The Washington Nationals continue to be “The Team that Reads,” today announcing the expansion of their summer reading initiatives. This season, the Nationals launch Summer Reading Sundays, which occur prior to select home games and feature Nationals first baseman Josh Bell and relief pitcher Sean Doolittle as Player Ambassadors.

“I’m fortunate to have had people in my life, like my mom, grandmother, aunt and sister, who helped showed me the joy of reading at an early age,” Bell said. “Reading is for everybody – whether you’re a student or a professional athlete – and I’m excited to help share with children in our community why it’s so important.”

Summer Reading Sundays feature a Player Ambassador plus reading and literacy-themed programming from partner organizations including Arlington Public Library, DC Public Library, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution and National Children’s Museum. Summer Reading Sundays will take place prior to four home games this season. For more information, visit nationals.com/SummerReading.

• May 29 vs. Colorado Rockies
• June 12 vs. Milwaukee Brewers
• July 17 vs. Atlanta Braves
• August 14 vs. San Diego Padres

“We all know that summers are great for coming out to the ballpark, but it’s also a great time to get lost in a good book,” Doolittle said. “I’m looking forward to helping students in our area stay at the top of their reading game while showing them how enjoyable and fun it can be.”

The Nationals have partnered with area libraries for the last eight years to help address the “summer slide” – the loss of learning that children and teens experience when they do not read during summer vacation – and to bring the joys of reading to as many homes as possible. The program began with a single library partner and has now expanded to every municipal library system in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, including the following:

• DC Public Library

• Arlington Public Library

• Prince George’s County Memorial Library System

• Montgomery County Public Libraries

• Fairfax County Public Library

• Loudoun County Public Library

• Alexandria Public Library

• Department of Defense, Morale, Welfare and Recreation

The Nationals are proud to support the efforts of their library partners through nationals.com/SummerReading, which hosts information on the summer reading programs offered by the team’s library partners, as well as reading content featuring Nationals players. Students who complete their local library’s Summer Reading Program are eligible to redeem a voucher for two tickets to a Nationals game.