Two Nationals Players Reached '500' Milestones During Monday's Win

Monday was quite the ride for the Washington Nationals.

Following a low-scoring first half that was powered by the two starting pitchers, both the Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals had some disastrous showings by their bullpens. Thankfully, Washington was able to do enough at the plate to stop their five-game losing streak and regain some momentum.

James Wood was a huge part of the story. His three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning tied things up at six apiece after the Cardinals took the lead in the top half of the frame. In that same inning, Brady House and CJ Abrams also hit home runs to push the Nationals to victory.

During this game, some notable milestones were reached by both Abrams and starter Zack Littell. And coincidentally, both centered around the number "500."

CJ Abrams Hits Home Run for His 500th Hit

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Abrams was the last to hit a longball in the eighth inning on Monday, but it was an important one. Not only did it give Washington a 9-6 lead, but it also was his 500th career major league hit. He accomplished that feat in 532 games. Out of his 500 hits, 63 of them have been home runs, 104 have been doubles and 19 have been triples.

Based on the way the 25-year-old has gotten out of the gates this season, the fact that notable milestone came on a home run shouldn't be surprising. He's now up to four on the year entering Tuesday's contest, well on his way to reaching the 20-mark for the second time as a big leaguer.

Manager Blake Butera challenged Abrams to get back to being an All-Star player like he was in 2024. And if he's able to continue this level of production, it will be hard to keep him out of the Midsummer Classic.

Zack Littell Reaches 500 Career Strikeouts

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Zack Littell | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Littell also reached a notable milestone of his own when he recorded his 500th major league strikeout in the top of the second inning on Monday. Considering he only became a full-time starting pitcher in the MLB the past couple of seasons, that makes this an impressive feat.

The nine-year veteran began his major league career in 2018. It took until his stint with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023 until he was moved into the starting rotation. That allowed his K numbers to increase, as he's recorded 130 or more strikeouts each of the last two years.

Littell accomplished his milestone in 236 appearances and 612 2/3 innings pitched. During that time, he has had a 3.88 ERA and 108 ERA+ with a cumulative bWAR of 8.5. Washington is hoping the righty can keep racking up those strikeouts during his time with the team, as he is an important piece of the rotation this season.