WEST PALM BEACH, Fla - Shinnosuka Ogasawara's first spring training appearance with the Washington Nationals has left a positive impression on manager Dave Martinez. Despite a long flight and late arrival the night before, Ogasawara was eager to get on the mound. "He was antsy today to get out there," Martinez commented, adding that Ogasawara even admitted to feeling like a rookie. However, nerves were quickly dispelled as he "threw the ball well."

Martinez emphasized the importance of observing Ogasawara's "poise and how he handles himself" in this new environment. While Ogasawara has been working with the new baseballs and rosin provided by the team, the routine of pitching every five days in MLB will be a significant adjustment. "His routine is going to be different," Martinez explained. "It's going to take some getting used to." The focus for now is ensuring Ogasawara gets his work in and feels comfortable with the team's expectations.

One aspect of Ogasawara's game that has already impressed Martinez is his pace. "When I saw his video, he works pretty quickly. So, that's great," he said. Ogasawara's enthusiasm was so apparent that Martinez had to slow him down a bit during his 40-pitch outing. "He wants to keep going," Martinez chuckled. "I actually slowed him down a little bit so that he could catch a deep breath. He threw 40 pitches. I told him at 20 to stop for a few minutes. Let's talk a little bit and then get back on the mound. And he did that, and he did it well."

The Nationals are taking a thoughtful approach to Ogasawara's spring training program. "We're gonna sit down with him later today and talk a lot more about the routine," Martinez stated. He also mentioned that pitching coach Jim Hickey will provide Ogasawara with a plan, which they will review together, making adjustments as needed.

Martinez recognizes the challenges of transitioning to a new country and a new league. "I tell everybody the same thing, even when Latin players come over from another country," he said. "I tell all the guys that have been here their whole lives just to imagine going to another country, you know, for months and have to adjust. It's tough." He emphasized the team's commitment to supporting every player through this process. Ogasawara's eagerness to join the team has been evident. "He didn't want to miss any time," Martinez noted. "He just wants to fit in, you know, he wants to be one of the guys, and we appreciate that."

The Nationals' clubhouse is a welcoming environment for Ogasawara. Martinez highlighted the team's mix of youth and veteran leadership. "We're young, you know, we're young, we're full of energy," he said. "We have a lot of guys that are full of energy. And we got some veteran presence with Trevor in there and so many other guys have been around for a few years now." He also mentioned that Gerardo Parra, who played in Japan, has been instrumental in making Ogasawara feel at home. "Parra gave him a big welcome," Martinez shared. "He knows Parra as a Baby Shark. So they meshed there for a while. So Parra just makes, make him feel comfortable."

Adding to the day's excitement, former Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka was also present at the training facility. Martinez expressed his admiration for Matsuzaka's career and his impact on MLB. "He was a guy that came over and had an unbelievable career, you know, and did some special things," Martinez said. He suggested that Ogasawara could learn valuable lessons from Matsuzaka's experience of transitioning to the major leagues. "So, [Shinnosuka Ogasawara] should pick his brain on how he made the adjustments to come here," he advised. Seeing Matsuzaka was a highlight for Martinez. "It was awesome. It was awesome to see him, man," he exclaimed.

Injury update:

Martinez gave an update on reliever Mason Thompson, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the 2024 season. Martinez said that Thompson will begin throwing off flat ground and long tosses in the coming days before progressing to bullpen work.