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Aug 29, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood (29) looks on during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Nationals Park Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Did Nationals Star James Wood Figure Out What Caused His Second Half Slump?

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 12:00 PM ET

It has not been a second half to write home about for Washington Nationals rising star James Wood.

During the first part of the season, the 22-year-old looked like he was well on his way to becoming a future face of the sport, hitting 24 home runs with 69 RBI. He slashed .278/.381/.534, too, showcasing a contact-power combination that made him deadly for opposing pitching staffs.

But it's been a complete 180-degree turn following the Midsummer Classic, with Wood now on pace to set the MLB record for most strikeouts in a single season. That aspect has been the main issue for the slugger in the second half, with his slash line dropping to .214/.294/.346 with just three home runs and 17 RBI.

Wood has always been a high-strikeout guy even in the minors. That part of his game will likely never leave him. But he was effective at the beginning of the year even when striking out at a high rate. So what has been the actual cause of his struggles?

James Wood Had Too High of Attack Angle in His Swing

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The increase in strikeouts has been noticeable. While Wood got rung up 27.6% of the time in the first half -- which is above the league average of 22.3% -- that pales in comparison to the 40.1% K rate he currently has in the second half of the year.

Jack McGuire of District on Deck dove into what was causing the slugger to strikeout at this rate compared to what he had done a few months prior, and McGuire uncovered that it's the attack angle of Wood's swing that has been creating these issues.

"Throughout the season, Wood's average attack angle has crept higher and higher ... Last year, Wood's average attack angle was around eight or nine degrees, and to begin the season, his attack angle remained around that mark. But, each month, Wood's attack angle increased, and in July, his attack angle peaked at 13 degrees. Wood's increase in attack angle correlates with his increase in strikeout rate. In an effort to hit the ball in the air more, Wood seems to be producing an uppercut swing that is prone to swing and miss and strikeouts," he wrote.

james wood oppo bomb oh I'm SURE pic.twitter.com/43JphUy6TE
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 2, 2025

The home run Wood hit on Tuesday was just his third of the second half. And it's noticeable that his swing was much flatter than the deep uppercut he had been using during his prolonged struggles following the All-Star break.

It's not surprising to see a 22-year-old flounder the way Wood has during his first full season of Major League Baseball, but the night and day difference between the two versions that have been on the field is what has caused everyone to wonder what is going on.

Perhaps he was pressing to regain his power stroke. That then caused his swing to change into more of a higher launch angle, which actually hurt him instead of helping him. Again, that's not uncommon for young players at this level as they search for solutions.

Finding a fix is what is key, and it's up to both the player and organization to discover those answers so that their young star can get back on track. Thankfully for both parties, it appears like that is exactly what has happened.

"The good news for Wood, though, is that he already seems to be righting the ship. This past month, Wood's average attack angle decreased from 13 degrees to 12 degrees, and correspondingly, his strikeout rate and in-zone swing and miss rate both also decreased," McGuire added.