Future Looks Bright After 3 Nationals Players Made MLB's Team of the Month for May
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The Washington Nationals didn't get off to a great start in June, as they were swept at home by the Miami Marlins where some concerning things were on display throughout that set.
That result dropped them to a 31-32 record, which is disappointing based on how well they played throughout the month of May when they secured 16 wins. It was a total team effort by the Nationals, but there were three standout players over the course of that entire period. And when Major League Baseball put out their Team of the Month for May, catcher Keibert Ruiz, infielder CJ Abrams and outfielder James Wood all made the squad.
MLB's May Team of the Month
-Catcher: Keibert Ruiz
-First Base: Nick Kurtz
-Second Base: Luis Arraez
-Shortstop: CJ Abrams
-Third Base: Junior Caminero
-Outfielder: JJ Bleday
-Outfielder: Cody Bellinger
-Outfielder: James Wood
-Designated Hitter: Kyle Schwarber
-Starting Pitcher: Cristopher Sanchez
-Relief Pitcher: Cade Smith
The story of May for Washington was just how good Ruiz performed at the plate. Across 16 games, he slashed .379/.383/.724 with four home runs, eight doubles and 16 RBIs. He was the team's best all-around hitter, and his resurgence has made the outlook at catcher very interesting going forward.
Seeing Wood and Abrams make this team wasn't a huge a surprise, though. They have been dominant on offense this season, and that continued in May as Wood slashed .311/.425/.557 with six homers, eight doubles and 15 RBIs, while Abrams slashed .292/.377/.528 with four home runs, nine doubles, two triples and 21 RBIs.
Still, that is an impressive array of names to be included with, and it not only highlights how well Washington's trio performed, but it also signals there are some high-end major league players on this roster to build around.
Ruiz, Wood and Abrams All Under Team Control for Two-Plus Years
Wood is a clear cornerstone for the Nationals. He's 23 years old and has the ceiling to be one of the best power hitters in the sport by the time he reaches his prime. Washington is trying to figure out who will be alongside the star slugger, and both Abrams and Ruiz could be options based on the fact that Abrams isn't scheduled to become a free agent until after the 2028 season and Ruiz is locked into an extension through 2030 where the Nationals will have their first of two club options.
Of course, it's unclear whether Abrams is going to remain in the nation's capital past the first few days of August. He is a prime trade candidate for virtually every team in Major League Baseball due to his contract situation and star power. So if Washington wants to add even more juice to their rising farm system, then they could choose to deal him.
However, that decision is becoming harder and harder to make based on how well Abrams has played to start the season. And since there isn't a rush to trade him because he is under team control for two more years, the Nationals could decide to hold onto him through the deadline.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai