“We saw a lot of growth last year,” Davey Martinez told reporters at the winter meetings about his expectations regarding the Washington Nationals’ identity as a team in 2024. We want them to be hungry and ready. ”
It’s been two-and-a-half years since the team embarked on a restart ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, but Martinez said the team has made progress and, in his opinion, the club has improved from 2012-19. He said he is almost back to being the competitive team he was.
“It’s almost there. We really are,” he said.
“They feel like they can do something special. Our core of young players started to understand that toward the end of the year. So I want them to build on that and go into the spring. We want you to be ready for training.”
And when he says they are “close”? What exactly does that mean?
“There are still some pieces we need to add,” Martinez explained. “When I say that, there are still a lot of young kids that could help us in the Brady family. [James] Even a tree [Robert] Hassell [III], [Trey] Lipscomb — I saw them play in the fall league — those guys are coming. The future is bright here, it really is. I’m really looking forward to it. ”
Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
“We feel like we took a step in the right direction last year,” general manager Mike Rizzo said when asked about his team’s 71-91 record, an improvement of 16 wins from the 55-win total in 2022. Try to promote another roster so we can take another step forward and tackle the great divisions we have to address. We understand the challenge in front of us, and I think we’re a capable group, and I think we’ve seen in the past that we’ve done it, and we can I think that will happen in the future. ”
Veteran relief pitcher Dylan Floro, who signed a one-year/$2.25 million free agent contract with the club this winter, shows signs that the Nationals are on the right track to becoming competitive again in the National League East. He said he was there.
“I’ve seen they have young talent and I can see progress being made in this area.” [near] “In the future,” Frollo said.
Nick Senzel signed a one-year/$2 million contract with the Nationals and said he too wants to join the club soon and help them take the next step.
“Last year when we played in Cincinnati, obviously when I was there, it was like a bunch of young guys coming in and a bunch of older guys, but obviously with trades and stuff like that, there was a lot of young talent. “There was a complete overhaul,” he said in comparison to his former player. Regarding the club’s and Nationals’ respective restarts/rebuilds, “…just having the youth gives you excitement and energy. To watch them play from the other side against the Nationals who brought it to us. We did it. I could see them playing with energy and energy.”I was excited and saw the similarities. So it’s going to be exciting. It should be an easy transition going to a group of many young men. Just try to coach them and match your energy level with theirs. Because that young man has so much energy and that’s a great thing for life. He’s great for the team, he’s great for the clubhouse. ”
