The Washington Nationals have posted a surprising 23-25 record early in the 2026 season while leading Major League Baseball in both runs scored and runs allowed through their first 48 games.
Entering play on Tuesday, the team had tallied 262 runs scored and allowed 284 runs, holding double-digit leads over the next closest clubs in each category. The young roster features standout performances from outfielder James Wood, who leads the league with a 96.5 mph average exit velocity, and shortstop CJ Abrams, who has posted a .913 OPS with nine home runs. Additional contributions have come from Daylen Lile, Keibert Ruiz and waiver pickup Joey Wiemer. On the mound the staff has struggled, with the bullpen posting the fifth-worst ERA in baseball at 5.01. History shows only the 2008 Texas Rangers have led the majors in both runs scored and runs allowed over a full season since the league expanded to 30 teams. President of baseball operations Paul Toboni and first-year manager Blake Butera oversee the club that continues to defy expectations while remaining competitive.