The Washington Nationals might finally be figuring some things out after a solid ending to what was a pretty dismal month of August. Perhaps most impressively, after being swept by the Miami Marlins on the road not even 2 weeks ago, the Nationals got some much needed revenge against their division rival by taking 3 out of 4 games from Friday through Monday, with the only loss coming on Sunday.
Part of the reason for the team's success despite the continued absence of All-Star outfielder James Wood has been the presence of one of their other young outfielders, one who has been changing the narrative on his season very quickly. Over the last week, he has been one of the best players in baseball, and is now being rewarded for his efforts.
Daylen Lile becomes 4th National to win NL Player of the Week in 2026
In case you have not been tuning in as often to Nationals games over the past couple weeks, the player I am talking about is Daylen Lile, who became the 4th Nationals player this season to win National League Player of the Week honors. Previously, James Wood had won it twice, Luis Garcia Jr. once, and CJ Abrams once, although Abrams also won National League Player of the Month in July.
But back to Lile, he had an absurd week for the Nationals as he went 11/24 at the plate with 6 extra base hits including 3 homers, 2 doubles, and a triple to go along with 10 RBIs across 7 games. After being announced with the honor before yesterday's game, Lile celebrated his accomplishment by finishing yesterday's game 3/3 with 2 more homers and a walk, giving him 20 homers on the season.
For reference about how on fire he has been, Lile has raised his season-long OPS from .691 to .752 in a span of 11 days, and has seen all of his numbers across the board increase by a lot. Now, a 20-20 season is well within reach if he can heat up for a while on the basepaths to end the year, and him showcasing a better approach with more walks will be key for his long-term development.
If he can finish off this season on a high note, Lile will fully cement himself as a long-term piece of this team's future, especially given the dramatic strides he has made on the defensive side of things.
What do you think of Daylen Lile becoming the 4th Nationals player this year to win NL Player of the Week honors? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.
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