Improved Nationals show surprising resilience in competitive NL East

Improved Nationals show surprising resilience in competitive NL East originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Washington Nationals came into the 2026 season with little to no expectations. They were one of baseball's worst teams last season, finishing in last place in the NL East by a long shot with their 66-96 record.

Over the offseason, they did not make any big moves. Their biggest splash came when they signed Zack Littell or when they made a trade with the Seattle Mariners to acquire Harry Ford.

However, they are not letting their low expectations stop them from playing good baseball. They have come out as one of the more surprising teams to start the 2026 season.

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Improved Nationals show surprising resilience in competitive NL East

CJ Abrams and James Wood are leading this team from an offensive standpoint. Abrams leads the club with his .312 batting average, 19 runs batted in, and .432 OBP, while Wood leads the team with his seven home runs.

They have made things a bit easier on a starting rotation that is struggling. Foster Griffin holds the best ERA among the starting staff with a 3.05 ERA.