{
  "id": 14757741,
  "title": "Harry Ford did not live up to expectations in his first year with the Washington Nationals",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/harry-ford-did-not-live-up-to-expectations-in-his-first-year-with-the",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-15T18:10:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/harry-ford-did-not-live-181000933.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the first year with the Washington Nationals, Harry Ford did not live up to the expectations set for him. Acquired by the team in a trade, the 23-year-old catcher was expected to become the future of the organization. However, this season turned out to be a surprise for Ford and the Nationals. Initially, Ford struggled in Triple-A, posting a .868 OPS last year. When he started the season, he was hitting .188 with a .557 OPS. The Nationals' expectations were not met when it came to Ford's power and plate discipline. Despite this, Jose A. Ferrer proved to be a borderline elite reliever, with a 4.18 ERA and 4.09 FIP in 73 outings. As Ford moved up to the majors, he only managed a .190 batting average, with a .664 OPS. His struggles continued with his blocking, resulting in a -2 FRV and a -1 DRS. Ford's power was a significant concern, with his average exit velocity dropping from 88.8 MPH in 2025 to 84.9 MPH in the big leagues. His average EV also decreased from 103.4 MPH to 101.2 MPH. Ford's plate discipline, however, remained strong. His ability to draw walks and a solid defense make him a valuable backup catcher. The biggest challenge for Ford is regaining his power stroke, which he hopes to achieve through a healthy offseason. If he can improve his bat speed, Ford could become a solid big league catcher, potentially splitting reps with Keibert Ruiz.",
  "summary": "Harry Ford was expected to emerge as the Nats catcher of the future, but that did not quite happen in 2026",
  "key_points": [
    "Harry Ford failed to meet Washington Nationals' expectations in his first year.",
    "Struggled with power and plate discipline, hitting .188 with .557 OPS.",
    "Jose A. Ferrer emerged as a borderline elite reliever with 4.18 ERA."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}