Trio of Washington Nationals Ready for 2026 MLB All Star Game

The Washington Nationals are set to have three players suit up in the 2026 MLB All Star game tonight.

Shortstop CJ Abrams and outfielder James Wood will be joined by pitcher Foster Griffin, who was a deserving yet alternate selection as a rookie, giving the Nationals healthy representation in the Mid Summer Classic.

Griffin enters the All Star game ranked third in the National League while comfortably leading the Nationals with tens wins, while also ranking inside the top ten across baseball in innings pitched, opponents batting average, walks per nine innings, ERA and strikeouts. Since June 5 in seven starts, Griffin owns a dazzling 1.25 ERA and is a perfect 4-0.

The right hander has comfortably taken the title from Cade Cavalli as the ace in the rotation, prompting questions surrounding whether the Nationals should opt to hang onto Griffin through the trade deadline with pitchers at a premium and the rookie on a team-friendly deal. On the field, it's been clear to see why after making his return to the MLB. His three year stint in Japan came after Griffin appeared in just seven games from 2020 to 2022, making his first carer All Star appearance even more impressive.

Abrams enters the All Star break after closing the first half of the season on a seven-game hit streak and at least one hit in ten of his last 11 games. His 67 RBIs is already a career high and tied for fifth in MLB while he's one of three Nationals alongside Wood and Luis Garcia to record at least 20 home runs in 2026. Abrams owns a .275/.352/.510 slash line along with a 2.9 WAR. Abrams is set to become the first Nationals starter since Bryce Harper in 2018 as he hits fourth in the lineup.

Wood, meanwhile, became the Nationals' first back-to-back All Star selection since Juan Soto in 2021-22 in a deserving nod, yet the surprise is he makes the appearance as a reserve selection. Wood sits tied for fourth in MLB with 28 home runs while his 64 RBIs sits narrowly outside the top ten. His .984 OPS is tied for first, while his .279 batting average ranks inside the top 40 batters across MLB. Wood also enters the All Star break with seven home runs in July alone, including one in each loss in the sweep against the New York Yankees to close the first half of the season. Maybe more impressive is Wood's 15 hits to just five strikeouts, along with multi-hit games in half of his last ten games.

The 96th All Star Game will be televised nationally on FOX with the game set for 8 PM.

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