Metrics tell us the ball had an exit velocity of 103.3 mph, was sent out at a launch angle of 31 degrees, and traveled a distance of 383 feet. The three-run blast gave the Nationals a seven-run lead in a game they would go on to win, 14-6. But the smile on the rookie’s face said much more.
“I just held it in for a little bit,” Wood said in the clubhouse afterward. “But when I got home and saw everybody there saying hello, that was pretty cool.”
Other than a quick jab toward the sky, there was little in his celebration to suggest this was Wood’s first home run. He took 28 seconds to circle the bases and broke into a grin as he approached the plate.
There he was met by teammate Ildemaro Vargas, listed at 6-foot-1, who struggled mightily to get Washington’s “Uncle Slam” cap onto the 6-foot-7 Wood’s head. Once the homer prop was in place, Wood’s grin grew a little wider.
“Very special,” Keibert Ruiz said of the moment. “I’m so happy for him. He’s a great guy. He’s super talented. I think he’s going to keep this team winning for a long time.”
There was something fitting about Wood’s first home run on this balmy afternoon. The game marked the youngest lineup Nationals manager Dave Martinez had fielded all season, with an average age of just 25.6, according to the website TruMedia. Batting third, Wood went 2 for 5 with five RBI on a day when many of the players Washington considers foundational pieces flourished.
“To see how they bounce back [from Friday’s extra-innings loss] and to do what they did, it says a lot about the character of these guys and our young players,” Martinez said. “They’re hungry.”
It started quickly. After MacKenzie Gore got through the first inning, C.J. Abrams led off the bottom of the inning with a home run to center field, his 14th of the season. Four batters later, Ruiz drove in three runs with his fifth long ball.
Gore worked a scoreless second before the Nationals struck again, turning the sultry afternoon into a laugher’s play. With two on and two out, Wood scored. Lynn stayed in the field, worked hard, and walked Jesse Winker, then allowed singles to Ruiz and Luis García Jr. who, with the help of a pitching error, put Washington up 9-0.
Gore, one of those starters, allowed five runs and didn’t get past the fourth inning, but the 25-year-old left-handed pitcher is well aware the team is in transition.
“There’s something to be excited about,” Gore said of the young core. “And look, this is all about winning. So I didn’t get off to a great start today, but we still found a way to win, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s what young teams have to do, learn how to win.”
When Martinez talks about his team’s youth, he’s not just referring to Wood. Trey Lipscomb, 24 and a fellow Maryland native, arrived for Saturday’s game recalled from Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.), while the organization designated 29-year-old Nick Senzel for assignment. Lipscomb went 1 for 5. García, 24, had three hits and Juan Yepez, 26 and recalled this week, added two of his own.
“It’s cool to see what we’re capable of and how much we can still grow,” Wood said.
It was the third time this week that the Nationals have traded a temporary option in favor of a younger player. On Monday, they designated Eddie Rosario (32) for assignment to make room for Wood. On Friday, they selected Yepez from Class AAA and signed Joey Meneses (32).
Like Rosario, Senzel had a handful of productive weeks, but his production wasn’t enough to make him a viable trade chip. His departure came with a .209 batting average and a .663 OPS. Lipscomb, who also had an inconsistent season at the plate, offers defensive upside, having gone 15 for 38 with five doubles and three homers in his most recent 10-game stint with the Red Wings. He’ll get a chance to become Washington’s permanent third baseman.
But on a day when the Nationals (42-47) scored 15 hits against the Cardinals (46-42) and Ruiz just missed the cycle, the spotlight was on Wood, the top prospect whose first week did little to temper expectations.
In the top of the third, with the park still basking in the excitement of Wood’s home run, a fan in the left-field benches ordered his section to give the rookie an ovation. Wood acknowledged the gesture with a shy half-wave. He’s still getting used to the attention.
“I know he enjoyed it,” Abrams said. “First home run in the bigs. There’s going to be a lot more.”