Williams posts scoreless start for 'hungry and passionate' Nats

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Making his first start of the spring, Trevor Williams set the tone -- hopefully for the rest of the season -- on Monday afternoon in the Nationals’ 1-0 shutout win over the Cardinals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches.

Williams, who had a rough 2023 (a 5.55 ERA over 30 starts, 144 1/3 innings) -- in part due to a tough second half -- is looking to get back on track. Monday’s outing was the perfect way to start. Williams went two innings, then threw 15 additional pitches in the bullpen after exiting.

“At this point in Spring Training, we want to get as much volume as possible,” Williams said. “Thankfully we were able to get to full length today. … I think it was successful in that sense.”

This season, Williams is already tinkering with his arsenal and his approach to batters. It’s something he’s been thinking about since the end of 2023. For Williams -- who wants to get to 185 innings this year -- adjusting his offerings so that he’s utilizing his arsenal is a key step in ensuring he can make 30-some starts.

“We’re trying to see what is the most effective,” Williams said. “That’s the beautiful thing about pitching year-to-year, [finding] what works and what doesn’t. And the league will adjust to you, and you have to adjust back.

“[Today] I moved over a little bit on the rubber, just to give pitches certain looks in the zone longer. … [It’s] such a small adjustment but when you slide over, even if it’s just like, four or five inches, it feels so foreign. So being able to know where my arm slot is, or how to make that in-game adjustment with your body to know [that] if I miss arm-side, you see where you land and you’re like, ‘Gosh, it’s like six inches further to the left than what I’m usually used to.’ … We were able to pound the zone today [while] making those little adjustments, so that was positive.”

“Today was all about pitch efficiency,” manager Dave Martinez said. “I think last year really helped [Williams] understand who he is. I think he’s going to be a lot better [this year]. Plus, he ran out of gas last year. … I think getting that under his belt, this year it might be better.”

How ‘24 camp is different
As a skipper, Martinez is being more vocal this spring. It’s part of ensuring that all of his players -- the Major and Minor Leaguers -- are on the same page. And, that all have bought into what the Nationals are doing.

“It’s about teaching and having these moments where I can get them and talk a little bit more, maybe one-on-one, maybe in a group,” Martinez said. “Some of these guys that I have, they’ve learned the game, they really have. So now just getting them ready for that next jump, you know? Like, playing in the Major Leagues, being consistent, playing in front of 35,000, 40,000 people on a daily basis. A lot of talking about the process and preparation, and communication.

“I tell them, ‘Hey, we’re here to help you be the best version of you, times two. That’s our job. And we will help you do that. But you gotta buy in.”

So far, it’s fair to say those young players have been buying in. From day one, Martinez has been active in communicating the goal to both Minor League coordinators and players alike. With so many players having bought in, it’s brought a different flavor to camp.

“They’re hungry and passionate,” Martinez said. “This camp has been going real well.”

Up next
After a day off on Tuesday, the Nats will go to Patrick Corbin vs. the Marlins in Jupiter on Wednesday. On Thursday, Jake Irvin will start vs. the Mets in Port St. Lucie, while MacKenzie Gore will get a start in a Minor League game on the back fields in West Palm Beach. Josiah Gray will start Friday vs. the Cardinals.

Washington wants Irvin -- who is part of the rotation but has been coming out of the bullpen as he ramps up -- to get some reps as a starter. Between those already rostered and those signed to Minor League deals this offseason, the Nats have a plethora of pitchers building up their workloads -- so more appearances in back field sim games and Minor League games are likely as the spring progresses.