Washington Baseball Timeline

April 5, 2010: President Barack Obama tosses first pitch prior to season-opening loss vs. Philadelphia (L, 1-11).

June 8, 2010: Stephen Strasburg strikes out 14 batters without a walk and earns the win in his Major League debut vs. Pittsburgh.

Aug. 16, 2010: The Nationals agree to terms with outfielder Bryce Harper, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2010 Draft.

Dec. 5, 2010: Washington inks free agent outfielder Jayson Werth to monumental seven-year contract

May 17, 2011: Former Washington Senators slugger Harmon Killebrew dies at the age of 74.

May 31, 2011: The Lerner family and the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation break ground on the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, located east of the Anacostia River.

June 23, 2011: Jim Riggleman resigns from his position of manager. Bench coach John McLaren serves as interim manager.

June 26, 2011: Davey Johnson is named manager of the Nationals, and begins his new role the following day at the Los Angeles Angels.

Aug. 16, 2011: Nationals agree to terms with top five selections from 2011 First-Year Player Draft: Infielder Anthony Rendon (6th overall, first round), right-handed pitcher Alex Meyer (23rd overall, first round), outfielder Brian Goodwin (34th overall, comp round), left-handed pitcher Matt Purke (3rd round) and left-handed pitcher Kylin Turnbull (4th round).

Dec. 23, 2011: Nationals acquire Gio Gonzalez in six-player trade with the Oakland Athletics.

Feb. 1, 2012: Baseball America names Washington Nationals top minor league system in MLB.

Feb. 26, 2012: Ryan Zimmerman agrees to terms on a long-term contract extension that keeps him in D.C. through at least 2019.

April 28, 2012: Bryce Harper makes MLB debut at Los Angeles, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

June 13, 2012: Nationals agree to terms with Lucas Giolito, No. 16 selection in 2012 First-Year Player Draft (June 4).

July 10, 2012: Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Bryce Harper compete in 83rd MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City...Ian Desmond was named to team, but did not attend due to injury.

Sept. 3, 2012: With a 2-1 win over the Cubs, the Nationals secure the first winning season by a D.C. baseball team since 1969.

Sept. 20, 2012: The Nationals clinch their first Postseason berth with 4-1 win vs. the Dodgers. (D.C.'s first Postseason berth since 1933).

Sept. 22, 2012: Gio Gonzalez wins 20th game and notches 200th strikeout vs. Milwaukee.

Oct. 1, 2012: The Nationals clinch the franchise's first NL East title.

Oct. 3, 2012: Teddy wins his first Presidents Race in the season finale.

Oct. 7, 2012: The Nationals collect the first Postseason win by a D.C. baseball team since 1933 with 3-2 win at St. Louis (Game 1 of NLDS).

Oct. 11, 2012: Jayson Werth hits a dramatic walk-off blast in ninth inning, giving the Nationals a 2-1 win in Game 4 of the NLDS.

Oct. 12, 2012: Nationals surrender two-run lead in ninth and lose Game 5 of NLDS by a 9-7 score, ending first postseason run.

Nov. 12, 2012: Bryce Harper is named Rookie of the Year, becoming the NL's youngest position player to earn the award.

April 1, 2013: Bryce Harper homers in his first two at bats of the season in a 2-0 Opening Day victory over Miami.

May 29, 2013: Ryan Zimmerman hits a career-high three home runs, all off Baltimore starter Chris Tillman, in Washington's 9-6 defeat at the hands of the Orioles.

July 16, 2013: At 20 years, 273 days old, Bryce Harper starts in center field for the National League in the 84th MLB All-Star Game, becoming the youngest player to start for the NL.

Sept. 19, 2013: Denard Span's career-long hitting streak is snapped at 29 games. It is the longest hitting streak in MLB in 2013 and the second-longest in the nine-year history of the Nationals.

Sept. 29, 2013: Washington falls, 3-2, at Arizona in Davey Johnson's final game as manager of the Nationals. Johnson finishes with a record of 224-183 (.550) in two-and-a-half seasons with Washington. Johnson's final managerial record stands at 1372-1071 (.562).

Nov. 1, 2013: Matt Williams is named the fifth full-time manager of the Washington Nationals.

Dec. 2, 2013: Mike Rizzo fortifies the Nationals starting pitching rotation, acquiring Doug Fister from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Ian Krol, Steve Lombardozzi and Robbie Ray.

