Nationals Star Insists Home Run Derby Isn't To Blame for Prolonged Slump

One of the lone bright spots surrounding the Washington Nationals this season has been the emergence of James Wood.

After putting together a good stretch when he was called up on July 1 during the 2024 campaign, the slugging outfielder has started to become a household name, earning his first All-Star Game selection this year and an invite to compete in the Home Run Derby.

But in the midst of those career achievements, Wood has gone through the worst slump he's had since arriving to The Show.

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His lone hit in his third at-bat of Sunday's finale against the San Diego Padres was his first since July 9, an 0-for-20 spell that spanned five total games before it ended during his sixth.

Wood's struggles have extended far beyond just that stretch, though, with him going 4-for-40 at the plate with four walks and 18 strikeouts since July 3, the game where he went 5-for-5 with a homer and two RBI against the Detroit Tigers.

Some people have put the blame on his participation in the Home Run Derby, since around that time is when he started to prepare for the showcase event. But Wood has shut down that notion.

"No, I don't really buy that," he said, per Mark Zuckerman of MASN.

Instead, he believes this is just a rough patch that every hitter goes through over the course of a 162-game season.

"It's just baseball," he stated. "It can't all be rainbows and sunshine all the time. It happens. You've just got to work your way out of it."

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The Nationals need that to happen.

At 22 years old, he has been the mark of consistency for this lineup and has been a key part in them winning the games they have this season.

While Washington isn't in a divisional race or in the hunt for a playoff spot, this young group has to experience winning at a high level if they're ever going to turn things around.

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In all likelihood, this will be a non-story soon.

Wood has shown his ability to hit since the moment he arrived in the bigs.

But until he does end this ice-cold stretch that he's on, the detractors of the Home Run Derby will continue to point to that as the reason why the rising star is struggling.

For more Nationals news, head over to Nationals On SI.