The hottest hitter to start the 2026 MLB season has come out of nowhere. Washington Nationals outfielder Joey Wiemer reached base on each of his first 12 plate appearances.
Key takeaways
Quick scan — what you need to know:
- The hottest hitter to start the 2026 MLB season has come out of nowhere.
- Washington Nationals outfielder Joey Wiemer reached base on each of his first 12 plate appearances.
- He went 3-for-3 on Opening Day with a home run and a walk, and followed that up with the same statline on Sunday, helping the Nationals to two wins over the Chicago Cubs.
- He continued that hot start on Monday, when he went 2-for-4 with a run in Washington's 13-2 win against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Background
What led here, in plain terms:
- Wiemer has batted all around the lineup, hitting fifth on Opening Day and on Sunday, and batting ninth on Monday.
- He's made the most of his opportunity as Wiemer wasn't expected to be on Washington's major league roster to start the season.
- Wiemer tied a major-league record by reaching base in 10 straight at-bats to start the season.
- The previous player to do so was former first baseman Carlos Delgado, who did it in 2002.
Why it matters
Why readers and decision-makers should care:
- So, he moved onto his sixth team in four seasons, as the Nationals picked up his contract before this season, and he found himself in a battle for an outfield spot with Washington's top prospect,…
- But Crews struggled in Spring Training, hitting .103 in 29 at-bats, and Weimer won the battle for an outfield position.
- He's since capitalized on that opportunity.