On Thursday, the Washington Nationals had a pretty tough showing overall against the Tampa Bay Rays, as they were blown out with a 14-4 loss. However, if there was any saving grace for Nationals fans everywhere to take away, it has to be what took place within the first 3 batters of the game.
Leading off the game, 2024 All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams got the team started with a single. After being lifted from the Washington Nationals' spring training game on Wednesday against the Houston Astros with an apparent quad injury, CJ Abrams put all worries of a major issue behind him on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays with a big performance that began with this leadoff single.
While Abrams got off to a scorching start to begin last season, resulting in his 1st career All-Star selection, he would eventually be demoted in September after his casino fiasco, which was seemingly the straw that broke the camel's back. Although the 2024 season was one of many ups and many downs as well, Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams appears poised for a huge 2025 season.
Nationals #1 prospect and NL Rookie of the Year contender Dylan Crews came up next, and he would follow the lead of Abrams with a base hit of his own. The 2023 #2 overall pick has looked fantastic in spring training so far, and he has just looked so much more comfortable at the plate this spring than he did after being called up to the big leagues to end last season.
With Abrams and Crews on base, the lineup turned to James Wood, who provided maybe the coolest moment of spring training so far for the Nationals as he hit an opposite field 3-run home run off of Rays starter Shane Baz to give the team a 3-0 lead after just 3 batters. This moment was not only a perfect start to the game, but perhaps a glimpse into the future for these 3 players in DC.
James Wood Hammers An Opposite Field HR! pic.twitter.com/P5ydmDY5vk
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) March 13, 2025
The reality for the Washington Nationals organization is that, if this core of young players led by these 3 plus guys like Luis Garcia Jr., Keibert Ruiz, and many of the young pitchers want ownership to spend major money to improve the club, occurrences like this are going to have to become more consistent.
Now, I am not saying that every game has to lead off exactly like this one, but it would sure be amazing for us fans if it did. For now, we just have to hope that all 3 of these guys and the rest of the young stars can be as great as we all think they can be.
What do you think of this awesome moment for the Nationals? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.