While the weekend was full of good fun for the Washington Nationals as they finished off a rare sweep of the Los Angeles Angels, it is back to business on Tuesday night. Additionally, the Nationals announced Monday afternoon that Nasim Nuñez is the team's 2026 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.
The Roberto Clemente Award is given out annually to one active player in Major League Baseball. Each year, all 30 MLB teams nominate one member of their team's roster for the award, which is given to the player who "best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."
As the name would imply, it honors the life and legacy of Roberto Clemente, who was known for his philanthropic and charitable works until his sudden passing on the 31st of December, 1972.
congrats, nas!! earned every bit <3
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 14, 2026
vote → https://t.co/cij3XTWX5L pic.twitter.com/8yaNLdhbVf
Nasim joined the Nationals as a member of the Major League roster through the Rule 5 Draft prior to the 2024 season, and his bio on MLB.com describes how he's been active in the Nats' community efforts his entire tenure with the club. He frequents the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in D.C., and involved himself in the Academy's 2026 graduation ceremony for rising high school freshman attending it. Nuñez also took part in the proceedings of the team's Negro League Night, and this year also began working with the District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletics Association
No Nationals (or Expos, for that matter) player has ever received the Roberto Clemente Award. Nominees by Washington in recent years include:
- 2025: Trevor Williams, for his work with Project 34 and individuals with spinal cord injuries
- 2023 and 2024: Josiah Gray
- 2022: Josh Bell
- 2021: Max Scherzer
- 2020: Sean Doolittle
It's been a tough season at the plate for Nuñez, who's fallen under criticism from some fans for his weak offensive production; his 52 wRC+ would be the third-lowest mark in any single season for a hitter with at least 450 plate appearances since 2021. He's been a sparkplug in other facets of his game, though.
His 97th percentile sprint speed enables him to be the 12th-most valuable baserunner in MLB this season, underscored by his major league-best 46 stolen bases. He's also been excellent defensively, logging a fielding run value of +11 and a defensive runs saved mark of +14 at the keystone, both of which are fourth-highest in the major leagues.
Fan voting for the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award is now open, and you can vote for Nasim Nuñez to receive it at the World Series here. Nuñez's work in the clubhouse and the community is invaluable, so please consider voting.
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