The 2016 Washington Nationals season was the Nationals' 12th season as the baseball franchise of Major League Baseball in the District of Columbia, the ninth season at Nationals Park, and the 48th since the original team was started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They won the National League East title for the third time in five years, posting a 95–67 record, and were upset by the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games in the NLDS.

Offseason

Team news Less than 24 hours after the end of the 2015 season, manager Matt Williams and his entire coaching staff were dismissed. Some coaches were offered other positions in the organization, with bench coach Randy Knorr notably accepting a position as senior assistant to general manager Mike Rizzo for player development.

The Nationals embarked on a wide-ranging search to replace Williams, who was still owed salary for 2016 after being fired midway through a multi-year contract. Among the candidates they interviewed were former Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker, former San Diego Padres manager Bud Black, former Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Tim Wallach, Arizona Diamondbacks third base coach Andy Green, San Francisco Giants bench coach Ron Wotus, former Nationals player Alex Cora, and Triple-A Reno Aces manager Phil Nevin. From the group, Baker and Black emerged as finalists and received second interviews. On October 28, The Washington Post reported Black would likely be hired as manager. But according to reports that surfaced late on November 2 from, among others, the Post, CBS Sports, and USA Today, while Black was offered the job and accepted, a disagreement over contract terms led to negotiations between the Nationals and Black breaking down. The Nationals' initial offer to Black was reportedly one year guaranteed at $1.6 million, an offer Black considered a "lowball". Unable to come to terms with Black, the Nationals' front office turned to its other leading choice, the more experienced Baker. Early on November 3, the Nationals announced Baker had been hired to a two-year contract as manager.

Baker and management set to work immediately on hiring new coaches. Mike Maddux was announced as the Nationals' new pitching coach on November 4. Davey Lopes was hired back to his former position as first base coach – a position he held in 2006 – the following day. Rick Schu and Bob Henley were also rehired as hitting coach and third base coach respectively, positions they held under Williams as well. The Nationals also hired former major league outfielder Jacque Jones to be Schu's assistant hitting coach and named former Montreal Expos shortstop Chris Speier as bench coach. Mexican League manager and coach Dan Firova was brought on as bullpen coach.

The Nationals also faced several decisions about what to do with players set to reach free agency, as well as players who had 2016 options. On November 2, the team announced it would decline options for right-handed reliever Casey Janssen and outfielder Nate McLouth, after Janssen struggled with injury and poor performance during the 2015 season and McLouth spent the entire year on the 60-day disabled list. Janssen and McLouth joined utility infielder Emmanuel Burriss, shortstop Ian Desmond, starter-turned-reliever Doug Fister, outfielder Reed Johnson, center fielder Denard Span, left-handed reliever Matt Thornton, second baseman Dan Uggla, and starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann in a sizable free agent class. Qualifying offers worth $15.8 million apiece were extended to Desmond and Zimmermann, although both rejected them, as expected. Right-handed reliever David Carpenter also elected free agency after being outrighted from the Nationals' 40-man roster on November 18, 2015. On December 2, 2015, the Nationals announced they had not tendered a contract to right-handed reliever Craig Stammen, who was eligible for arbitration.

The Nationals bid for contracts with multiple top free agents during the off-season, including Yoenis Céspedes, Jason Heyward, Darren O'Day, Justin Upton, and Ben Zobrist, but lost out on them to other teams.

Transactions On November 16, 2015, the Nationals re-signed outfielder Reed Johnson and signed left-handed relief pitcher Sean Burnett to minor league deals with invitations to spring training. On November 17, 2015, the Nationals signed outfielder Logan Schafer to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. On November 21, 2015, the Nationals re-signed infielder Scott Sizemore and signed outfielder Chris Heisey to minor league deals with invitations to spring training. On December 10, 2015, the Nationals traded infielder Yunel Escobar and cash considerations to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for right-handed relief pitcher Trevor Gott and right-handed minor league starting pitcher Michael Brady. On December 11, 2015, the Nationals signed left-handed relief pitcher Óliver Pérez and right-handed relief pitcher Shawn Kelley. On December 14, 2015, the Nationals signed right-handed relief pitcher Yusmeiro Petit, as well as right-handed relief pitcher Nick Masset, who accepted a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. On December 18, 2015, the Nationals signed left-handed relief pitcher Aaron Laffey to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. On December 23, 2015, the Nationals signed catcher Jhonatan Solano to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. On January 6, 2016, the Nationals signed infielders Daniel Murphy and Stephen Drew. Minor league relievers Erik Davis and Taylor Hill were designated for assignment to clear space for Murphy and Drew on the 40-man roster and outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse, with invitations to spring training. On January 8, 2016, the Nationals traded right-handed relief pitcher Drew Storen to the Toronto Blue Jays for outfielder Ben Revere and a player to be named later. On January 26, 2016, the Nationals signed right-handed starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. On February 2, 2016, the Nationals signed infielder Brendan Ryan to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. On February 17, 2016, the Nationals signed right-handed relief pitcher Matt Belisle to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. On February 18, 2016, the Nationals signed right-handed relief pitcher Burke Badenhop to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. On March 19, 2016, the Nationals released outfielder Logan Schafer from a minor league deal. On March 25, 2016, the Nationals outrighted first baseman Tyler Moore to Triple-A Syracuse. He was traded two days later to the Atlanta Braves for another minor league first baseman, Nate Freiman. On March 29, 2016, the Nationals selected the contract of minor league right-handed relief pitcher Matt Belisle and added him to the 40-man roster. On March 30, 2016, the Nationals released and resigned right-handed pitchers Bronson Arroyo and Burke Badenhop to minor league deals. On April 1, 2016, the Nationals selected the contract of minor league outfielder Chris Heisey and added him to the 40-man roster and released right-handed pitcher Burke Badenhop from a minor league deal. On April 3, 2016, the Nationals released left-handed relief pitcher Sean Burnett and outfielder Reed Johnson from minor league deals.

