bit lower. [Soto] went upper deck. So, that was awesome. In the World Series, [a player] that young doing that, it’s crazy.”

RHP Josiah Gray: “2019, I was still with L.A. After the Nats beat L.A. in L.A. [in the NLDS], it kind of had that 'root for the underdog' [feeling]. … Watching that World Series, it was like David versus Goliath, rooting for these guys and just a lot of fun. Once that ball hit the pole and then seeing them close it out, I was like, 'Wow, that’s sports for you.' It was a lot of fun watching that.”

RHP Mason Thompson: “I went to Game 2. I was kind of pulling for the Astros [Thompson is from Round Rock, Texas]. This was obviously before I was with the Nats. I think they kind of beat up on the Astros pretty good that night. … The Nats got hot at the right time. … I think that was my fifth World Series game that I’d been to.”

RHP Cory Abbott: “I was really rooting for the Nationals. I liked to watch them because [Stephen] Strasburg was absolutely dominating. Being from San Diego and seeing that guy and hearing about him for so long going through the system, I was really happy about that.”

RHP Thaddeus Ward: “You like seeing new faces in the playoffs and postseason. As much as it’s awesome for the Astros to constantly be in contention, it was cool to see another team that kind of came out of nowhere and nobody expected to be in it. Kind of like an underdog-type story.”

C Riley Adams: “I remember some of their performances, and I definitely remember Game 7 -- [Max] Scherzer starting, Corbin coming in and Kendrick hit the homer to right field. That was pretty cool. I remember seeing their dugout going crazy. That’s the fun part for me to watch, and it was cool to see.”