Second half storylines worth watching

The All-Star Game has come and gone, but we’ve still got one more day left in the All-Star break. No baseball will be played today. Come back Friday evening for that, when the Nationals open of a six-game homestand against the Reds and Padres.

The halfway point of the season has already long since come and gone. The Nats have played 97 games, so remarkably there are only 65 left. But this will be the start of the ceremonial second half of the season, and there is plenty to still take place before the 2024 campaign is over.

Here’s a look at the top storylines the Nationals figure to face over the next 2 1/2 months …

HOW GOOD IS WOOD?
James Wood has now spent two weeks in the big leagues, and there was a big difference between those two weeks. Week 1 saw the top prospect take the world by storm, crushing balls well over 100 mph, drawing six walks with only seven strikeouts and producing a .320/.452/.480 slash line. Week 2 saw the league start to figure him out and saw Wood start to get out of his comfort zone, striking out 13 times without drawing a walk and slashing .179/.207/.179. It’s far too soon to draw any real conclusions, but 2 1/2 months from now, we should have a really good idea just how good Wood is. Can he make the necessary adjustments at the plate and start consistently squaring up the ball again? Can he start to look more comfortable in left field? Is he ready to be the face of this franchise, or is that process going to take a bit more time?

CAN THE YOUNG PITCHING HOLD UP?
There was so much to like about the Nationals’ young starting pitchers from April through June, but we started to see some cracks in the foundation the last two weeks. The question: Are these guys starting to wear down, and is that going to continue in the second half? It would not be surprising if that happens to the least experienced of the group, Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz. But MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin have been through this before, and both should know how to right their ships and stay strong through September. It’s going to be a real test for these guys, but it’s going to inform us a lot about their long-term viability.

WHO GETS TRADED?
A few weeks ago, there was some thought the Nationals might actually be buyers at the trade deadine. Or at least stand still and try to keep up an improbable run at a wild card berth. Then they went 6-14 heading into the break and pretty much dashed those hopes. And Saturday’s trade of Hunter Harvey to the Royals was a harsh reminder that this team still thinks of itself as a seller, not a buyer. The obvious candidates to be moved before the July 30 deadline: Jesse Winker and Dylan Floro. But if Mike Rizzo was willing to trade Harvey, then he’s surely willing to listen to offers for Kyle Finnegan and Lane Thomas as well. The trick: Can Rizzo move those guys who are still under club control through 2025 and still build a roster that can contend in 2025?

WILL CREWS MAKE HIS MLB DEBUT?
Wood’s July 1 debut was one of the most hyped in club history. Dylan Crews’ eventual debut should be at least as big a deal, maybe more given his stature as the No. 2 pick in the country only one year ago. Though he hasn’t dominated the minors the way Wood did, Crews did get promoted to Triple-A in mid-June. And that is a sign the Nationals are at least willing to consider calling him up to the majors before season’s end. How soon will that be? It seems unlikely it would happen before the trade deadline. But if Thomas is dealt, Crews would make for a logical replacement in the outfield. Even if Thomas stays, the Nats would love to get a look at him by September as they make plans for 2025.

WILL ANY INJURED STARTERS RETURN?
The rotation has surprisingly been a strength, and that’s surprising because it’s happened despite the presence of Josiah Gray, Cade Cavalli and Trevor Williams on the injured list for an extended period of time. This has been quite a frustrating process. Gray, out since early April, should get news any day on the current state of his right elbow and whether he needs season-ending surgery or not. Cavalli, whose rehab has twice been put on hold, most recently after he got the flu, should be ready to start ramping himself back up in hopes of pitching in the majors before September. Williams has almost certainly run out of time to make it back before the trade deadline, but given how careful the Nats will be with their young arms, it might not be a bad thing to have a veteran starter eat up some innings later this season once he’s healthy.

WHAT HAPPENS AT THIRD BASE?
Nick Senzel never figured to be a long-term answer, and after he was designated for assignment earlier this month (and just recently signed by the White Sox) the hot corner opened up for Trey Lipscomb at last. Lipscomb, though, has to take advantage of this opportunity. And though his defense has been solid all along, his bat has not stood, leading to a hugely disappointing .234/.296/.269 slash line across 160 plate appearances. Meanwhile, Brady House was just moved up to Triple-A, where he started off 4-for-12 with two doubles. If he keeps hitting at the highest level of the minors and Lipscomb doesn’t take off, there’s a real chance House becomes the Nationals’ starting third baseman before season’s end.