Pomp and circumstance highlights opener at Nationals Park

WASHINGTON – A three-hour first-pitch postponement, a 76-minute rain delay and multiple drenching storms later, the Nationals opened the 2022 season Thursday evening with a 5-1 loss to the Mets at Nationals Park.

Once the tarp was removed from the field to the cheers of eager fans, the Nats commenced a half hour-plus of pregame ceremonies that included an award presentation, a tribute video and fireworks bursting into the Navy Yard skies.

“It feels great to be back in D.C., have all the love from the crowd,” said Juan Soto. “It just feels amazing for me. I know that things didn’t go our way, but at the end of the day, I know we all gave our hundred percent and we tried as much as we can.”

The Nationals’ season opener has been less than traditional since winning the World Series in 2019. Their title commemoration on Opening Day ‘20 was improvised to include a virtual ring ceremony because of the pandemic. The following year, positive COVID-19 cases postponed the Nationals’ season opener five days to April 6. With inclement weather threatening Opening Day on Thursday, the original start time was pushed back from 4:05 p.m. ET to 7:05 to account for the day-long showers.

“I know we waited quite some time … to get all the fans back in there, see everybody in red,” said manager Dave Martinez. “It was great. The players really wanted to go out there and give the fans everything they wanted. We fell short tonight, but they were excited. I can tell you, for me, those fans, now they’re the 29th man. We appreciate them very much.”

The ceremonies began with the singing of “America the Beautiful” by the U.S. Army Chorus Quartet. A recognition of the Nationals’ Unsung Heroes and the introductions of Screech the mascot as well as the MASN television and 106.7 The Fan radio broadcast crews followed.

With red carpets rolled out from the dugouts for both teams, the visiting Mets were the first club introduced. There was a palpable surge in energy when Max Scherzer was announced – the first time he has returned to Nationals Park since being traded to the Dodgers last season at the Trade Deadline. A tribute video played on the big screen commemorating Scherzer’s six-plus seasons in Washington as the three-time Cy Young Award winner tipped his hat to the roaring crowd. (Expect more emotion-filled ovations when Scherzer gets the start on Friday.)

“It was sad, but then again, you thought about all the memories that we had together,” said Martinez. “I’ll tell you what really stood out – the game he screamed at me in Cincinnati when I went out there to talk to him. We all started laughing, I told the story in the dugout. Those are moments that we’ll never forget. Then the hugs and the punches in the chest and all that stuff, I’ll never forget that.”

After the Nats’ staff and reserves were called onto the field, Martinez and the starters ran out from the dugout as fireworks lit up above the scoreboard. It was the first look at offseason acquisitions Nelson Cruz, César Hernández and Maikel Franco wearing the Curly “W” in a regular-season game.

Nationals fan favorite DC Washington then performed the national anthem while the Joint Armed Forces Color Guard, MDW and the DC National Guard presented the flag.

In what is becoming an Opening Day tradition, Soto was presented with yet another accolade for his lengthy resume of achievements – this time for his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award. The heavy hitter made good on the honor by pummeling a Statcast-projected 428-foot solo blast into right field off Mets reliever Trevor May in the sixth inning. He is one home run away from milestone No. 100.

"We know about it before the season, but whenever the season starts, I'm just trying to go focus on every game and every at-bat and forget about those numbers,” said Soto.

Though the skies cleared up, the Nationals’ season debut was dampened by a Mets team that chased starter Patrick Corbin after 76 pitches over four-plus innings (five hits, two runs, two walks, four strikeouts) and outhit the Nats, 12-6. Following an evening of fanfare, the Nationals dropped to 8-10 on Opening Day.

“It’s the first day for everybody,” Martinez said. “Hopefully, their nervousness, the bugs are all out and tomorrow we swing the bats better.”