Despite a challenging season so far for the Nationals, fans have reason to celebrate after two of the team’s brightest young stars, LHP MacKenzie Gore and James Wood, made their debuts at the 2025 MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Both Gore and Wood, forever linked by the trade that brought them to Washington, were named All-Stars for the first time in their careers. For Gore, the selection reflects a breakout season on the mound, where he’s racked up 131 strikeouts in just 18 starts, including a memorable 13-strikeout performance on Opening Day that set the tone for his year.

Meanwhile, James Wood has taken the league by storm in his first full campaign. At just 22 years old, Wood has demonstrated power and poise at the plate, hitting 23 home runs and driving in 67 runs, all while maintaining a .288/.391/.549 slash line—a display of consistency and maturity well beyond his years

For a club that hasn’t had much to cheer for in the standings this summer, having two deserving All-Star selections—both making their first appearances—is a bright spot for Nationals fans who can truly be proud of. In his lone inning of work during the 5th, left-hander MacKenzie Gore delivered a dominant and efficient performance, retiring the side in order with a perfect 1-2-3 frame.

He needed just nine pitches—five of them strikes—to get the job done. Gore faced Junior Caminero, Javier Báez, and Jacob Wilson, and all three grounded out to shortstop Francisco Lindor. Remarkably, he needed only three pitches to get those three outs—one for each batter. It was a clean, composed showing that highlighted Gore’s poise on the big stage of his first All-Star Game.

ATLANTA, GA - For the first time since Major League Baseball introduced its new tiebreaker format in 2022, the All-Star Game required a swing-off to determine a winner, and it ended with the National League on top.

In a dramatic and historic finish at Truist Park, the NL edged out the American League 7-6 in what will go down as one of the most memorable Midsummer Classics in recent history. With the game tied after nine innings, both leagues turned to a three-player, three-swing home run derby to settle the score — a format that had never before been used in an actual All-Star Game.

Despite blowing a six-run lead in the final frames, the NL prevailed in the swing-off, thanks to Kyle Schwarber's clutch performance. With a 3-1 deficit heading into his turn, Schwarber launched three consecutive home runs to put the NL ahead. When AL slugger Jonathan Aranda failed to homer in his final round, the National League walked away with its first All-Star Game win since 2023.

Though no winning or losing pitcher was credited due to the tiebreaker rules, the outcome was officially recorded as a 7-6 NL victory.

"It’ll be interesting to see where that goes," said AL manager Aaron Boone. "There’s probably a world where you could see that in the future, maybe even in the regular season. I wouldn’t be surprised if people start talking about it like that."

The victory marks just the second for the Senior Circuit since 2013. Despite the win, the American League still holds a narrow lead in the all-time series at 48-45-2.

The AL mounted a furious late-game comeback to make it close, after falling behind 6-0 entering the seventh inning. They chipped away at the lead and tied the game in the top of the ninth with key contributions from Bobby Witt Jr. and Steven Kwan. Witt delivered a one-out RBI double off Padres closer Robert Suarez, prompting NL manager Dave Roberts to call on Mets closer Edwin Díaz. Díaz retired the first man he faced, but Kwan’s infield single plated Witt to level the game at six.

Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth for the AL to force the game into the historic tiebreaker.

The evening’s scoring began early, with the NL capitalizing before AL starter Tarik Skubal could record an out. Ketel Marte ripped a two-run double into the right-field corner, driving in Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña Jr. However, Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, quickly settled down and escaped further damage by retiring the next three batters.

Ultimately, it was Kyle Schwarber’s swing-off heroics that secured the win and earned him 2025 All-Star Game MVP honors — an electrifying finish to a game that brought a new edge to baseball’s summer showcase.

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Exclusively for Nats Report+ Subscribers, Bill takes a closer look at the impact that Washington Nationals shortstop prospect Jackson Cluff has been having on the Red Wings. From the article:

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📌 Rob Manfred: MLB won’t cancel the 2028 All-Star Game for the Olympics (Los Angeles Times)

📌 MLB's next labor war (and lockout?) coming in hot: 'Institutionalized collusion' (USA Today)

📌 MLB exploring players participating in 2028 L.A. Olympics (ESPN/Associated Press)