It's no secret that the Washington Nationals have a problem allowing runs. The majority of blame rests on the pitching staff, but Jacob Young's limited playing time also has a cost.
Since Dylan Crews was recalled on May 19, Young has started just 58.5 percent of Nationals games. Prior to Crews being recalled, Young saw starts in 40 of the Nationals' first 46 games this season.
Offensively, Young has remained roughly the same player he was in 2025. He's unlikely to carry a lineup, but his production also has not cratered enough to negate his elite defensive value.
Young leads the National with 12 Outs Above Average, with Crews and Daylen Lile at second and third on the team with two OAA each.
Outs Above Average estimates how many plays a defender makes compared to the average fielder at his position. Young's +12 ranks among the best center fielders in baseball and is six times higher than any other Nationals outfielder.
Sitting Young for Crews came to a head as the team went into the MLB All-Star break on the heels of a series sweep by the New York Yankees in which the Nationals led after seven innings in each game.
In the series finale, it was Crews who leapt into the angled left-center field wall near the visiting bullpen and his misjudgement resulted in two runs scoring and the Yankees securing a late lead. A late sacrifice fly saw Crews call off James Wood only to hurl the ball off-target and allow the Yankees to increase the lead to 5-3 headed into the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Yankees series illustrated the razor-thin margins the Nationals face defensively. While one misplayed ball doesn't define Crews as a defender, it underscores the value of having one of baseball's premier defensive center fielders patrolling the position.
After the break, Young saw starts in two of the Nationals' three games against the Athletics in Sacramento, applying his defensive ability in the team's 23-4 and 5-2 wins out west.
Young's bat came alive to start the series against the Colorado Rockies, tallying three hits in four at bats with a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning.
While Crews and Lile each notched home runs as part of the series, Young actually led the trio with a .364 batting average across 12 plate appearances.
The Nationals have spent much of the 2026 campaign figuring out how to keep opposing runs off the scoreboard, but also remain focused on developing talent.
Manager Blake Butera has tough decisions to make in balancing reps for Crews and Lile with winning games as long as the Nationals remain in the mix for a Wild Card spot.
Giving more opportunity to Young in center field could tip the scale in favor of the Nationals during the second half of the season.
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