Washington Nationals release 2016 schedule

Go ahead, get your jokes out the way: "Good, since this season is over!" "Can we just fast forward to Opening Day now and try again?" "One season closer to Bryce Harper becoming a Yankee!" "Now we know when the Trea Turner era begins!" "That's when the Mets' defense of their inevitable World Series championship starts?"

You're super-funny. What is this all about? I'll tell you.

The Washington Nationals released their schedule for the 2016 campaign today. The lineup that takes the field and the rotation that takes the mound every fifth day might look dramatically different, but they'll be wearing the same uniforms, whoever they are and they'll play 162 games again, most likely.

It all starts on Monday April 4, 2016 in Atlanta.

The first home game is Thursday April 7th against Miami. Without further ado, here's the schedule:

Some highlights via the Nationals' press release on the schedule:

-- "Nationals Park will play host to 11 homestands, four of which will span 10 days, and include 13 weekend series. The home schedule will be highlighted by visits from the American League Central in Interleague play. The Nationals will welcome the Minnesota Twins (April 22-24), Detroit Tigers (May 9-11), and the Cleveland Indians (Aug. 9-10), and will visit the Chicago White Sox (June 7-9), the Kansas City Royals (May 2-4), and Cleveland (July 26-27).

-- "The Nationals will celebrate with holiday crowds twice in 2016, first with the annual Fourth of July contest, as the Milwaukee Brewers visit the nation’s capital for the nation’s birthday, and concluding with a visit from the Philadelphia Phillies on Labor Day (Sept. 5).

-- "The annual Beltway Series with the Baltimore Orioles will take place in August during a four-game home- and-home.

-- "Nineteen of the Nationals’ first 22 games will come against divisional foes. Washington will finish the 2016 season playing 25 of their final 32 games within the National League East as well."