CJ Abrams has spent this season piling up numbers that put him in rare air, and he added another line to that résumé by reaching a club that, for the Nationals, has exactly one other member.
In Monday night’s game against the Rockies, Abrams swiped his 25th base of the season and became only the second player in Washington Nationals history to post a 25-homer, 25-steal year. The only other name on that list is Alfonso Soriano, who did it in his 40-40 season during his lone year in Washington in 2006.
Around the league, the company is just as exclusive. Abrams now shares the 25-25 threshold with only one other active player, Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, the current frontrunner for National League MVP. That leaves just two players in all of baseball who have reached the mark this season.
The milestone came with the Nationals in need of a bounce-back performance, and they got one Thursday afternoon against Colorado. After scoring only two runs over their previous two games, Washington came out far more assertive, especially on the bases. Early instincts from Dylan Crews and Jacob Young helped the Nationals build an early lead, and they never gave it back in a 7-1 win.
The offense was active across the board. Washington finished with 13 hits, and every hitter in the lineup reached at least once except Jorbit Vivas, who at least drew two walks. Abrams did his part too, reaching base twice with a single and a walk as the Nationals’ attack kept rolling.
For Abrams, the bigger picture is clear. Matching Soriano in Nationals history and standing alongside Crow-Armstrong in the majors underscores just how strong his season has been. If his defensive value were higher and Washington’s record were better, there’s a strong case that he would be right in the MVP conversation too.
In Other News...
Nationals First Rounder Is Giving Fans A Reason To Dream Early
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The long view matters here, too, because Washingtons development plan could eventually intersect with a possible 2027 MLB lockout and all the roster wrinkles that come with it. Hacopian is not on the 40-man roster, which means his path would remain open in the minors if the sport reaches that kind of labor uncertainty, a small but notable detail for a prospect the Nationals are clearly hoping can keep climbing without interruption. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals May Need An Uncomfortable 2027 Answer In The Outfield
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The bigger question now is how the Nationals build around them if the bats never quite catch up in the same way. Their splits suggest there may be a cleaner way to maximize what each can offer, even if it means a less traditional arrangement for 2027. If the front office also adds help in the corner outfield, it could create a more stable picture for James Wood and Jacob Young while giving the club a better chance to squeeze value out of a unit that still feels unfinished. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Prospect Standouts Are Starting To Separate Themselves
The Nationals lower-level affiliates delivered a little of everything Tuesday, from a walk-off in Rochester to a rain-shortened loss in Harrisburg and a postponement in Wilmington. The most notable offensive performances came in wins, with the system getting timely production at the top and in the middle of the lineup as the summer grind continues to sort out which prospects are beginning to separate from the pack.
Fredericksburg provided the clearest statement, blanking Delmarva 9-0 behind a deep offensive showing that kept pressure on the opposition from start to finish. With several clubs dealing with weather and tight game states, those are the kinds of nights that matter in a development system, because they hint at who is turning opportunity into consistency and who is starting to look ready for a bigger test. [Read more 🡒]