With Cy Young Award winners, All-Stars and Hall of Fame-caliber pitchers taking the mound for the Nationals, there is no shortage of noteworthy performances in team history (2005-present). Here is a look at five regular-season outings that stand out from the rest.
1. Max Scherzer, Oct. 3, 2015 vs. Mets
9 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 17 strikeouts, 109 pitches-80 strikes
There were plenty of options to choose from Scherzer, and he earned the top spot on this list by becoming the sixth pitcher in Major League history to throw two-no hitters in a single season. His electric 17-strikeout performance against the Mets at Citi Field came less than four months after he tossed a 10-strikeout no-hitter facing the Pirates (see below). He tied Nolan Ryan’s record for most strikeouts in a no-hitter, a mark that had not been reached since 1973. Scherzer nearly had a perfect game, with the exception of Kevin Plawecki reaching on a sixth-inning throwing error by Yunel Escobar. He even fanned nine batters in a row in one stretch of the game.
2. Max Scherzer, June 20, 2015 vs. Pirates
9 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 10 strikeouts, 106 pitches-82 strikes
Coming off a one-hit, 16-strikeout complete game against the Brewers, Scherzer carried that momentum into his first career no-hitter by shutting out the Pirates at Nats Park. He threw 8 2/3 perfect innings before hitting Jose Tabata on the left elbow with a slider in a lengthy at-bat. Scherzer shook it off, and got now-teammate Josh Harrison to fly out Michael A. Taylor in left field. He became just the fifth pitcher in the Modern Era to give up one hit or none in consecutive complete games.
3. Jordan Zimmermann, Sept. 28, 2014 vs. Marlins
9 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts, 104 pitches-79 strikes
Zimmermann capped off the Nationals' 2014 regular season with the first no-hitter in team history -- and a dramatic ending at Nats Park. Down to two outs in the top of the ninth, future-MVP Christian Yelich rocked a line drive to left field. A backwards-diving Steven Souza Jr. -- who was in the game as a defensive replacement -- saved the no-hitter with an over-the-shoulder grab. Zimmermann’s performance was the first no-hitter thrown in Washington since Bobby Burke on Aug. 8, 1931, at Griffith Stadium for the Senators against the Red Sox.
4. Max Scherzer, May 11, 2016 vs. Tigers
9 IP, 6 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 20 strikeouts, 119 pitches-96 strikes
Facing his former team, Scherzer set the Nationals franchise record in strikeouts in front of the home crowd. He joined Randy Johnson, Kerry Wood and Roger Clemens as only the fourth pitcher in Major League history to fan 20 in a nine-inning game. Scherzer was dominant with 27 called strikes and 31 swings and misses. Following the game, Scherzer said, "Strikeouts are sexy. And to be able to punch out 20 -- it's sexy." His 20-strikeout performance was a highlight of his second Cy Young Award-winning season (first with Washington).
5. (tie) Cade Cavalli, June 30, 2026, at Red Sox
7 IP, 1 hit, 1 run (unearned), 0 walks, 13 strikeouts, 100 pitches-73 strikes
A leadoff double was the only hit Cavalli allowed in a career-best outing at Fenway Park. Cavalli struck out 13 batters and retired the final 19 he faced while averaging 97.3 mph on his fastball. Cavalli became the first Nationals pitcher to throw seven-plus innings with 10-plus strikeouts while allowing one hit or fewer since Scherzer on April 14, 2018, against the Rockies.
“He’s a bulldog out there,” manager Blake Butera said. “He competes, and I thought he had some of the best stuff I had seen.”
5. (tie) Stephen Strasburg, May 27, 2017 vs. Padres
7 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 15 strikeouts, 108 pitches-76 strikes
If this were a list of postseason games, Strasburg’s historic 2019 showing would be all over it. In the case of regular-season outings, his career-high 15 strikeouts against San Diego gets the nod. Adding to his dominance in the Nationals’ home win, Strasburg also slid into home to plate a run. “He was just hitting every spot,” Padres second baseman Cory Spangenberg said at the time.
Honorable mention:
Tanner Roark, April 23, 2016 vs. Twins
7 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 3 walks, 15 strikeouts, 121 pitches-78 strikes
Using all four of his pitches, Roark dominated the Twins in an early-season win at Nationals Park. Roark, whose previous career best was 11 strikeouts, fanned 15 by "keeping them guessing, keeping them uncomfortable up at the plate, trying to get ahead with strike one." He fought through a high pitch count to complete seven frames.