James

Wood

Last year, Wood hit his 24th homer in his 92nd game of the season and then need 22 games to finally connect on his 25th. This year, Wood also hit his 24th homer in his 92nd game and then needed about 24 hours to connect on No. 25. It seems like a good omen as he looks to finish with more than 31 this time around.

Wood’s 446-foot grand slam off Astros reliever AJ Blubaugh traveled a staggering 446 feet to straightaway center field and gave Washington a commanding six-run lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. It was his 24th big fly of the year. He also walked three times and picked up his 14th stolen base of the season in this one. The 23-year-old rising star was named to his second consecutive All-Star Game over the weekend and continues to deliver first-round caliber fantasy value this season, hitting .268/.398/.541 with 81 runs scored, 24 homers, 60 RBI and 14 steals through 92 games.

Wood clobbered his seventh leadoff blast of the season into the upper deck at Nationals Park, providing some fireworks during Washington’s annual Fourth of July matinee. The gargantuan 428-foot moonshot off Pirates starter Braxton Ashcraft carried a stratospheric 113.1 mph exit velocity. It was his 23rd round-tripper of the season. He also walked twice in the contest as the Nationals were shut out over the final eight innings by Ashcraft and a quartet of Pirates relievers.

Wood was in a mini slump entering Wednesday’s action, batting .167/.233/.296 with a 40% strikeout rate dating back to June 17. The offensive explosion by the entire lineup helped get him back on track, and he now has 22 homers this season to go along with 13 steals and a league-leading 75 runs. No other hitter has more than 60. If Wood can steady the ship from here on out, he’ll be in consideration as one of the first players selected in 2027 fantasy drafts.

Wood came through with a game-tying RBI single in the fifth inning before giving Washington a commanding one-touchdown lead in the eighth inning with an RBI double to center field that put the metaphorical cherry on top of a three-hit performance.

Wood obliterated a majestic 441-foot moonshot into the right-field seats at iconic Fenway Park. The gargantuan blast against Red Sox southpaw Ranger Suarez carried a stratospheric 113.6 mph exit velocity, per Statcast. It was his 21st round-tripper of the season and also snapped a 13-game homerless drought dating back to June 14. The 23-year-old franchise cornerstone is a near-lock to make his second consecutive All-Star Game appearance, hitting .258/.383/.509 with 21 homers, 50 RBI and 13 steals through 86 games.

Wood pulled a double down the right field line to kick off the fourth inning on Friday against the Orioles. The star right fielder moved over to third on a single by Curtis Mead, but was thrown out at home when Andrés Chaparro grounded into a fielder’s choice to third base, and Blaze Alexander threw a strike to Samuel Basallo to get the runner. Wood’s hit was one of just five hits the Nationals could manage on the night as Trevor Rogers held the lineup in check all night.

It’s the continuation of a full-on breakout for the 23-year-old superstar. Wood flashed this upside in the first half of 2025 before fading down the stretch, but this year the entire Washington lineup has come along for the ride. It entered Sunday tied with the Dodgers and Brewers for the most runs per game. Wood ranks top-four in MLB in fWAR, OBP, and home runs while easily leading the league in runs scored. He has started and hit leadoff in every game for the Nationals in 2026.

Wood singled to lead off the game, then scored on a two-run homer by Luis García Jr. He then singled to drive in a run in the fifth before swiping second for his 12th steal of the season. He collected his third hit in the seventh and scored again on a bases-loaded walk. The 23-year-old outfielder is having an excellent season across the board, hitting .271/.407/.527 with 17 homers, 60 runs scored, and 41 RBI across 317 plate appearances.

Wood drew a walk and scored in the first inning, then led off the third with a solo homer off Merrill Kelly. He later singled and scored a third run in the sixth. The 23-year-old outfielder leads baseball with 56 runs scored. He’s hitting .267/.405/.539 with 17 homers, 40 RBI, and 10 steals across 299 plate appearances.