Nationals Announce Their Nominee for 2026 Roberto Clemente Award
In this story:
One of the most coveted awards in Major League Baseball isn't handed out solely due to what takes place on the field.
The Roberto Clemente Award is given "to the player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field," and the Washington Nationals revealed who their nominee for this award is.
Nasim Nunez, who is in his third season with the Nationals, earned this nomination though a bevy of off-field endeavors that he's been involved with throughout his time with the franchise. He's going up against some notable names across Major League Baseball, so Washington fans can vote for Nunez at MLB.com.
Nomination for Roberto Clemente Award Means A Lot for Nasim Nunez
"A lot of my family and friends are super proud of me. I always wanted MVP Awards, best player, awards like that. When you're younger, those are the awards that stand out to you the most. But now that I've got the Roberto Clemente Award nomination and I'm seeing the impact that it's leaving, it's changing my perspective," he said, per Jessica Camerato of MLB.com.
Nunez, who was once a participant in MLB youth development programs like the Breakthrough Series and the Hank Aaron Invitational, is now actively involved in the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. He has participated in their summer program, the annual holiday gift drive and the graduation ceremony. Nunez expanded his support of young athletes this year by engaging with the District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletics Association (DCIAA). He also has met with groups of baseball and softball players to share advice and further inspire them.
The nomination for the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award also came at a difficult time in Nunez's life.
He was placed on the bereavement list on Sept. 10 before being activated from it on Sept. 13. That was because his cousin, Bubba, who happened to be a very close friend of his, passed away.
"My cousin who just passed away always told me, 'In life, you've got to have morals.' So it's pretty dope that just being me can be pretty impactful," Nunez said, per Camerato. "... He was always like, 'Continue to have morals. You're a good dude, and continue to be a good dude, no matter how much money, how much fame, the people you get to know.' He was always like, 'Keep the morals. Keep the morals.'"
Roberto Clemente Award Is a Reminder That There Are Things Bigger Than Baseball
When watching athletes participate in professional sports, it's sometimes easy to forget that there are actual human beings inside of those jerseys who are dealing with things in their personal lives just like everyone else in the world.
The Roberto Clemente Award is a good reminder that there are more important things than just playing the game of baseball, and highlighting the contributions that players across the league have had in their respective communities is a great way to do that.
Nunez is one of 14 first-time nominees for the 2026 award, which shows just how many players are involved in things outside of baseball.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
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