Hope springs eternal Wednesday, Feb. 14.
Not because its Valentine’s Day, but because the Washington Nationals report to Spring Training as pitchers and catchers arrive on the first day at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, the sign of optimism for baseball fans across Virginia sports betting.
The Nationals (71-91, .438) will have the team’s first full-squad workout on Tuesday, Feb. 20. Their first spring training game is against the Houston Astros (they both share CACTI Park) at 6:05 p.m. ET, which will be the first game that Jen Pawol will serve as an umpire, becoming the first woman to be assigned to a MLB spring training game since 2007.
It's been a lean time in DC for Nationals fans since the team's World Series title in 2019. But we've found a unique data point to coincide with some Spring Training optimism ahead of Opening Day.
Utilizing BaseballReference.com, BetVirginia.com looked at the 2023 MLB season to see what day of the week the Nationals are at their best.
Here are the results.
Nationals’ Record By Day (2024)
Sunday "Funday" For Nationals in 2023
One day stood out for the Nationals in 2023: Sunday (16-12, .571). Not only was it the day they had the most wins during the season, but it was also the only day where they actually sported a .500 record or better. Wednesday (12-13, .480), Friday (12-13, .480) and Saturday (13-14, .481) all came close to the mark but just missed.
The remaining days were: Monday (6-9, .400), Tuesday (8-18, .308) and the worst day, Thursday (4-12, .250).
Washington opens their 2024 campaign at the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, on March 28 at 4:10 p.m. ET. Following a three-game set in Cincinnati, the Nationals return home to Great American Ball Park and will host the Pittsburgh Pirates at 4:05 p.m. ET on Monday, April 1.
As of 12:30 p.m. ET (Tuesday, Feb. 13), here are some future odds on the Nationals over at Caesars Sportsbook VA:
World Series winner: +10000 (tied with Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals)
National League winner: +6000 (14th favorite)
National League East winner: +10000 (last)
To make the playoffs: No (-20000), Yes (+1800).
Stick with BetVirginia.com for more Nationals coverage in the leadup to the MLB season, plus the best VA sports betting promos.
