WASHINGTON — "People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball," baseball's great Rogers Hornsby once said. "I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."
For Nats fans around the District, the impact of coronavirus means we are staring out our own windows, waiting longer for that first game here at Nats Park.
Just months ago, the stadium was packed with a sea of red and white, the overwhelming scent of beer, popcorn and human bodies about to experience the joy of a #FightFinished.
Where there was Baby Shark blasting, there is now an eerie quiet. And instead of Max Scherzer hurling a fastball against the New York Mets today, there is now an empty stadium in a city that has been slowed to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic.
This time last year, the team was facing off against Bryce Harper and the Phillies after kickstarting their home opener against the Mets on a sunny March 28th day.
While we may have lost that first game, it would be the kick start to a season that would inevitably lead to dugout dances and a first time World Series trophy.
Speaking of that World Series run (no, we won't stop talking about it), the Nationals released a re-broadcast schedule of all the games. If you're looking to get your heart racing now that gyms are closed, here's your chance to watch Soto smash that 8th-inning hit in last year's Wild Card game.
While you won't be able to pack Nats Park, you can still share your experiences from afar.
Major League Baseball encouraged those wishing to share their experiences from home with the hashtag #OpeningDayAtHome, leaving fans across the nation to show screenshots of themselves on the couch and in their homes.
It's unclear specifically when the Nationals can return for their official Opening Day this season.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said on March 16 that the baseball season would be delayed until at least mid-May, following the announcement MLB canceled the rest of spring training games. According to sources with ESPN, the league and its union are working to determine a new start date that "hope would begin by early June," as they work out kinks with scheduling and labor-related issues.
The 2020 MLB All-Star Game is scheduled for July 14 in Los Angeles.
So, worst-case scenario? Baseball doesn't come back for a little while longer, meaning the Nats are World Series Champions for even longer.
THEN & NOW: A look back at last year's home opener vs this year.
What about those working inside the stadium?
Beyond MLB teams and their players, stadium workers inside Nats Park are also feeling the loss of the home opener.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact sports teams and their players, it also significantly impacts the stadium workers who keep the park running smoothly during the season. In an effort to help, the Nationals established a $1-million relief fund for ballpark workers, part of an overall $30 million initiative by MLB to have teams pledge to help coronavirus.
"Many of our stadium team members have been part of the Washington Nationals since the beginning," a release from the team read. "We know the decision to postpone the season was the correct one, but it would be wrong for that decision to disproportionately impact those individuals who rely on income from working games to help support their families. We wanted to begin to help lessen the worry associated with the season's delay. As a country, as a region and as a fan base we are stronger when we support one another."
WATCH: How MLB teams are helping stadium workers during coronavirus
