August 6, 2026
August 6, 2026
2012 Washington Nationals: Nationwide Appeal
Originally the Montreal Expos, this Major League Baseball organization went through a transition period once it moved south to call the capital of the United States home beginning in the 2005 season. There would be ups and downs, and after spending three seasons at RFK Stadium, the Washington Nationals finally moved into their new ballpark in 2008, called Nationals Park.
It only took four more years for the engine to get going for the Nationals as a team, and one major reason for the sudden spark in production was a young 19-year-old center fielder named Bryce Harper. In 2012 the Washington Nationals went 98-64, winning the National League East division by 4 games over the Atlanta Braves. The Nationals went 10-8 against the Braves in head-to-head play, and they finished 50-31 at home and 48-33 on the road.
In 81 games played, right fielder Jayson Werth batted .300 with 90 hits, 21 doubles, 9 triples and 8 stolen bases. Shortstop Ian Desmond batted .292 with 25 home runs and 73 RBIs off 150 hits, 33 doubles and 21 stolen bases. Left fielder Mike Morse batted .291 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs off 118 hits and 17 doubles. Outfielder Roger Bernadina batted .291 with 66 hits, 11 doubles and 15 stolen bases in 129 games. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman batted .282 with 25 home runs and 95 RBIs off 163 hits and 36 doubles.
Utility player Steve Lombardozzi batted .273 with 105 hits and 16 doubles in 126 games. First baseman Adam LaRoche batted .271 with 33 home runs and 100 RBIs off 155 hits and 35 doubles. Second baseman Danny Espinosa had 17 home runs and 56 RBIs off 147 hits, 37 doubles and 20 stolen bases. Catcher Jesus Flores had 59 hits and 12 doubles in 83 games.
Bryce Harper was a unique sensation for the Nationals, so much so that he would win the National League Rookie of the Year award. Harper batted .270 with 22 home runs and 59 RBIs off 144 hits, 26 doubles, 9 triples and 18 stolen bases. Harper’s sudden rise to stardom in his rookie season helped give the 2012 Washington Nationals a certain nationwide appeal that many American baseball fans could relate to.
Starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez went 21-8 with 207 strikeouts and a 2.89 ERA, recording 2 complete games and 1 shutout. Ross Detwiler went 10-8 with 105 strikeouts and a 3.40 ERA. Stephen Strasburg was also a young sensation who got nationwide attention along with Bryce Harper, and he went 15-6 with 197 strikeouts and a 3.16 ERA. John Lannan went 4-1 as a starter.
Closer Tyler Clippard had 32 saves and a 3.72 ERA. Relief pitcher Craig Stammen went 6-1 with 1 save and a 2.34 ERA. Ryan Mattheus went 5-3 with a 2.85 ERA. Sean Burnett had 2 saves and a 2.38 ERA. Mike Gonzalez went 0-0 with a 3.03 ERA. Henry Rodriguez had 9 saves. Drew Storen went 3-1 with 4 saves and a 2.37 ERA. Brad Lidge had 2 saves.
Along with Harper’s rise to stardom, there was plenty else to celebrate for the Nationals, as Ian Desmond and Stephen Strasburg made the All-Star Game along with Harper. However, Desmond didn’t play in the All-Star Game due to an injury. At the age of 69, Davey Johnson won the National League Manager of the Year award. Adam LaRoche won both a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger, and Desmond and Strasburg also won Silver Slugger Awards.
In what was otherwise a historic season for the Nationals franchise, a franchise that had been to the postseason only once in its entire history, in 1981 as the Montreal Expos, the 2012 postseason run would be brief for Washington as they fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series, 3 games to 2.
In Game 1 on October 7 at Busch Stadium III, the Nationals beat the Cardinals 3-2. In the top of the 2nd inning, catcher Kurt Suzuki had an RBI single. In the bottom of the 2nd, St. Louis responded when catcher Yadier Molina scored on a wild pitch, and center fielder Jon Jay followed with a sacrifice fly. In the top of the 8th, pinch hitter and left fielder Tyler Moore propelled the Nationals to victory with a 2-run single.
In Game 4 on October 11 at Nationals Park, Nationals fans were treated to a thrilling finish that extended the NLDS by one more game. Game 4 was a pitching duel between Ross Detwiler and Kyle Lohse of the Cardinals. Detwiler pitched 6 innings and gave up 3 hits, 3 walks and 1 run while recording 2 strikeouts. Kyle Lohse pitched 7 innings and gave up 2 hits, 1 walk and 1 run while recording 5 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Washington struck first with a solo home run from Adam LaRoche, and St. Louis responded in the top of the 3rd with a sacrifice fly by right fielder Carlos Beltran. Much to the dismay of Cardinals reliever Lance Lynn, Jayson Werth hit a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 9th to win the game 3-2 for the Nationals, forcing a deciding Game 5.
It wouldn’t take long for the Washington Nationals to get another crack at postseason baseball, as they would promptly return to that stage in 2014.
7th February, 2017
17th June, 2026
5th March, 2016
29th March, 2016
17th April, 2016
August 6th, 2026 20
August 6th, 2026 20
August 6th, 2026 20
