2 weeks Ago By Mike J. Asti, Yardbarker
Josh Bell's first hit of the 2025 season was a big one. The Washington Nationals ' designated hitter did enough damage with one swing of the bat that it was all Washington needed to beat the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. To help his team avoid a season-opening sweep at the hands of a division rival, Bell crushed a fourth-inning, four-seam fastball over the fence.
Bell's mammoth homer traveled exactly 400 feet and also sent two base runners home with him. Washington would end up picking up its first win of the season, 5-1. JOSH??? NAME RINGS A BELL pic.
twitter.com/RwsbtPFqy5 Maybe leaving the first series with one homer already on the board is a sign Bell could be poised to reclaim the power he had early in his career. After hitting 37 bombs in 2019 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bell has never been able to come close to approaching that number again.
Last season, Bell connected on 19 home runs between time with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Miami Marlins. He blasted 22 in 2023 with the Cleveland Guardians and Miami. But maybe being back in D.
C. will lead to good things for the former All-Star. Aside from his big season in Pittsburgh, Bell's next best total (27) came during his first tenure with the Nationals in 2021.
He also posted his second highest slugging percentage (.476) in that same season. "So happy to be back with the Nationals," said a happy Bell after the game in a video posted to the team's X account.
josh bell audio book club pic.twitter.com/YDwlNeBopb And while most aren't high on Washington's chances this year, Bell will certainly be relied upon to provide some power for the heart of the Nationals' lineup.
Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market.
