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Nationals’ James Wood, MacKenzie Gore earn first All-Star appearance

By Nick Castrilli
Published  July 7, 2025 1:01pm EDT
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FOX 5 DC

The Brief

    • James Wood and MacKenzie Gore were named 2025 NL All-Stars, marking their first selections.
    • Wood will also compete in the Home Run Derby after blasting 23 homers in the first half.
    • Gore, one of MLB’s strikeout leaders, is expected to pitch in the July 15 All-Star Game.

WASHINGTON - After a strong first half campaign, Washington Nationals sensations James Wood and MacKenzie Gore were named to the 2025 MLB National League (NL) All-Star team on Sunday.

Wood, Gore honored

The backstory:

Wood, 22, and Gore, 26, will compete in the Mid-Summer Classic for the first time in their young careers. Both were acquired in the Juan Soto trade on August 2, 2022 as the Nationals also received 2024 All-Star CJ Abrams. 

Soto was not named to the 2025 NL All-Star team as Wood possesses one of the four outfield bench spots on the roster.

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WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 03: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals hits a home run during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, July 3, 2025 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Al

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First-time All-Stars

By the numbers:

On the season, Wood has mashed 23 home runs, drove in 67 runs with a .940 OPS. He leads NL outfielders in OPS while sharing the lead in home runs and RBIs with fellow All-Star Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs). 

The day prior to the All-Star game, Wood will compete in the Home Run Derby. He looks to become the third National to win the event in franchise history, Bryce Harper (2018) and Soto (2022).

Gore earned an invitation to the game as he proved to be Nationals ace. He has the fifth most strikeouts in the MLB, 131 and has seen five outings with nine or more punch outs. His 3-8 record is misleading as he holds a 3.11 ERA.

The Nationals pushed Gore's upcoming start from Tuesday to Wednesday, presumably an effort made allowing him to appear in the All-Star game next week. 

The 2025 MLB All-Star game will be played at 8 p.m. on July 15, at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 04: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Nationals Park on June 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

The Source: Information in this article comes from MLB.com.

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