The five best/weirdest things to come out of the Nationals’ 2016 run

The Nationals played 162 games in 2016 — not counting Spring Training or a short-lived playoff run. And the Nationals are not without characters, that’s for sure. So as the world embraces Cubs fever, let’s take a quick break and take a look back at the weirdness (and awesomeness) that was the Nationals’ 2016 season.

Honorable Mention: Danny Espinosa Fu Manchu Bobblehead

Why this existed, we’ll never know. Nonetheless.

5. Anthony Rendon’s hair

We always knew that Anthony Rendon had quite a head of hair (which, sometimes becomes a mullet), but this went above and beyond our expectations. Seriously, how had he been keeping it all under his hat for that long?

4. So. Many. T-SHIRTS.

The Nationals made a lot of custom t-shirts this year. As in t-shirts about their third-base coach, Bob Henley (see above, which, in retrospect, may now touch some nerves). They made shirts for their bullpen coach, Dan Firova. They made shirts about being relievers. Jose Lobaton made shirts that read “recta carne” (translating to “fastball meat”). Anthony Rendon made his own “I Love Taylor Swift” shirt.

A lot of shirts.

3. The relievers played a lot of soccer in right field and it was *amazing*

Yes, this is a real thing.

2. Max Scherzer stands at the corner of K & 20th after striking out 20

A day after throwing 20 strikeouts against the Detroit Tigers, Scherzer celebrated appropriately.

1. Bryce Harper wears a “Make Baseball Fun Again” hat on Opening Day

The hat that sparked a movement — nay, a revolution. The hat that created the rallying cry for generations to come. And, the hat worn by Bryce Harper.

Harper, who had explained earlier that year in an ESPN The Magazine story about his hopes to change baseball (for the funner), brought his ideas to the top of his head with an iconic hat.

Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments below.