March 30, 2014: The Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy opens in Southeast Washington, D.C.

June 24, 2014: Ryan Zimmerman mercifully hits a two-run HR in the 16th inning to lift Washington past the Brewers, 4-3, at Miller Park in the longest game (by innings) in Nationals (2005-pres.) history at the time. Zimmerman's first career extra-inning HR is made possible by a seven-reliever collaboration that lasted 10.0 scoreless innings.Washington's defense turns three double plays and individually, shortstop Ian Desmond makes two dazzling 6-3 putouts in the 5.5 hole, while Denard Span made a game-saving catch at the wall in the 14th. Anthony Rendon's 12th HR, a solo shot in the eighth, ties the score at 2-2 and ultimately sends the game to extra innings.

July 21, 2014: Gio Gonzalez becomes the first pitcher to record his 1,000th career strikeout while pitching for the Nationals.

Aug. 12-21, 2014: The Nationals post a 10-game winning streak, tied for the longest in Nationals history (2005-present). The 10-game streak ties the longest in MLB in 2014 and featured five walk-off victories.

Aug. 24, 2014: Stephen Strasburg becomes the second Nationals pitcher to eclipse the 200-strikeout plateau when he strikes out Giants pitcher Ryan Vogelsong in the second inning.

Sept. 3, 2014: Adam LaRoche hits game-tying homer, laces a go-ahead single and legs out the game-winning RBI in a legendary performance (back tightness, bruised elbow, body flu) in Washington's 14-inning, 8-5 win Sept. 3 at the Los Angeles Dodgers. At 5 hours and 34 minutes, the 14-inning marathon was the longest game (by time) in the 10-year history of the Washington Nationals at that point.

Sept. 13, 2014: Ian Desmond steals his 20th base, becoming the fourth shortstop in MLB history to achieve 20-20 status for the third time (Alex Rodriguez - 3, Jimmy Rollins - 4, Hanley Ramirez - 4).

Sept. 16, 2014: Nationals clinch their second National League East title via a 3-0 win over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. By the end of the 2014 campaign, Washington builds a 17.0 game lead over the rest of the NL East, MLB's largest since the 100-win Angels won the AL West by 21.0 games over Texas in 2008 and the largest in the 81-year history (1901-pres.) of modern baseball in D.C.

Sept. 28, 2014: In Washington's season-ending 1-0 home win over the Marlins, Jordan Zimmermann walks one and strikes out 10 while tossing not only the first no-hitter in Nationals history, but the first tossed in the nation's capital since AL Nationals Bobby Burke turned the trick on Aug. 31, 1931 vs. Boston. Steven Souza Jr.'s miraculous diving catch on deep line drive to left field by Christian Yelich secures Zimmermann's no-hitter. In the same game, Denard Span sets a new Nationals single-season mark with his 184th hit, a third-inning double.

Oct. 4, 2014: In Game 2 of the National League Division Series, the Giants top the Nationals, 2-1, in 18 innings. At 6 hours, 23 minutes, the game marks the longest (by time) in MLB Postseason history and the 18 innings played are tied for the most (Atlanta at Houston, Game 4 2005 NLDS) in MLB Postseason history.

Oct. 7, 2014: The Nationals are eliminated from MLB's Postseason after falling to the Giants, 3-2, in Game 4 of the NLDS.

Jan. 21, 2015: The Nationals sign Max Scherzer to an historic seven-year contract.

April 6, 2015: The Nationals are awarded the 2018 MLB All-Star Game, as announced by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr.

May 6-9, 2015: Bryce Harper clubs six home runs in a span of three games, culminating in his third career walk-off home run on May 9 vs. Atlanta. On May 7 vs. Miami, Harper (22 years, 202 days) becomes the 10th-youngest player in MLB history to hit three home runs in a game. He is only the fifth player since 1920 (when RBI became a statistic) to hit at least six home runs and record at least 12 RBI over a span of three games.

May 19, 2015: Ryan Zimmerman, aka "Mr. Walk-Off," hits his 10th career walk-off blast.

June 20, 2015: Max Scherzer tosses his first career no-hitter and the second in Washington Nationals history. He was perfect through 8.2 innings before a 2-2 slider hits pinch hitter Jose Tabata on the left elbow. Scherzer finishes the day with 10 strikeouts as the Nationals top the Pirates, 6-0.

