Nationals Grounds Crew Member Has Close Call With the 'Tarp Monster' During Rain Delay

A Washington Nationals grounds crew member had a brush with disaster on Saturday when the so-called 'tarp monster' nearly claimed another victim at Nationals Park. It all went down during a rain delay in the first inning of a tightly contested, scoreless game between the Nationals and the New York Mets.

After a late start thanks to some classic springtime weather, the heavens opened up again, putting the game on pause almost as soon as it began. That's when the crew was called to action, rolling out the massive field tarp to protect the infield. But one crew member found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, losing his balance and toppling forward as the tarp rolled out. For a moment, it looked like the waterproof cover might just swallow him whole—his teammates kept rolling, and the tarp actually ended up on his back before he scrambled to safety. Not exactly what you expect when you sign up to babysit grass for a living.

The rain delay lasted less than an hour, and once play resumed, Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez wasted no time, smashing a two-run homer in the second inning to put New York ahead 2-0. The Mets kept that lead into the eighth, showing that a little rain (and tarp chaos) couldn't dampen their spirits.

This game wasn’t just about weather drama—it also marked Juan Soto's first series back at Nationals Park since leaving for the Mets. Soto, who started his MLB career with the Nationals and then did a stint with the Yankees (cranking a career-high 41 home runs in 2024), landed with the Mets in the offseason. He signed a jaw-dropping 15-year, $765 million deal—the biggest in North American sports history. Apparently, switching New York boroughs pays off big time if you're Soto.

Heading into Saturday, the Nationals were sitting in fourth place in the NL East, while the Mets held the top spot in the division. Clearly, the drama wasn’t limited to the scoreboard—or even the players. Sometimes, the grounds crew steals the show.