ATLANTA — James Wood is heading into the final series of the season with momentum. The slugging outfielder reached the 30 home run milestone in his first full Major League season.
“It definitely feels a lot better going into the offseason knowing that you’ve kind of got out of the other end of it, instead of feeling like you’re searching,” Wood said. “It’s good to have something that you can stick with going into the offseason, for sure.”
In the sixth inning, Wood blasted a sinker from right-hander Bryce Elder a Statcast-projected 445 feet to center field at 111.6 mph. It was his fifth homer of the season that traveled 445 feet or more.
Two frames later, Wood jumped on another slider, this one from righty Tyler Kinley. The Nationals’ insurance run traveled a Statcast-projected 436 feet into center field at 109.2 mph.
The previous night, the lefty-hitting Wood went yard to right-center field against southpaw Dylan Lee. After working a full count, he walloped a slider 416 feet at 102.7 mph.
“Every time that he stays to the middle, left-center, he’s going to have a chance to hit 40, 50 homers,” said interim manager Miguel Cairo. “That’s his strength.”
Wood, who turned 23 on Sept. 17, is the third player in Nationals team history (2005-present) to collect 30 home runs in his age-22 season or younger. He joined Bryce Harper (42, age-22) and Juan Soto (34, age-20).
Among all of baseball, Wood is one of three Major League players to do so this season. Junior Caminero of the Rays has hit 44 home runs (age-21) and Nick Kurtz of the Athletics has hit 33 (age-22) entering play Wednesday.
“It’s definitely cool,” Wood said. “It’s something I was reaching towards and kind of scared myself a little bit, but it feels good to get it.”
Wood belted 24 of his home runs in the first half of the season, for which he earned his first All-Star selection and an invitation to the Home Run Derby at Truist Park. Since the break, Wood has been looking for that slugging consistency. He has hit his second-half home runs on Aug. 9, Aug. 21, Sept. 2, and then the three combined on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I definitely did [get frustrated],” Wood said. “That’s part of baseball. You’ve just got to be able to fight through that.”
Wood has already appeared in 154 games with three remaining on the schedule. He leads the Nationals in hits, doubles, home runs and RBIs, among other statistical categories.
“It’s a good number for his first year in the big leagues,” Cairo said. “I know there’s more in the tank in there. Hopefully, he can stay in the middle of the field, because that’s where he’s dangerous.”
