The Washington Nationals have officially wrapped up the 2026 season. After a year that was both entertaining and embarrassing at different points, the players can take some well deserved time off and begin preparing themselves for the upcoming offseason. As is the same with any team, some guys will be back, and some will not, you just have to figure out how the cookie crumbles.
Guys like CJ Abrams, James Wood, Daylen Lile, Connelly Early, and the recently extended Cade Cavalli would probably all be considered building blocks, but there are several solid counterparts around them that also play massive roles in team success. Heading into 2027, there is one guy who might have just cemented his long-term standing with the club moving forward.
Chaparro homers twice as Nationals take down Mets in Game 162
Andres Chaparro, a man that did not have a ton of experience or expectations heading into this season, ended up possibly cementing his place on the Nationals for 2027 and beyond with his insanely strong finish to the year. Along with his strong finish, he helped propel the Nationals to a final victory in Game 162, giving the team 77 wins on the year.
That victory of course came over former National Juan Soto and his New York Mets, while the Nationals helped to further cement the Mets finishing in last place. As we've written about in a couple of articles, the 77 wins from the Nationals are far and away their best since the 2019 World Series team, and Chaparro's run in the second half was a major catalyst. Chaparro homered twice in the Nationals' 6-4 victory over the Mets, and his final numbers ended up being very promising.
For further reference, his numbers after the All-Star break across the 52 games included a .306/.387/.625 slash line, good enough for a 1.012 OPS, while also tallying 12 homers, 32 RBIs, and 10 doubles as well. 22 of his 44 hits after the break went for extra bases, and he went from more of a lefty platoon bat bat to a guy that ended up doing a ton of damage against righties, posting a .905 OPS against them vs an .888 mark against lefties for the year.
As the 2026 season officially goes in the books, Chaparro has provided a big reason for optimism not only for himself, but for the lineup as a whole heading into next year. His name will probably be written in sharpie into the Opening Day lineup unless the team goes out and lands a major fish in free agency. In a year of surprisingly surpassing expectations for the Nationals, Chaparro might have ended up being one of the biggest surprises of all.
What was your favorite part of the Nationals' final series victory of the 2026 season? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.
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