James Wood, an outfielder for the Washington Nationals, was formally invited to participate in the Home Run Derby this past Thursday. He then commemorated the occasion by achieving a five-hit game during an 11-7 victory over the Detroit Tigers, an achievement that marked a fresh point in the team’s chronicles.
Wood, who achieved a 5-for-5 record including a home run, now holds the distinction of being the youngest player in the Nationals’ history to accomplish a five-hit game, reaching this milestone at 22 years and 289 days, as confirmed by CBS Sports HQ’s research expert, Doug Clawson. This is quite significant considering the Nationals have featured players like Bryce Harper and Juan Soto, both of whom debuted in the major leagues as teenagers, subsequent to their relocation from Montreal to Washington, D.C., prior to the commencement of the 2005 season.
Previously, this record was held by infielder Luis García Jr., who managed six hits in May of 2023. (García’s age was 23 years and 10 days when he achieved this feat against the Kansas City Royals.)
Below is a depiction of Wood’s home run:
Prior to Thursday’s game, Wood’s batting stats were .283/.387/.547 (164 OPS+), including 22 home runs, 65 runs batted in, and 12 stolen bases (out of 16 attempts). His performance has been valued at approximately 4 Wins Above Replacement, as calculated by Baseball Reference. As of now, Wood’s stats stand at .294/.395/.563.
Further investigation by Clawson also highlighted that Wood is merely the second player, aged 22 or younger, to have recorded 20 or more home runs, 10 or more stolen bases, and 50 or more walks prior to the All-Star Game. The other player to accomplish this? Mike Trout, who did so in 2014. This places Wood in a distinguished group.
Wood will have limited time to relish his accomplishment: the Nationals are scheduled to commemorate the July 4 holiday with a game commencing at 11 a.m. ET against the Boston Red Sox.
