Nasim Nuñez gave the Nationals a little more history to carry out of Comerica Park on Wednesday, swiping his 49th base of the season in a 4-2 win over the Tigers and setting the club’s single-season stolen-base record for the Washington era.
The shortstop entered the night tied with CJ Abrams, whose 47-steal season in 2023 had stood as the Nationals’ best mark since the franchise arrived in Washington in 2005. Nuñez needed one more to move past Abrams, then took two in the seventh inning to push the new standard to 49.
After lining a single against Detroit reliever Jacob Waguespack, Nuñez wasted little time turning a baserunner into a problem. With James Wood batting, he broke for second and reached a sprint speed of 30 feet per second, well above the 27-foot-per-second league average for a competitive running play.
Nuñez did not stop there. He moved on to third, losing his helmet along the way, and slid in safely with an outstretched arm. His measured speed on that steal was 28.7 feet per second, and the second swipe of the inning put him alone atop the Nationals record book.
Clear head, quick feet
Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni had pointed to Nuñez’s approach on the bases earlier in the season, saying the runner’s instincts show up because he does not let the moment get crowded in his head.
“Players can sometimes hesitate or think too much when they are looking to steal,” Toboni said in May. “He stays remarkably clear-minded on the bases, and that lets his athletic ability and instincts take over.”
Nuñez entered the final three games of the season with a chance to become the first Nationals player to reach 50 steals in a year. He also remained the major league leader, ahead of Tampa Bay’s Chandler Simpson, who had 46. Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong ranked second in the National League with 39.
For Washington, the 4-2 victory came with the usual satisfaction of a road win. Nuñez’s seventh inning made it something more: a record-breaking burst of speed, a helmet in the dirt and a new number for Nationals runners to chase.
