They say the third time’s the charm—and for Nasim Núñez, that adage may finally ring true in Washington. The Washington Nationals recalled Núñez on September 1, when rosters expanded to 28 players. This marks his third stint with the big-league club since being plucked from the Marlins’ system in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft.
Sources tell the Nats Report that the Washington Nationals are planning on calling up Nasim Nuñez and left-handed pitcher Andrew Alvarez from Rochester.
Learn more about the lefty Andrew Alvarez
— #TheNatsReport 🇺🇸 ⚾ (#@TheNatsReport)
2:15 AM • Aug 31, 2025
Núñez spent all of last season riding the Nationals’ roster but saw little playing time. Assigned to the Rochester Red Wings this spring, he got an April call-up after Paul DeJong took a fastball to the face. But once again, opportunities were scarce. He was optioned back in June and remained in Triple-A until Labor Day, sharpening his game in relative obscurity.
That patience—and his trademark energy—showed up in his first real chance this week. Given the start at shortstop Wednesday with CJ Abrams resting, Núñez flashed the defense that has long been his calling card. But it was at the plate where the infielder stunned everyone. Slotted ninth in the order, he delivered a career performance: 3-for-4 with two two-run homers, four RBIs, and two runs scored. For a player not known for his bat, it was the kind of night that could earn him another look. If his third stint in Washington has a storyline, this might be the opening chapter.
The Marlins originally drafted Núñez in the second round in 2019, shepherding him up the ladder slowly. By 2022, he was in Double-A Pensacola, where he returned in 2023 to polish his game. That summer, he seized the spotlight at the All-Star Futures Game, driving in three runs and earning MVP honors—an award known as the Larry Doby Award. That performance landed him firmly on general manager Mike Rizzo’s radar, and the Nationals scooped him up that December in the Rule 5 Draft.
His rookie 2024 season was modest: 51 games, mostly as a late-inning defender or pinch runner. He hit just .246 with one RBI but stole eight bags. It was clear his glove was his ticket, but questions lingered about the bat.
This summer in Rochester answered some of those doubts. Núñez played every day, logging 63 games and 201 at-bats. The defensive scouting reports were glowing—Baseball America graded his glove and arm “elite,” while his range at short made the exceptional look routine. If errors showed up in the box score, they were often the kind of misplays that came from trying to make impossible plays possible.
At the plate, June and July brought growing pains, but August delivered a breakthrough. After hitting around .200 for two straight months, Núñez exploded for a .354 average in August with a .421 on-base percentage. He added 18 RBIs, four doubles, a home run, and 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts. The growth was clear: more patience, fewer strikeouts, and complete confidence to match his defensive edge.
Beyond the numbers, though, it’s Núñez’s energy that might matter most. His love for the game radiates in every inning, every dugout interaction, every big smile on the field. That kind of spark is unmeasurable on a stat sheet—but essential for a young team still trying to rediscover its winning culture.
Rochester may miss Núñez, but Washington needs him right now. If his bat keeps up anything close to what we just saw, his third tour in D.C. could finally be the one that sticks.