Aug 25, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Washington Nationals center fielder Jacob Young (30) hits a grand slam home run in the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Nationals’ Jacob Young Caps Dramatic Comeback Effort with First Career Grand Slam

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Maria Aldrich | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Washington Nationals may be at the bottom of the National League East standings, but there are some very promising things going for the franchise. If there's anything that Washington has made clear this season, it's that they will not back down from a challenge.

Several young stars are starting to find their footing with the team, but success is a group effort — the young core simply isn't enough to help the franchise rise at this time. However, this doesn't mean that their last-place standing has to be permanent.

On Monday night, Washington faced the New York Yankees, and while the Yankees ultimately took home the 10-5 victory, one young star stood out and gave the Nationals a glimmer of hope. Of course, losing a matchup is never ideal, but it's safe to say that the team left the stadium on a high.

Jacob Young Hits Remarkable Homer on Grand Slam

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Heading into the ninth inning, it looked as though New York was going to make a clean sweep as the score was 10-0. However, 26-year-old center fielder Jacob Young wasn't going to stand for such a humiliating defeat, and he wasn't going to allow his team to, either.

As the end of the game grew closer, Young drove in four RBIs after hitting his first home run of the season on a grand slam, immediately shooting the score up to 10-5. Sure, Washington still lost the game, but Young's performance alone was enough to build morale among the team. Jaws dropped, fans roared in the stands, and the energy at the stadium was electric.

"I mean, it's pretty cool. It's a milestone that you've always dreamed about and doing it in a park like this is a cool thing to do," Young told Nationals on MASN following his memorable game. "No matter what inning it comes in, they all count."

Jacob Young hit his first homer of the year tonight on a grand slam in the ninth.

The center fielder after the game. pic.twitter.com/DvUDxLuHRV
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) August 26, 2025

Young is currently slashing .231/.302/.282 with a total of 24 RBIs this year. Hitting Monday's homer was an opportunity for Young to show his value and prove his worth on offense. Sure enough, he did just that — he is continuing to grow into a valuable asset for the team.

Washington will be heading into yet another matchup against New York on Tuesday night, followed by a third on Wednesday afternoon. If Young can bring the magic that he displayed on Monday, the Nationals could gain traction and take home a victory.

This article first appeared on Washington Nationals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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