Wood's arrival helps Nats further distance themselves from Soto (Rosario DFA'd)

There has been no darker day in recent Nationals history – maybe in all of Nationals history – than Aug. 2, 2022, when general manager Mike Rizzo made the decision to trade Juan Soto to the Padres.

The only saving grace that day was the glimmer of hope that the blockbuster move to deal a 23-year-old superstar (plus Josh Bell) in exchange for six players (five of them highly regarded prospects) would someday pay off for the Nats.

That day hasn’t fully arrived in D.C. yet, but consider today the franchise’s most consequential day since that dreadful summer of 2022. James Wood, the consensus best prospect acquired in the Soto trade, is set to make his major league debut, most likely starting in left field for the opener of a four-game series against the Mets.

(That move became official this morning, by the way, with the Nationals announcing they have purchased Wood’s contract from Triple-A Rochester. Needing to clear a spot on their 40-man roster, they designated Eddie Rosario for assignment. The veteran outfielder never did fully turn his season around despite a brief hot streak in early May, finishing his time here with a .183 batting average, .226 on-base percentage, seven homers, 26 RBIs and .555 OPS in 67 games.)

When he takes the field at Nationals Park for the first time, Wood will look toward the infield and see good friend and fellow former Padres prospect CJ Abrams, now one of the most exciting young shortstops in baseball. And when he looks beyond Abrams to the mound he’ll see MacKenzie Gore, another one acquired in that trade and now one of the most promising young left-handers in the sport.

Robert Hassell III and Jarlin Susana remain in the minors, and who knows if or when either will make it to Washington. But the sight of Wood, Abrams and Gore on the field together for the Nationals in a major league game has to be the most encouraging thing folks around here have seen in a while.

“We lost a really good player, as we all know,” manager Davey Martinez said over the weekend, referencing the Soto trade. “But to get the quality of players that we got, and them helping us out in the big leagues right now, with more to come, it’s exciting. Right now, the players that we have, have really helped us a lot and jumpstarted us. We definitely have a bright future.”

The future is bright, but fans, players and team employees alike have grown weary of waiting for the future. They want to start seeing success now at the big league level. The first half of this season has offered glimpses of it. Now with Wood joining the roster, there’s legitimate hope the second half of the season will include an even bigger step forward and will put the 2022 trade deadline further in the rearview mirror.

“Look, you respect Soto for as good a player as he is. That’s the first thing,” said Gore, owner of a 3.60 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched. “But you’ve also got to understand where we’re at, compared to where we were, like, 18 months ago. Being able to see CJ turn into a really good player. I’ve been solid. And now we get James coming.

“I like where we’re at right now as a team, and I think we’re going to keep getting better as the season goes along. I hope everybody’s excited. We’re excited.”

Wood will be the most talented prospect to debut for the Nationals since a then-19-year-old Soto was promoted in May 2018 and took the world by storm. In that case, Soto was only two weeks removed from playing in Single-A, bursting through the farm system in rapid fashion and then earning his call-up directly from Double-A after Howie Kendrick ruptured his Achilles’ tendon.

There has been far more time to anticipate Wood’s arrival, and to speculate when his debut would occur. He turned all kinds of heads in his first big league camp this spring, making at least some club officials contemplate the idea of putting him on the Opening Day roster.

“I knew he was ready at that point,” Abrams said.

“I’ve been wanting him to be here since spring training,” Gore said. “I’m ready to see what it’s all about.”

Wood ultimately was sent to Triple-A, where he dominated from the outset. He sported a ridiculous 1.062 OPS in late-May and seemed on the verge of getting the call until he suffered a relatively minor hamstring strain that nonetheless sidelined him nearly four weeks, the organization choosing to be extremely cautious with him.

He returned to Rochester’s active roster two weeks ago, and the only question at that point was how much longer he’d have to wait before the Nationals promoted him. He wound up playing in seven games, going 8-for-24 with three doubles, a homer, six RBIs, five walks and five strikeouts, and there was no longer any valid reason for him to be kept there any longer.

Wood, who won’t turn 22 until September, is a physical specimen at 6-foot-7, 234 pounds. He’s an imposing presence at the plate, but he also runs the bases as well as any speedster and has the athleticism to play center field. He was born in Rockville and grew up in Montgomery County before heading to IMG Academy in Florida for high school, and he’ll have a host of family members and friends in attendance tonight.

A soft-spoken, humble kid, Wood is going to have to get used to the spotlight that will follow him now. Martinez will try to take as much pressure off him as possible and figures to start him out somewhere lower in the lineup, sixth or perhaps even seventh, until he gets acclimated and forces his way up the batting order.

He alone isn’t going to turn a power-starved Nationals lineup into a force. But he’s going to make a difference, of that everyone is convinced.

“It’ll be great. But you’ve got to remember, he’s still 21 years old,” Martinez said. “He’s still learning a lot about himself. But he’s got unbelievable talent. I’m looking forward to having him.”

It’s still going to be some time before anyone can say the Nats did the right thing trading Soto when they did. But the Padres’ decision to deal him to the Yankees after only 1 1/2 seasons and zero World Series appearances has helped soften the blow somewhat.

What would really soften the blow, though, would be the development of Wood into the next great D.C. superstar. Not to mention the continued growth of Abrams and Gore, perhaps all of them combining forces to help lead this franchise back to the postseason in the near future.

“It all happened for a reason,” Abrams said. “We all were drafted by the Padres and got better there. Now we’re over here and have done the same. We’ve just kind of gone with the flow, and now that we’re going to be on the same team, it’s going to show a lot about that trade.

“It’ll show soon. We’re going to win a lot of games, for sure.”