The Washington Nationals announced Saturday the winners of the club’s 10th annual end-of-season awards, as voted on by local media members.
National League All-Stars James Wood and MacKenzie Gore earned Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year honors, respectively. Josh Bell received the Good Guy Award, given to a player for professional media relations, community work and representing the organization with class on and off the field.
Wood, 23, made his first NL All-Star team in his first full major league season. He entered Saturday’s game leading the Nationals and ranking among National League hitters in doubles (fourth, 38), extra-base hits (seventh, 68) and walks (10th, 85).
Wood also leads the club in home runs (30), RBIs (92) and hits (150) and leads qualified Nationals players in on-base percentage (.349), slugging percentage (.471) and OPS (.821). He is the only player in Major League Baseball with at least 30 homers, 38 doubles and 15 stolen bases this season.
Wood ranked in the 98th percentile in MLB in average exit velocity (94.2 mph) and hard-hit rate (56.0%). He connected on 81 batted balls over 108 mph, trailing only Aaron Judge (83) for the most in the majors.
Wood’s season highlights included his first career leadoff home run April 15 at Pittsburgh, a career-high and team-best 19-game on-base streak from April 20 to May 10, and his first career walk-off home run June 19 against Colorado.
Rookie outfielder Daylen Lile also received player of the year votes.
Gore, 26, Washington’s other 2025 NL All-Star, struck out a career-high 185 batters and ranked third in the National League with 10.43 strikeouts per nine innings in his third season with the Nationals. The 185 strikeouts ranked fourth among NL left-handed pitchers.
Gore posted a 2.87 ERA with 108 strikeouts in his first 13 starts (75.1 innings). He set a franchise Opening Day record with a career-high 13 strikeouts March 27 against Philadelphia.
Gore became the 10th pitcher in MLB since 1900 to strike out 13 or more on Opening Day and just the second since 1900 to strike out 13, allow no runs and issue no walks on Opening Day, joining Hall of Famer Bob Gibson in 1967. Gore matched that career mark with 13 strikeouts April 19 at Colorado.
Jose A. Ferrer and rookie Brad Lord also received pitcher of the year votes.
Bell, 33, earned the Good Guy Award for the second time (also 2021) in his return to the Nationals this season. Beyond his on-field play, Bell supported local reading initiatives and youth baseball and softball programs.
He wrote a children’s book titled “What Color is the Sky” and participated in Story Time at Nationals Park five times this season. He spent time at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy and was named the academy’s first ambassador to the Nationals Nike RBI program.
Throughout the season, Bell met with D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association baseball and softball players.
Bell’s 22 home runs rank second on the club and fourth among NL switch-hitters entering Saturday. He is slugging .523 with an .859 OPS in 40 games since Aug. 8. Since May 28, he is hitting .280/.359/.479 with 14 doubles, 16 homers, 48 RBIs, 37 walks and 39 runs scored in 93 games.
Jake Irvin, Jose A. Ferrer and Alex Call also received Good Guy Award votes.