All-Star voting opened yesterday, and James Wood was immediately put forward as a player who should start for the National League in Philadelphia next month. The Washington Nationals outfielder had done enough through the first two months and change to make the case on merit, with his name now tied to one of the first big decisions of the summer.
Wood’s numbers explain why the push is real. He was first in baseball in runs scored, eighth in baseball with a 158 wRC+, third among outfielders in WAR and had also been one of the best hitters in all of baseball. At his best, his size, power and athleticism have been breathtaking, which is part of why he has gone from promising piece to an All-Star candidate fans are being asked to notice now.
He is not doing this in a vacuum. The Nationals were said to be on the upswing, and even after a sweep against the Marlins they had scored the most runs in all of baseball. CJ Abrams was mentioned alongside Wood as another Washington player who should start, a sign that this is not a one-man burst but part of a broader stretch that has given the club something to sell to voters.
There is also a hard edge to the campaign. The Nationals have seen players robbed of starting spots before because bigger market teams can drown out better seasons, which is why local fans need to vote heavily if they want Wood in Philadelphia. That history hangs over any early lead, because being deserving and actually getting in are not always the same thing in All-Star voting.
Wood’s case is strong enough that the next step belongs to the fans, not the numbers. If Washington support shows up, he has a clear path to a starting nod next month; if it does not, another big first half may still be left waiting behind a louder market.
James Wood trifft Inside-the-Park Grand Slam bei Mets-Pleiten gegen Nationals
