James Wood is slumping again - is it time to worry?
James Wood is one of Washington's most important young pieces. With his ongoing difficulties at the plate, is it time to sound the alarm?
MLB Network It’s not an exaggeration to say that fans’ hopes for this iteration of the Nationals rest to large degree on the high-up shoulder of James Wood. With his recent and not-so-recent struggles, is it time to start fretting about those hopes? Wood broke out last season in a big way, especially in the first half.
Before the All-Star break, he had already clubbed 24 home runs and his batting average sat near. He was, to put it plainly, a star, earning All-Star nods and a place in the 2025 Home Run Derby. Wood slumped through the rest of the campaign, but he still finished the year with an .
825 OPS and 31 home runs, a pretty decent season for the potential-laden 22-year-old. The cracks, though, were starting to show, as Wood led the league with a relatively astounding 221 strikeouts. He didn’t offset the plate discipline issues with other parts of his game, either, as he posted a negative defensive WAR.
James Wood to open the 2026 season: • 36 ABs • 16 strikeouts • 4 hits • 1 HR Level of concern in the #Nationals left fielder is ____ pic. twitter. com/3GpBkFKxXz — Nationals on Roundtable (@NatsRoundtable) April 5, 2026 Despite optimism that 2026 could function as a turn-around year for Wood, the results have been anything but encouraging.