Sept. 2, 2015: With two home runs against St. Louis, Ryan Zimmerman becomes the first player in Nationals history (2005-present) to reach the 200 home run mark exclusively with the Nationals. He joins Vladimir Guerrero (234), Andre Dawson (225), Gary Carter (220) and Tim Wallach (204) as the only players in Montreal/Washington history to reach 200 home runs.

Sept. 4, 2015: Pinch hitter Michael A. Taylor hits the first pinch-hit, walk-off home run in Washington Nationals history, a threerun homer to center field as the Nationals top the Atlanta Braves, 5-2. It is the first walk-off home run and first pinch-hit home run of Taylor's career.

Oct. 3, 2015: In the second game of a doubleheader, Max Scherzer turns in one of the most dominant pitching performances in Major League history. Scherzer joins Johnny Vander Meer (1938), Allie Reynolds (1951), Virgil Trucks (1952), Nolan Ryan (1973) and Roy Halladay (2010), becoming just the sixth pitcher in MLB history to throw two no-hitters in the same season (including the Postseason). Just one baserunner, catcher Kevin Plawecki, reaches base, due to a fielding error by third baseman Yunel Escobar. Scherzer strikes out a Nationals record (2005-pres.) and new career-best 17 batters, including a franchise record (Nationals/Expos) nine consecutive batters from the sixth to the ninth inning.

Oct. 5, 2015: Manager Matt Williams is relieved of his duties and the coaching staff is informed that their contracts will not be renewed.

Nov. 3, 2015: Dusty Baker is named the sixth full-time manager of the Washington Nationals.

Nov. 19, 2015: Bryce Harper is named the unanimous National League Most Valuable Player by the Baseball Writers Association of America. He becomes the youngest player to unanimously win the award and the first player in Nationals history (2005-pres.) to win the award.

Jan. 6, 2016: The Nationals sign Daniel Murphy to a three-year contract.

April 4, 2016: Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy homer to propel Washington to a 10-inning, 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Opening Day. It is Harper's fourth career Opening Day home run and Murphy's first homer in a Nationals uniform. After the game, the Nationals players deliver the game ball to manager Dusty Baker as a memento of his first victory in a Washington uniform.

April 14, 2016: Bryce Harper clubs his 100th career home run, and first career grand slam, in the bottom of the third inning.

April 19, 2016: Jayson Werth becomes the fourth player in Nationals history (2005-pres.) to record his 200th home run in a Nationals uniform, joining Alfonso Soriano, Adam LaRoche and Ryan Zimmerman. Werth's solo shot with one out in the seventh clanks off the Marlins' home run sculpture in center field, lodges behind a light in the piece of art, breaks the scoreless tie and adds Werth's name to the 200-homer club.

April 24, 2016: In the longest regular season game (by time) in Nationals history (2005-pres.), OF Chris Heisey clubs his first career walk-off home run in the bottom of the 16th inning.

May 10, 2016: The Nationals and Stephen Strasburg agree to a seven-year contract extension that keeps the pitcher under contract through the 2023 season.

May 11, 2016: Max Scherzer becomes the fourth pitcher in MLB history to strike out 20 batters in a nine-inning game, fanning 20 Detroit Tigers. He joins Randy Johnson, Kerry Wood and Roger Clemens. Only Scherzer and Johnson have a 20-K game and no-hitter on their career ledger. The 20 K's were a Nationals record (2005-pres.), a franchise record (Nationals/Expos) and the most in D.C.-baseball history since Tom Cheney struck out 21 batters on Sept. 12, 1962 at Baltimore, but in a 16-inning performance.

June 12 and 15, 2016: Jayson Werth records two walk-off hits in the span of four games. On June 12, he laces a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Phillies. On June 15, his two-out single in the bottom of the 12th inning gives the Nationals the 5-4 win on getaway day. Werth's excitement carries over postgame, leading to a memorable interview on the field with MASN sideline reporter, Dan Kolko.

June 30-July 3, 2016: Danny Espinosa puts together one of the more dominant series in MLB history. Over the course of the Nationals four-game series with the Reds, Espinosa clubs five home runs to drive in 15, a franchise record (Nationals/Expos) for RBI in a single series. He records two multi-homer games in a four-game span, including a grand slam in each of those contests, and in both games hit one home run from the left side of the plate and one home run from the right side.

