Around the Farm: Recap of the Nationals’ Organization’s Opening Weekend

Baseball is back, and the Washington Nationals’ organization saw success at all levels during their opening weekend.

Washington Nationals

The Nationals celebrated a record-breaking opening day at Wrigley Field on Thursday, March 26. The Nationals scored the most runs on Opening Day in team history with a 10-4 victory over the Cubs, as newly appointed manager Blake Butera earned his first major league win. The Nationals went on to take their first season-opening series win since 2018 with a 6-3 decision on Sunday, March 29.

The Nats continued on a roll with a commanding 13-2 victory over the Phillies the following evening. Former Blue Rock Foster Griffin propelled the Nationals to victory with a five-inning start that allowed only two runs. Griffin was a member of the 2017 Wilmington Blue Rocks and has been competing in Japan for the past three seasons. Monday night marked Griffin’s first MLB outing since 2022.

After an electric start to the season, the Nationals struggled to take the series win over the Phillies and the Dodgers, but got back into the win column on Monday with a 9-6 victory over the Cardinals. They look to close out the series later this week.

Rochester Red Wings

The Red Wings, Triple-A affiliate of the Nationals, also experienced some ups and downs in their opening weekend. The Red Wings began their season with a six-game series against East Division rival the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders. Although the Rail Riders struck first in game one, the Red Wings rallied to take a 5-4 win in their home opener. Former Blue Rock Trey Lipscomb set the rally in motion with a lead-off homer in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score. Former Blue Rock Andrew Alvarez threaded the way to a 3-1 victory the following night with five scoreless innings on the bump. Unfortunately, the Red Wings could not capture the series win as the Rail Riders took the next four games, however, Rochester will look to get back into the win column during their six-game series with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.

Harrisburg Senators

The Senators, Double-A affiliate of the Nationals, had an explosive opening weekend with a complete sweep over the Altoona Curve. The Senators opened their 2026 season with a decisive 7-2 victory over the Curve. Brandon Boisserre, a three-time Blue Rock, registered the first run of the Senator’s season with a homer in the second inning, followed by an explosive bases-clearing triple in the sixth. The Senators continued to bring the heat the following nights, battling back in extra innings to take game two in a 6-5 decision, and taking a commanding 6-3 win on Saturday. The Senators look to keep the good times rolling as they face the Akron Ducks in a six-game series.

Fredericksburg Nationals

The Fredericksburg Nationals, Low-A affiliate of the Nationals, also saw a clean sweep during their season-opener series. Fredericksburg took on the Augusta Green Jackets in a three-game series at home. The Green Jackets took an early lead during Friday’s contest; however, the Nats fired back with a five-spot in the bottom of the seventh to take the win. Luke Dickerson, a second-round pick of the 2024 draft, kick-started the late-inning rally with a two-RBI double down the left-field line. Fredericksburg continued to fight tooth-and-nail throughout the series, forcing game two into extras for a 6-5 win, and putting up a commanding seven-spot to put them over the edge in game three. The Nats look to maintain their win streak with a six-game road series against the Hill City Howlers.