James Wood kept swinging in Monday night’s extra-innings loss to the Mets, finishing 3-for-6 with a double, an RBI, two runs scored, a walk and two strikeouts. He also drove in a run with a single in the bottom of the 12th inning, though the game was already out of reach for the Nationals by then.
The hit gave Wood his 13th double and 30th RBI of the season, a strong night that fit into the broader surge he has built at the plate since the beginning of May. Over his last 16 games, Wood is hitting.274 with an.851 OPS, with two homers, six RBI, 11 runs scored and two stolen bases while extending his hitting streak to four games.
For Washington, the result was a loss. For Wood, it was another reminder that even in a lopsided game, his bat has started to look like the kind that can carry a stretch of the season. The late RBI did little to change the outcome, but it added to a run of production that has been steady enough to matter.
The question now is whether Wood can keep that rhythm going long enough to turn a hot two-week stretch into something more lasting. His recent numbers suggest the foundation is there.
