Lipscomb, Nuñez bring fun brotherhood to Nats

June 23rd, 2024

This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

DENVER -- and entered Spring Training knowing of each other from the Arizona Fall League. That familiarity turned into a close friendship during camp with the Nationals, and it has helped the rookie infielders take their first steps in the Major Leagues.

“All the guys in there make you feel comfortable, even the coaching staff,” Lipscomb said. “But having a guy that’s around your age next to you and shares the same ideas as you and you guys have fun together, I think that helps out a lot, because you can just go be yourself and don’t have to worry about anything.”

Lipscomb, a 2022 third-round Draft pick of the Nationals, was one of several top prospects invited to big league Spring Training this year.

Nuñez, a 2019 second-round pick of the Marlins, was acquired by the Nationals last winter in the Rule 5 Draft and added to the 40-man roster.

The then 23-year-olds (their birthdays are two months apart) quickly bonded in the clubhouse.

“It was just two goofy people – goofies get along,” Nuñez said with a smile. “We just like to have fun, make jokes and that’s really what started our friendship.”

Lipscomb and Nuñez sat among a group of lockers that included James Wood (Nationals' No. 1 prospect, No. 4 overall), Dylan Crews (Nats' No. 2 prospect, No. 6 overall), Brady House (Washington's No. 3 prospect, No. 36 overall), Robert Hassell III (No. 8 prospect) and Darren Baker (No. 22 prospect), with the club’s goal to build a foundation with its young core.

“I love it,” said manager Dave Martinez. “It’s part of trying to bring some of those young kids up here and get a hold on what we’re trying to do, because all these guys we felt like were going to be up here at some point in time. For them to get to know each other in Spring Training, and start building those relationships, has definitely helped so far. Those guys are really close, and they feed off of each other.”

The more time Lipscomb and Nuñez – who refer to each other as “Twin” – spent together, the more similarities they discovered.

“I would say that it’s kind of one of the relationships where you see something funny on Twitter, you send it to him. Or you see something funny on Instagram, and he’s the first one that pops up, it’s going to him,” Lipscomb said. “We think everything that we have in common is funny. Every video I think is funny, he thinks is funny. I really like hanging out around him, too.”

The duo also discovered a shared interest in clothing and fashion. During Spring Training, Lipscomb suggested they go thrifting in West Palm Beach, Fla. In May, they met up again at a store on a road trip in Philadelphia.

“You can find some vintage stuff in there,” Nuñez said. “You actually have to look, it’s not like everything in front of your face is nice … We’d be all the way on different ends of the store and be like, ‘Bro, I found this!’”

Lipscomb and Nuñez soak up their time as teammates. Nuñez made the Opening Day roster. Lipscomb began the season with Triple-A Rochester, was called up in the first series in place of an injured Nick Senzel and he is in his third stint with the Nats. While the friends keep in touch via FaceTime and text when they are playing on different levels, it does not replicate the in-person camaraderie.

“It’s for sure better,” Nuñez said. “It just makes the days go by much smoother.”

Lipscomb and Nuñez were in the starting lineup together on Wednesday against the D-backs. This season, Lipscomb has appeared in 37 games (including 30 starts at third base, two starts at first base and two starts at second base) and Nuñez has played in 17 games (three starts at shortstop).

“It’s dope,” said Nuñez. “We can talk about things outside of the field and at the field. It’s the best of both worlds."