West Palm Beach, FL - This afternoon, Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez met with reporters on day one of Spring Training, addressing a range of topics from player progress and roster construction to the team's overall outlook for the upcoming season. The atmosphere in West Palm Beach is charged with anticipation as the Nationals prepare for what promises to be an exciting year. From CJ Abrams' focused approach to the promising additions to the roster, a palpable sense of optimism surrounds the team. This positive energy, combined with key developments discussed by Martinez, offers much to explore as we look ahead to the season.

Right off the bat, Manager Dave Martinez made it clear that last year is in the rearview mirror, especially when it comes to CJ Abrams. "You know, what happened last year, we'll be on that, behind it," he stated. "He’s onboard and what he means to this whole organization. I talked to him a lot about what he means to me personally. He’s an All-Star." It’s fantastic to hear that CJ is in a good place and has been showing up early, ready to work. "He wants to come out here and play baseball and be the best, best shortstop he could possibly be," Martinez emphasized. We all know what CJ can do on the field, and we can't wait to see him shine this season.

CJ Abrams has clearly been putting in the work this offseason, earning high praise from Dave Martinez. The Nationals hitting coach, Darnell Coles, even spent a day with Abrams during the off-season, returning with "great reports." "He sent me videos of him hitting and his workouts. And he looked like he was engaged and ready to go," Martinez relayed. The results are evident, with Martinez noting that Abrams has added noticeable muscle. "He looks, he looks really good. He does. I mean, he put on good muscle weight," Martinez confirmed, suggesting this added strength could significantly impact his performance.

The team is clearly eager to get back on the field, a sentiment echoed by the enthusiastic Dave Martinez: "It's been great. I've been here for over a week now, and to see all the guys here and coming in and working out every day. It's been awesome," he gushed. He believes in this young core, stating, "This young core of guys that we got are the guys that we feel could be here for a long time." Combine that with the veteran acquisitions, and Martinez is feeling optimistic. "I think, I think this year we're gonna have a really good year."

One player that Martinez is happy to see is first baseman and DH Josh Bell back with the Nationals. Martinez called him "a really good first baseman." He also highlighted the new addition of right-handed pitcher Mike Soroka, an "All-Star" who is "fully healthy" and ready to contribute.

The search for reliable closer and late-inning options remains a priority for the team, and he hinted at the team: “definitely, definitely looking for some more bullpen help if we can.” However, Martinez did express confidence in the current roster. "We feel like we have guys right now…Lopez could do it as well if we need to. So, [Cristian] Pache could do it."

While some might think positions are locked down, Martinez made it clear that it's still early days. "Honestly, I don't see anything locked in right now it's like day one," he said. The focus is on getting everyone through spring training healthy and evaluating the depth of the roster. "We [will] have some tough decisions to make at the end of the camp, I'm sure," he acknowledged, emphasizing the importance of competition.

Regarding the third base situation, Martinez confirmed that Jose Tena will see time at the position, noting that the newly signed Ahmed Rosario will also contribute at third. Martinez wanted to allow José Tena to play third, acknowledging his offseason work. While Tena is currently the primary option at third, Martinez emphasized that it's still early in camp and competition remains open. Martinez mentioned other young players like Brady House and “Yo-Yo” (Yohandy Morales) as potential contenders and even revealed that Juan Yepez has been taking ground balls at third. Ultimately, Martinez stated that they would monitor the situation and see how it plays out, but for now, Tena is their guy at third base.

One specific player that Martinez provided an injury update was Cade Cavalli, who has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery. The promising pitcher's progress has been closely monitored since the procedure, which he underwent in 2023, just seven months after his MLB debut on August 26, 2022. Following a rehab program that extended into past Spring Training last year, Cavalli made three rehab starts before experiencing a setback with a "dead arm" after a three-inning outing with High-A Wilmington on June 21. Despite this, Martinez offered an encouraging update for the right-hander: "Cade [Cavalli] is doing great. He really is. He's healthy." Mindful of his recovery, the Nationals are proceeding cautiously with Cavalli's workload. "We want him when he's when he starts, we want him to finish the season," Martinez emphasized, underscoring the team's commitment to managing his innings effectively for a sustained return to the mound.

Over the offseason, the Nationals signed Japanese pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara, and Martinez had a great first meeting with him. "We had dinner together. Yeah, excited that he's with us, had a great conversation with him," he shared. They discussed the differences in pitching schedules and workload between Japan and Major League Baseball. "He told me at one time he threw 140 pitches in the game at one time. I said, that will never happen here," Martinez joked. Ogasawara is also adjusting to the pitch clock, something he's been working on during the winter.

One point of emphasis that Martinez would like to see with players at the plate is an increased focus on improving their power hitting. "We talked a lot of those guys about that," Martinez said. He mentioned several players with home run potential, including James Wood, Josh Bell, Nathaniel Lowe [who recently was traded to the Nationals during the offseason], Dylan Crews, and CJ Abrams. "C. J. [Abrams], 20 plus home runs. Who's right there and could do it with a little bit more maturity. He could do it as well," he predicted.

Day one is in the books!