After the Washington Nationals traded away outfielder Jesse Winker before the trade deadline, the ballclub called up (no pun intended) veteran Alex Call on July 29. The team then traded outfielder Lane Thomas the next day, giving Call an even bigger chance to shine in the Nats’ outfield again.
Since his promotion, Call has looked stellar for Washington, with his stat line in that time (as of August 7) showing a .444 batting average (1st in the National League), a .545 OBP (2nd in NL), a 1.249 OPS (2nd in NL), six walks (T-3rd in NL), and four doubles (T-4th in NL).
In nine games, Alex Call is batting .444, with a homer, seven RBIs, six walks, two stolen bases and several impressive plays in right field.
How he is making the most of his opportunity. https://t.co/JbEIuFvvlL
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) August 8, 2024
Nationals Outfielder Alex Call Looking Strong Since Second Callup
While he started the season and has played a majority of his games at Triple-A Rochester, Call has played in 16 MLB contests during the 2024 season, with 10 of those appearances taking place after his most recent call-up on July 29. Through those 17 games, the 29-year-old outfielder is currently batting a stellar .396 with eight RBI and a 1.071 OPS. His lone home run, which happened to be a three-run homer, came in his first game back on July 29 in a 9-8 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Call has stepped up defensively in right field as well. In the top of the eighth of Wednesday night’s contest, San Francisco Giants designated hitter Jerar Encarnacion drove a ball deep to right field, but Call made a diving catch against the wall for the out. He also made another diving catch in right field earlier in that same game. Call should continue to step up in an outfield that currently includes rookie James Wood in left field and Jacob Young in center field.
Earlier Callup in the Spring
Call actually had an earlier, albeit short-lived, major league call-up back in late April when he played in six games for the Nationals from April 29 to May 4. During that time, the outfielder had six total hits in 16 plate appearances, including an RBI, a double, and six runs. In his first game against the Miami Marlins, Call went 2-for-2 at the plate with three runs scored and two walks, contributing to the Nationals’ 12-9 win that day.
Righties vs. Lefties
In terms of splits, Call seems to have faced more right-handed pitchers over left-handed pitchers this season, but has fared very well both ways. In his 12 games against right-handers, the outfielder has slashed .414/.528/.552 with 12 hits, four doubles, and an OPS of 1.080. However, Call hasn’t been too shabby against left-handed pitchers either. In eight contests against lefties, he has a slash line of .357/.500/.643 along with five hits, a home run, a double, and an OPS of 1.143.
Call’s Career in the Major Leagues
Call was originally drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 2016 MLB Draft, but was then traded to the Cleveland Guardians (then Indians) in December 2018. He made his MLB debut with the Guardians in 2022 but was DFA’d in August and claimed off waivers by the Nationals shortly afterward. In 35 games for Washington in 2022, Call batted .245/.330/.441 with five home runs and 13 RBI. The outfielder then played in 128 games for Washington in 2023, where he hit .200/.307/.307 with eight home runs, 38 RBI, and nine stolen bases.
How Could Call Fare the Rest of the Season?
For a majority of his second MLB stint of the season, Call had batted late in the lineup, but has now been switched to batting second in the lineup starting on August 7. We should also keep an eye on if he stays in the majors long enough in case the Nationals decide to call up prospect Dylan Crews.
Photo Credit: © Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports
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