In Anaheim, California, Washington’s power hitter James Wood achieved a rare feat by becoming the first major league player since Barry Bonds to be intentionally walked four times in a single game. This milestone occurred during an 11-inning 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Notably, Bonds had four intentional walks in separate games back in 2004. Historically, from at least 1955, players such as Roger Maris, Garry Templeton, Manny Ramirez, and Andre Dawson have seen multiple intentional walks, with Dawson receiving five in a game against the Chicago Cubs on May 22, 1990. In Wood’s case, his intentional walks took place at various points in the game—in the fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh innings.
Fan Take: James Wood’s performance highlights how dominant offensive players can influence game strategies to an extreme, like multiple intentional walks. This kind of respect and caution from opposing teams underscores his impact and could signal a shift toward seeing more tactical pitching approaches in high-stakes games.