July 29, 2016: Ryan Zimmerman initiates the first triple play in Nationals history (2005-pres.). With the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford hit a line drive at Zimmerman. Zimmerman stepped on first to double off Buster Posey for the second out, and fired the ball across the diamond to Anthony Rendon to catch Denard Span for the third out. It was the first 3-3-5 triple play turned in Major League Baseball history.

Aug. 23-24, 2016: Trea Turner matches a franchise record (Nationals/Expos) with hits in eight straight plate appearances.

Sept. 9, 2016: Trea Turner produces his first career multi-home run game, with the second of the two coming in walk-off fashion to help the Nationals beat the Phillies, 5-4. Since 1958 (the first season with official rookie designations) Turner became the fourth with at least two homers, including a walk-off, in a game he hit from the leadoff spot.

Sept. 17, 2016: With a strikeout of Freddie Freeman in the bottom of the first inning, Gio Gonzalez records Washington's 1,343rd strikeout of the season, a new franchise and D.C.-baseball record, besting the previous high of 1,342 strikeouts in 2015. The Nationals go on to strike out 1,476 batters in 2016.

Sept. 23, 2016: Wilson Ramos' solo home run in the top of the sixth inning is Washington's 195th home run of the season, setting a new franchise record and a D.C. baseball record for team home runs in a season. The previous high was 194 in 2012. The Nationals go on to hit 203 home runs during the 2016 season.

Sept. 24, 2016: With a 6-1 win over the Pirates coupled with a loss by the Mets, the Nationals clinch their third National League East Division title in the last five seasons. Washington's game concludes slightly before the Mets' game, so the Nationals gather in the visiting clubhouse at PNC Park to watch the final outs of the Phillies' victory over New York before popping the champagne.

Oct. 13, 2016: The Nationals fall to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3, in Game 5 of the 2016 National League Division Series, ending their season.

Nov. 16, 2016: Max Scherzer is named the 2016 NL Cy Young Award winner, the first Cy Young award winner in Nationals history. He joins Hall of Famers Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martinez, and Randy Johnson, as well as Roger Clemens and Roy Halladay as the only pitchers to win Cy Young Awards in both the AL and NL.

Dec. 7, 2016: At the 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings held at nearby National Harbor, MD, the Nationals acquire Adam Eaton from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Minor Leaguer Dane Dunning.

April 25, 2017: Trea Turner joins Christian Guzman (8/28/08) and Brad Wilkerson (4/6/05) as the only players in Nationals history (2005-pres.) to hit for the cycle...Not only does he record the cycle, but Turner records seven RBI and becomes the eighth player in Major League history to drive in seven or more runs in a game while hitting for the cycle.

April 30, 2017: Anthony Rendon becomes the first player in MLB history to go 6-for-6 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI. His performance helps the Nationals score a franchise record 23 runs in a 23-5 win over the New York Mets.

July 17, 2017: Washington acquires Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson from Oakland in exchange for Blake Treinen and a pair of minor leaguers...From July 18 through the end of the season, the Nationals lead the National League with a 3.40 bullpen ERA.

July 27, 2017: In the bottom of the third inning against Milwaukee, Brian Goodwin, Wilmer Difo, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman club back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs -- tying a Major League record for consecutive home runs (joining seven other clubs) and marking the first time in franchise history a Nationals or Expos team has accomplished that feat. After a one-batter pause, Anthony Rendon also homers, making the Nationals just the sixth team in Major League history to hit five home runs in a single inning (per the Elias Sports Bureau). Washington's eight home runs tie a franchise record for homers in a single game (July 30, 1978 vs. Atlanta).

July 30, 2017: Ryan Zimmerman surpasses Frank Howard for the most home runs in D.C. baseball history with his 238th career longball.

Sept. 10, 2017: The Nationals clinch their fourth division championship, soaking themselves in champagne after a 3-2 victory over the Phillies was coupled with the Atlanta Braves' 10-8 extra-innings walk-off win over the Miami Marlins.

Sept. 17, 2017: Stephen Strasburg's historic scoreless innings streak ends at 35.0...It was the longest in franchise history and, per Elias, the longest for any player in MLB since 2015: (Zack Greinke, 45.2 IP; Clayton Kershaw, 37.0 IP).

Oct. 30, 2017: Dave Martinez is officially named the seventh manager in Washington Nationals history.

Nov. 15, 2017: Max Scherzer earns his second straight NL Cy Young Award, while becoming the 10th pitcher in MLB history to win the Cy Young Award three times.