The Washington Nationals posted a season-high six home runs in Tuesday's win over the Cincinnati Reds
With all the focus on the pitching concerns through the start of the Blake Butera era, the Washington Nationals have been on a tear offensively, including another encouraging showing in Tuesday's series opening win against the Cincinnati Reds.
Entering Wednesday, the Nationals are among the best offenses in baseball after ranking second in runs scored with 227, second in runs batted in with 213, third in doubles with 78, seventh in total hits with 352 and ranked ninth in both doubles and home runs.
The team's .244 batting average and .325 OBP also ranks tenth in baseball while the team's .411 slugging ranks sixth among all teams.
Through 42 games, the Nationals have scored at least five runs in 24 games and scored at least ten runs in six games this season. The team's 227 runs scored this season trails only the Atlanta Braves heading into Wednesday.
It helps that a handful of Nationals rank among the best in baseball in a handful of categories, including CJ Abrams. The star shortstop ranks second in baseball with 36 RBIs in 41 games, trailing Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson by exactly one. While James Wood is no longer leading the league in strikeouts and is also tied with three others for a league-leading 36 runs, his 12 home runs are still among the most in baseball as he enters Wednesday tied with Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers with 12 in 2026.
Nasim Nunez also leads the league with 17 stolen bases, marking an encouraging start for the Nationals' second baseman.
Of course, the offensive explosion this season comes off a convincing road win on Tuesday night after the Nationals notched a season-high six home runs, including a two home run game from both Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile.
With Lile's 3-for-5 night bumping his batting average to .264, the Nationals now have five players hitting at least .260 this season while James Wood, CJ Abrams and Joey Wiemer have all eclipsed an .900 OPS.
The question is whether it's sustainable - or whether the Nationals will be able to cut into the curve by cutting down on miscues.
Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAYWhile the 59 home runs given up are tied with the Colorado Rockies for the most in baseball, the Nationals also comfortably lead all of baseball with 41 errors in 42 games - 12 more than the Tampa Bay Rays, who rank second-to-last in the category.
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