The 'Only Player in MLB With 20 Homers and 10 Steals' Fact After James Wood Torched Our M's

Woof. Just when you think you've seen it all, our Seattle Mariners roll into DC, and get absolutely blasted 10-1 on Sunday, losing the rubber game to the Washington Nationals. And who was at the heart of that beatdown? A 23-year-old phenom named James Wood, who put on a clinic that should have every team in baseball paying attention. This kid is on an absurd tear, and honestly, seeing it up close? It stings a little, Seattle.

James Wood Is Simply Unstoppable Right Now

Seriously, this guy is unreal. Wood finished Sunday's game against our M's a triple shy of the cycle, drove in two runs, and scored twice himself. He launched his fifth leadoff homer of the season, which was his 20th overall. Think about that for a second. Twenty homers already. During his current six-game hitting streak, Wood is batting an insane .440, going 11-for-25, with three home runs, six RBIs, and three stolen bases. And get this: he's the *only player in the majors* right now with 20 homers and 10 stolen bases. Only one! He's also tied for fourth in home runs with 20, sits fourth in walks with 58, fourth in on-base percentage at .414, and fifth in OPS with a .972 mark. When asked about his approach, Wood kept it simple, saying he "Saw a couple of fastballs early and was able to lay off a curveball with two strikes. Was able to get a slider up and put a barrel on it." Sounds easy enough when you're that hot, right? For our M's, it was a rough introduction to a player who's making a serious statement early this season.

Beyond Wood, The Nationals Crushed It While the Royals Found a Spark

It wasn't just Wood doing damage against us on Sunday, though it felt like it. The Nationals' lineup was cooking, collecting 14 hits total. Keibert Ruiz ripped three hits, including a homer, and Jacob Young chipped in with two doubles. Nationals manager Blake Butera was stoked, saying, "Our lineup one through nine today, I thought, did a really good job of contributing. Just kept passing the bat back to the next guy. The base running was really good. We put a ton of pressure on them defensively. It was a lot of fun to be a part of." Ouch, "put a ton of pressure on them defensively" certainly felt accurate from the M's dugout. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Royals finally snapped their own four-game losing streak with a 4-0 shutout win at home against the Houston Astros. All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. had a big day on his 26th birthday, grabbing two hits, stealing two bases, scoring a run, and making a diving catch. Maikel Garcia added three RBIs, and starter Stephen Kolek was stellar, going 7 1/3 innings. Royals manager Matt Quatraro admitted it's been a grind, saying, "We've lost these games recently and that's been really frustrating, but these guys are competing their butts off. Every one of these games on this homestand was a tough game one way or the other."

Injury Woes for KC and a Pitching Mismatch Ahead?

Just as the Royals try to get back on track, they're hit with some tough news: first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino underwent surgery for a hamate bone injury in his right hand and will be out for four to six weeks. That's a huge blow. Quatraro expressed his frustration for Pasquantino, noting, "It stinks because I know how hard he's worked to get back and be productive. He's gone through injuries before and it can be a real grind." Now, looking ahead to Monday's series opener against the Nationals, the Royals are expected to recall Mitch Spence from Triple-A Omaha to start. Spence, 28, has a 0-0 record with a 13.50 ERA, giving up six runs in just four innings in his only 2026 appearance back on April 18 against the Yankees. He did pick up a relief win against the Nationals in 2024, but allowed two runs in 1 2/3 innings. He'll be facing Nationals lefty Andrew Alvarez, who's 1-0 with a 3.70 ERA. Alvarez, who just turned 27, has transitioned to starting after five relief appearances, giving up two runs in four innings in his last start against the Giants. He's never faced the Royals before. Can the Royals, with a struggling call-up on the mound, slow down James Wood and the red-hot Nationals? Or will Wood continue to make a mockery of MLB pitching?

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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.