Nationals Annihilated Padres in Juan Soto Trade Due to Performance of Young Star

The Washington Nationals have not had much to be thrilled about this season in a year which has started to bottom out over the last month or so.

An 11-game losing streak felt like rock bottom, but the way the Nationals broke out of it to avoid a sweep against the dreadful Colorado Rockies last week was a symbol for how the season has gone.

Nothing but misery, and then there's James Wood.

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Washington's young slugger ended the streak and dodged the sweep with a walk-off blast to center field with two outs and trailing by a run in the bottom of the 11th and on the cusp of a loss.

In the week since then, it would be nice to say the Nationals have rallied for an incredible run, but that has not really been the case and Washington has gone 3-4 headed into another weekend.

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Wood though has continued his incredible run, seemingly crushing everything thrown his way.

The 22-year-old this season has now slashed an incredible .277/.373/.554 with 22 home runs and 63 RBI, inspiring hope that the future in the nation's capital is bright despite the fact that the team is in dead last once again.

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Things have not been bright for Washington since the man they traded Wood for -- now New York Mets $700 million man Juan Soto -- practically put the team on his back for their first-ever World Series title in 2019.

While nobody likes losing and the Nationals are a far cry away from that triumph six years ago, having Wood in the fold inspires hope that they can get back to that point eventually if they do the right things around him.

If Soto was traded to the San Diego Padres for just Wood, it would not be insane to ask at this point whether or not when it's all said and done, Washington will be the winner of the trade.

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But in addition to Wood, the Nationals other two best players in shortstop CJ Abrams and ace pitcher MacKenzie Gore were all acquired in the deal that at the time, Washington was widely criticized for.

With still two more prospects coming up the pipe and Wood, Abrams, and Gore becoming superstars before the eyes of fans, it's safe to say at this point that the Nationals absolutely destroyed San Diego on this deal.

And it's all headline by the young outfielder who seems to be doing something bigger and bigger every time he steps up to the plate.

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