Gray's improvements paying off in a big way

JUPITER, Fla. -- Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray was in midseason form on Tuesday afternoon, pitching six shutout innings, allowing four hits and striking out five batters in a 4-4 tie with the Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. This spring, Gray has a 0.73 ERA in 12 1/3 innings.

Gray threw 85 pitches in the game, but if he was pitching during the regular season, the team would have allowed him to go into the seventh or eighth inning, according to pitching coach Jim Hickey. Gray threw mostly cutters and sliders with success.

“It’s the best I’ve seen him in quite some time,” Hickey said about Gray. “He had only two three-ball counts for the entire day. That’s pretty amazing if you think about how many batters he faced [23]. He used all of his pitches. He has been trying to utilize the changeup and a cutter.”

Gray is doing everything Hickey asked him to do this winter. Last season, Hickey noticed that the right-hander was leaving his front side open when he was throwing the baseball. It led to a lot of home runs (38) and walks (66) in 148 2/3 innings. It has been a different story this spring. The shoulder is closed, and Gray has allowed one walk without surrendering a home run.

“We are trying to minimize his front side. He is not losing his arm-side misses, and that would indicate that it is helping him out a little bit,” Hickey said.

By adding the cutter, it’s just another weapon in his repertoire, which includes a changeup, curve, slider, four-seam fastball and sinker. As Gray put it, he wants to get softer contact instead of the hitters seeing swing-and-miss stuff.

“I think [the cutter] is going to work hand in hand with the fastball and slider -- just kind of in between both of those -- and really be a good pitch,” Gray said.

While it has not been announced, Gray is expected to start the second game of the season against the Braves on April 1.

Fourth man: Alex Call has had a nice spring, going 14-for-43 (.326) with four RBIs. On Tuesday, manager Dave Martinez announced that Call made the Opening Day roster as the fourth outfielder.

“He has done really well,” Martinez said. “He is a pesky guy, and he put some good at-bats together this spring. He will accept his walks, he will have long at-bats and he will put the ball in play.”

Call was acquired off waivers from the Guardians last August. Martinez sees a difference in Call’s personality. He has been more outgoing.

One healthy lefty in the bullpen: The Nationals currently have one left-handed reliever in camp, and that’s Anthony Banda. After Tuesday’s action against the Cardinals, Banda is second on the team with 12 strikeouts and tied for second in appearances (8), but he has allowed seven runs in 9 1/3 innings. Martinez wouldn’t say if Banda will make the team out of Spring Training.

“Every time he goes out, he’s throwing the ball a lot better,” Martinez said. “The biggest thing with him is [throwing] strikes, and he has good stuff. But he has to pound the strike zone. That’s something we are going to look for in his next few outings.”

Adjusting to the ‘pen: Right-hander Thaddeus Ward, 26, has been a starter throughout his career until this season. If he makes the Opening Day roster, it will be as a reliever. Ward has made eight appearances this spring and has allowed four runs in 8 2/3 innings.

After every appearance, Martinez asks Ward how he is doing because he recently recovered from Tommy John surgery, which he had in June 2021.

“This is a new role for him,” Martinez said about Ward. “But he has accepted it. The biggest thing for him is efficiency, getting quick outs and utilizing all of his pitches and trying to get out of the inning as quick as possible, and he has done that this spring. I love his makeup and I love his stuff. He has a good sinker and a really good slider.”

Worth noting: Gray said he would like to play in the World Baseball Classic in 2026. The level of excitement in the Classic this year has piqued his interest.

“This year, the level of excitement has [increased], whether it’s just the players are better or social media is kind of engaged in it a little bit more,” Gray said. “It‘s been fun watching those guys. If they ever approached me in 2026 and [said], ‘Hey, you want to come and pitch for us?’ That’s a decision I want to do. It’s out of my hands. I want to do what I can now. If they come calling in a few years, it would be a lot of fun."