​The final game of the first half of the 2026 regular season featured the Washington Nationals making an MLB debut. Hours before opening pitch, the Nationals announced that first baseman/designated hitter Abimelec Ortiz was being called up for his first major league appearance. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, left-handed pitcher Matt Krook was designated for assignment.
Ortiz, 24, arrived in Washington after being part of the return package from the Texas Rangers in exchange for starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore. While he had been among the spring training candidates at first base, Ortiz debuted as a designated hitter after proving himself among the minors’ best with Triple-A Rochester. The day closed with a 1-for-2 showing: he grounded into a double play in his first at-bat in the top of the first, then opened the fourth inning with a double to center on a seven-pitch at-bat for his first career hit. He advanced to third when CJ Abrams singled to right, but no further damage followed as Dylan Crews struck out and Daylen Lile grounded into a double play to end the inning. In the sixth, manager Blake Butera used Curtis Mead as a pinch-hitter for Ortiz, and Mead delivered with a 409-foot solo homer to tie the game at two.
Ortiz joined a Nationals club that had been performing well in Rochester, where he had ranked tied for second in doubles (17) and second in RBIs (59), while standing fourth in homers (16) and in extra-base hits (33) with a .239 average over 71 games this season. He had even homered in four consecutive games from May 22 to May 27. After the game, the Nationals announced that Ortiz would be returned to Rochester, while Krook’s time with the organization also came to an end. Krook, 31, had been claimed off waivers from the Athletics just the previous week as the Nationals shuffled the bullpen amid injuries. The lefty appeared three times for Washington, allowing no earned runs in his first two appearances, and 2.1 innings overall in his brief stint with the team, though his final outing featured a high-profile mistake. With the Nationals leading 3-2 at the start of the top of the ninth, Krook surrendered a two-run homer to Jazz Chisholm Jr. in what became a 5-3 loss to the New York Yankees in the series opener and marked the culmination of a disappointing period following a rough end to his time with Oakland, where he posted a 17.18 ERA and 2.73 WHIP in the second season.
Meanwhile, the Nationals headed into the All-Star break with three players set to appear in the Mid-Summer Classic after Foster Griffin received the late nod. The Nationals Roundtable continues to cultivate a fan community, inviting supporters to join in discussions about all things N.