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WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Abimelec Ortiz #81 of the Washington Nationals poses for a photo during the Washington Nationals Photo Day at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 20, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first piece of the MacKenzie Gore trade is coming to the show. Abimelec Ortiz is getting called up, and will be hitting third today against the Yankees. As the Nats look to add some lefty thump against right hander Will Warren, they turned to Ortiz who was already on the 40-man.
It would not be overly shocking if Ortiz were sent down after this game honestly. This is the last game before the All-Star Break, and clearly the Nats wanted to put as many lefty thumpers as possible in the game against Will Warren. Even if it is just for one game, this is an amazing moment for Ortiz.
The burly slugger has come a long way since signing with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He has done nothing but mash in the minor leagues, with 114 homers and a career .837 OPS. This season, Ortiz is only hitting .235, but his OPS is .813 and he has 16 homers.
Despite the low average, it is not like Ortiz is a guy who strikes out a ton. His strikeout rate in AAA this season is under 20% and his contact rates are solid for a player of his profile. Ortiz makes more contact than you would think, but power is still the name of the game for the 24 year old. He will be in the lineup to mash.
As we touched on up top, this will be the first piece of the MacKenzie Gore package to reach the big leagues. So far, that trade looks like a really good one for the Nats. Gore has an ERA of 4.72 on the season, while the 5 prospect haul has looked good for the Nats.
Between Ortiz, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Gavin Fien and Yeremy Cabrera, the Nats have gotten a lot of minor league production so far. While Fitz-Gerald and Cabrera have slowed down following promotions, they have still had very strong seasons and have seen their stock rise.
Now we are seeing the first of those pieces hit the MLB level. I think it is a smart move to bring Ortiz up today in particular. Will Warren has struggled against left handed hitters and Ortiz has handled righties. Ortiz has an .847 OPS and 12 homers against right handed pitching in AAA.
Overall, this is a good day for the organization. Even if it is only for one game, it will be cool to see Ortiz in the show. That MacKenzie Gore trade was a really good bet by this front office. It really seems like they sold him at the right time.
Now we get to see a slugging DH who could be a fan favorite if he produces. Hopefully Ortiz has a big moment in his debut. The Nats could use a positive moment given how the last two days have gone. Staying above .500 heading into the All-Star Break feels very important, and hopefully Abimelec Ortiz can help make that happen for the Nats.
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