Nuñez shows family 'something cool' -- first-pitch leadoff HR off Cy Young winner 

ATLANTA -- With his family and friends gathered at Truist Park to watch him play Monday night, Atlanta-area product Nasim Nuñez had a goal.

“First off, I hope they get to observe me doing something cool,” Nuñez said before the game. “That's what I like to do.”

Undoubtedly, hitting a first-pitch leadoff home run is pretty cool.

The switch-hitting Nuñez was tabbed at the top of the Nationals’ order to face nine-time All-Star and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale. Within a matter of seconds of stepping up to the plate, Nuñez connected on a first-pitch leadoff home run over the right-field wall. He sent a 94.9 mph fastball from the lefty a Statcast-projected 361 feet with 97.2 mph exit velocity.

Nuñez added two more hits for a 3-for-4 night in the Nationals' 11-5 loss to the Braves.

“Everybody’s just excited,” Nuñez said. “It’s honestly a little shocking because I never hit this many homers.”

Nuñez went yard for the second game in a row, after homering at Citi Field on Sunday. All four of his Major League home runs have come this month, including a two-homer game on Sept. 3 against the Marlins.

“Everybody was like, ‘You can hit one in New York; you’ve got to hit one in Atlanta,’” said Nuñez, who was born in the Bronx. “They’re talking about that’s your hometown, but this is really my hometown. So it was cool.”

Nuñez’s dinger marked only the second time the 15-year veteran Sale has given up a homer on his first pitch. The first was as a member of the White Sox on Oct. 2, 2016, when the Twins’ Byron Buxton hit an inside-the-park home run.

“It's honestly a blessing,” Nuñez said of his recent results. “I put a lot of work in mentally and physically. So it's nice to actually see it play out.”

Nuñez, 25, is having a breakout performance in his sophomore season. He was selected by the Marlins in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga. The Nationals picked him in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, and he remained on the roster the entire 2024 season, with limited playing time. He logged 51 games and made only three plate appearances at Truist Park in ’24.

“It’s good that he experienced that at the big leagues,” said interim manager Miguel Cairo “But at the same time, he didn’t play that much. All this year, he played a lot in Triple-A. I think it helped his development as a player. … He brings a lot to the table.”

Nuñez did not make the Nationals Opening Day roster, and he appeared in 63 games with Triple-A Rochester this season before he returned to the Majors on Sept. 1. He has batted .300 in 12 games since then, with a 1.033 OPS, five runs, eight RBIs and one stolen base while splitting time between second base and shortstop.

“It’s trusting myself,” Nuñez said. “When I wake up, I feel confident. I don’t have to worry about finding or fixing something as soon as I get to the ballpark. Now, it's more so like, I wake up and I can visualize what I’ve got to do. I can practice what I have to do at home. And then when I get here, it’s really about grounding, getting comfortable being in this element.”

The Nationals are tied with the Cubs and Angels for most first-pitch leadoff home runs this season. They have done it four times. Washington’s first three were all hit by CJ Abrams (May 13 at Atlanta, May 18 at Baltimore, July 27 at Minnesota).

Nuñez started at shortstop on Monday in place of Abrams, who was the DH after jamming his right shoulder sliding into third base on Saturday.

“He's fun to watch,” Cairo said of Nuñez. “You can tell when he plays, he enjoys playing the game. He’s got so much confidence when he's in the field. He brings energy, passion. You know what you're going to get from him every day.”