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Nationals Young Star James Wood Approaching Unwanted Brutal All-Time MLB Record

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Jeremy Trottier | Last updated Sep 16, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The Washington Nationals have found some signs of hope for the future during their 2025 campaign, with multiple young talents breaking out for them over the course of the season. One of the most notable examples in the first half was James Wood, who notched an All-Star nod after producing exceptionally well during the early summer.

Unfortunately, things have somewhat come to a standstill for the rising star. He has started to strike out at an exorbitant rate throughout the second half and is rapidly approaching a territory in which players never want to go. The all-time MLB single-season strikeout list is a pretty close one at the top, with multiple players having seasons that were forgettable at best.

Oddly enough, this has been a productive season for Wood, but it could have been better, obviously, given how often he has been sent back to the dugout. With the MLB regular season nearing its end, Wood is growing ever closer to that all-time mark, and unfortunately, he is pretty close to on pace for hitting it during the 2025 season.

How Close is James Wood to the All-Time Single-Season Strikeouts Record?

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The current MLB all-time single-season strikeout record is held by Mark Reynolds, who in 2009 posted an eye-watering 223 strikeouts. Adam Dunn had a similar number in 2012, with 222 strikeouts to his name in 13 fewer plate appearances. Now, Wood is approaching those numbers, as he recently picked up four more strikeouts in a game on Tuesday, bringing his total to 209.

Following this tough outing, it was noted that Wood will not be playing in the second game of the doubleheader, which at least slows down the issue for the time being.

After four strikeouts in the first game, James Wood is not playing in the second game, per Miguel Cairo.
— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) September 16, 2025

So now the number crunching comes into play, and there are a few ways to look at things. With 10 games left in the year, the easy way is to just take his strikeout number, divide it by games played, and then apply that to the 10 games remaining. In that instance, Wood would put up somewhere between 14 and 15 strikeouts in these last games, which would tie the record or break it.

The more precise way is to go down to at-bats and infer how many he will have in the remaining matchups. With 209 strikeouts in 562 at-bats, he is averaging a little more than one strikeout per three at-bats. Given he is taking roughly four at-bats a game, he should put up around 13 strikeouts, still exceptionally close to the record.

Ultimately, it will be a close call one way or the other, and it is far too many strikeouts, no matter what way it is looked at. This will likely be a point of emphasis for the young outfielder throughout the offseason as he continues to improve his game.