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WATCH: Nats celebrate World Series with parade ahead of Spring Training opener in Florida

Dan Friedell | dfriedell@wtop.com

February 21, 2020, 7:45 AM

The Washington Nationals showed off their trophy from winning the 2019 World Series in front of their local fans in South Florida during a parade on Thursday, February 20. Spring Training kicked off recently, and the first preseason game is Saturday, February 22, against the Houston Astros, the team they defeated in the World Series.

Before the parade started, Michael A. Taylor and Sean Doolittle mingled with fans, some of whom were wearing hats supporting the local Miami Marlins. However, the West Palm Beach fans showed their support, as players like Kurt Suzuki, Trea Turner and Howie Kendrick rode in cars and buses through the main streets of Clemantis.

At the end of the parade, the team’s owner Mark Lerner addressed the crowd. “What an amazing season we had, and we cannot have done it without the support of all of you, our great fans,” he said.

The team’s General Manager, Mike Rizzo, said the team is putting 2019 in the past, but all the players will take one key lesson from last season into the 2020 campaign.

“It shows what you can do when you believe in we instead of me, when the name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back of the jersey,” Rizzo said.

Manager Davey Martinez thanked all the fans for sticking with the team despite the rocky first third of the season.

Spring Training runs through March 22, before the team heads north to open the season in Queens against the New York Mets on March 26. The Nats home opener is April 2.

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Dan Friedell

Dan Friedell is a digital writer for WTOP. He came to the D.C. area in 2007 to work as digital editor for USATODAY.com, and since then has worked for a number of local and national news organizations.

dfriedell@wtop.com

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