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Vivas is hitting .410 with two homers in 11 games. The 25-year-old’s first full season in the majors with the Nationals came with the expected strong plate discipline and very little power, as he finished at .238/.332/.322 in 364 plate appearances. He has outlasted fellow left-handed-hitting infielder José Tena on the roster, but he probably won’t be promised anything in spring training. Since he’s not viewed as even an occasional option at shortstop, it will definitely hurt his chances of sticking around if the team decides to make CJ Abrams a full-time second baseman.

Vivas’ lone hit on the night was a two-RBI double that put the Nationals up 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Vivas has now hit safely in his last three games and has doubled three times this month.

No word yet on the reason for the swap. Nasim Nuñez takes over at shortstop with CJ Abrams moving to DH and José Tena getting the nod at second base.

Vivas was going to be the hero after taking Orion Kerkering deep and giving the Nationals an 8-6 lead in the bottom of the eighth tonight, but the Phillies had other ideas, scoring eight runs in the ninth. Vivas’s homer, his third in 228 plate appearances since he debuted with the Yankees last year, was sent 410 feet to center. That’s 23 feet farther than any other ball he’d hit as a major leaguer. He’s batting a respectable .259/.340/.353 in 162 plate appearances this season, but the start tonight was only his second in the Nationals’ last eight games, as he’s lost at-bats since Curtis Mead emerged.

Vivas, 25, debuted with the Yankees in 2025, hitting .161 (9-for-56) with one homer and five RBI over 29 games. Vivas is out of minor league options, so it’s likely that the Nationals intend to carry him on the Opening Day roster.