Wood's Homer Lifts Slumping Nationals

0:00On April 6th, Nationals Outfielder James Wood was in a rough spot, hitting just 1-11 in his first 8 games this season. But manager Blake Batera checked in with him Sunday morning, before facing the Dodgers. Wood said he felt good mentally and physically, so Batera slotted him lead off against Rookie-Ridey-Rookie Sasaki. Despite the early struggles, including one for nine in the first two games of the series, Batera stayed confident. He knew Wood was barreling balls, but not getting results yet. In the fourth inning, down three to nothing in account that was 0-2, Wood crushed a splitter right down the middle for a three run homer. That blast went an estimated 416 feet to center at 107.6 mph, his second homer of the year, and the farthest by any Nationals player so far. It tied for his fourth highest launch angle ever at 34 degrees, and Wood now ranks third in baseball for center field homers since last season.

1:00Batera called it a strong ad bet, especially with two strikes, and Wood agreed he just stayed on the pitch. Dodgers catcher Dalton rushing noted it was a mistake on a 0-2 count, but part of the game. Sasaki had never given up a homer on that splitter, before in Pro Bowl. Wood seeing progress daily, smashing a 105 mph ground or two, and he's focused on consistent barrels. With that swing, the slump feels like it's breaking, and good things are lining up for the young slugger. That wraps Washington Nationals News Today, brought to you with AI.