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WASHINGTON -- James Wood delivered a special souvenir to the Nationals’ bullpen on Tuesday afternoon.
Wood sliced a laser off Guardians right-hander Luis L. Ortiz into the ’pen in right field in the third inning of the Nats’ 10-9 victory in the first game of a doubleheader at Nationals Park.
Wood’s 10th home run of the season sped a Statcast-projected 374 feet at 114.6 mph. Wood, who targets a 29- to 30-degree launch angle, did damage at only 21 degrees.
Here are notable numbers from Wood’s rocket:
21
Wood has rocketed home runs with a launch angle as high as 36 degrees. In contrast, his 21-degree homer tied for his smallest launch angle in the Majors. Wood also hit a 21-degree home run on April 11 against the Marlins, but that ball was not darted as hard (110.5 mph).
22
Wood does not turn 23 years old until Sept. 17. He became the third player in Nats history to reach double-digit homers in the club’s first 36 games at age 22 or younger.
Bryce Harper did it twice, in 2013 (10 home runs) and ’15 (12 home runs). Juan Soto did it most recently, in 2020 (11 home runs).
Since the start of the 2021 season, only two players age 22 or younger have recorded 10 home runs in their team’s first 36 contests. Wood joined Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who accomplished it last season with 11 home runs.
110
Wood is on track to break a team season mark (at this pace, likely in the first half). Wood has hit six homers with an exit velocity of greater than 110 mph.
He trails only two Nationals players on this list in the Statcast era (2015). Kyle Schwarber hit 11 such home runs in 2021, and Harper hit nine such home runs in 2018.
114
Amping up the velocity, Wood accomplished a statistical feat that had been reached by only one previous Nationals player. Wood joined Harper as Nationals players to belt multiple 114-plus mph home runs (Statcast era).
Wood crushed a 116.3 mph homer on April 23, against the Orioles.
Harper hit a homer at 114-plus mph in 2017 and another in ’18.