Wood the spark that lights Nats' potent offensive fire
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What’s been the secret sauce behind the Nationals’ strong start so far in 2026?
It’s simple: Offense. Through Wednesday, the Nats boasted the Majors’ most prolific run-scoring attack, with 372 runs scored through 69 games, an average of 5.39.
At the center of that offensive onslaught is James Wood, who’s been a formidable presence -- both literally and figuratively -- in his second full Major League season (and third overall).
The 6-foot-6 slugging outfielder is making a strong case for his second All-Star selection, and perhaps even his first All-Star starting nod.
Take the Nats’ recent six-game road trip through Arizona and San Francisco. Had it not been for a late bullpen implosion on Wednesday, Washington would have headed back to D.C. 5-1 on this trip and three games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2019 season.
And had that played out as the club intended, Wood’s impact would have been a big reason why. He clubbed his 18th home run of the season to open the scoring in Wednesday’s finale, a lead the Nats built all the way to 9-1 before things unraveled.
And it was Wood’s hustle that broke a scoreless deadlock in Monday’s win over the Giants with an adventurous (and bloody!) trip around the bases that ended in him utilizing every inch of his formidable frame to score a key run.
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The Nationals have scored 53 first-inning runs, the most of any club this season. Wood has been in the leadoff spot each of those games, and entering Wednesday had hit .298 (17-for-57) in the first inning, with four homers, three doubles and 12 walks.
In other words, he’s the spark that lights the Nats’ offense, which has been quite an obstacle for opposing pitching staffs in 2026.
On Tuesday, Luis García Jr. staked Washington to an early 2-0 lead with a first-inning homer that scored -- who else? -- Wood, who’d reached on a line-drive single.
When asked about his homer and the Nats’ first-inning offense, the first baseman shared the kudos. “I want to give credit to James, because he always gets on base, and that's another RBI to my account,” García said through interpreter Mauricio Ortiz.
And though Wood may not literally “always be on base,” the point is the same. Among qualified hitters across the league, Wood is fourth in both on-base percentage (.407) and OPS (.941). His 62 runs scored are also the most in the league.
All this to say: The scrappy 2026 Nationals wouldn’t be where they are without Wood’s contributions.
And alongside CJ Abrams, who’s hitting .287/.378/.526 with 14 homers (just six shy of his career high from 2024) and a gaudy .369 average with runners in scoring position, they’ve forged a 1-2 punch that manager Blake Butera is enjoying on a daily basis.
“I think you can make a case for a lot of guys to be in the All-Star Game,” Butera said this week when asked about Wood and Abrams. “I know a lot of it's predicated on fan voting, but in terms of looking at stats or what guys have done, you can make a case for a handful of guys. But yeah, Woody and CJ, what they've done to this point, the fact they've been out there pretty much every night playing defense as well, running the bases, the total package, it's hard not to argue those two guys. I think we have other guys that are doing a really nice job, and whether it's All-Star caliber this year or not, I think the goal for them is do whatever they can to help us contribute to winning. And as a result of that, I think people will notice their talents more and more.”