Spring training On November 9, 2015, the Nationals and the Houston Astros held a groundbreaking ceremony for The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, a new spring training facility they would share in West Palm Beach, Florida. The new facility, which would provide each team with two major-league-size practice fields, four minor-league-size practice fields, an agility field, a half field, batting cages, and pitching mounds, would center around a new baseball stadium with 6,400 ticketed seats and 1,250 berm seats, and would place the Nationals far closer to other teams during spring training, facilitating travel for spring training games.Wagner, James, "Nationals, Astros break ground on new spring training facility", washingtonpost.com, November 9, 2015, 7:05 p.m. EST. The new facility would open on February 28, 2017, just in time for the following season's first spring training game, and would be renamed The Fitteam Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in February 2018.

Meanwhile, the Nationals held their 2016 spring training in Viera, Florida, with home games played at Space Coast Stadium. It was their last spring training in Viera before moving to the new facility.Dorsey, David, "Washington Nationals heading to West Palm Beach", news-press.com, February 12, 2015, 12:37 a.m. EST. The team's last game at Space Coast Stadium was a 7–2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on March 27, 2016. Its last scheduled game at Space Coast Stadium on March 28, 2016, was rained out, resulting in the cancellation of activities planned to commemorate the franchise's history there, which dated back to the 2003 season, when the franchise played as the Montreal Expos.

The Nationals finished spring training in Viera with the best record in baseball, winning 18 games, losing four, and tying in three. They outscored their opponents by 81 runs in total. After leaving Florida, the Nationals completed their spring training schedule with two exhibition games at Nationals Park at the beginning of April, a win and a tie against the Minnesota Twins. Including these two games, the Nationals completed their spring training schedule with a major-league-best record of 19–4–4.

Regular season

Opening Day The Washington Nationals opened the regular season on April 4 with an away game at Turner Field, facing the division rival Atlanta Braves. Max Scherzer was their Opening Day starter for the second year in a row.

The Nationals took an early lead when right fielder Bryce Harper hit a solo home run off Atlanta starting pitcher Julio Teherán in the top of the first inning, but the Braves quickly answered with a solo home run of their own off the bat of first baseman Freddie Freeman in the bottom of the first. In the fourth inning, Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy led off with another home run off Teheran, but once again, the Braves came back in the bottom of the same inning as third baseman Adonis Garcia homered off Scherzer with no one on base, tying the game at 2–2.

The deadlock held until the bottom of the eighth inning, when Washington relief pitcher Felipe Rivero loaded the bases with two out. He was relieved by Shawn Kelley, who walked in Jeff Francoeur from third base on four straight balls to Garcia, putting the Braves on top. But once again, the game was tied in the next frame as left fielder Jayson Werth scored on a one-out sacrifice fly by Michael A. Taylor, who took over in center field after Ben Revere left the game early, off Braves closer Jason Grilli. Nationals reliever Blake Treinen pitched around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to force extra innings.

First baseman Ryan Zimmerman reached and took second base on a throwing error by Braves second baseman Gordon Beckham in the top of the tenth inning, and then Murphy brought him around to score with a double that reached the left field corner, putting the Nationals on top 4–3. Jonathan Papelbon came on to close out the game, retiring all three batters in order to pick up the save and secure an Opening Day win for Washington.

Opening Day lineup +Opening Day StartersName Position Ben Revere Center fieldAnthony Rendon Third base Bryce Harper Right fieldRyan Zimmerman First baseDaniel Murphy Second baseJayson Werth Left fieldWilson Ramos CatcherDanny Espinosa ShortstopMax Scherzer Pitcher

Season standings

National League East

National League Wild Card

Record vs. opponents

April