Williams focused on positives from Nationals debut

WASHINGTON -- The Nationals signed Trevor Williams in the offseason as a veteran presence for a starting rotation that was constructed to include three pitchers 25 and younger. Just as Williams, 30, is sharing his experience, he is also getting back to a role he has not held since 2020: a full-time starter.

Making his first outing with the Nationals on Monday -- and first start since Aug. 20 -- Williams allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits -- two of them homers -- and one walk in Washington’s 6-2 loss to the 4-0 Rays at Nationals Park.

“They put some good swings on pitches that I made mistakes on,” said Williams. “But overall, I executed some big pitches when I needed to. Me and [catcher] Keibert [Ruiz] were on the same page all game, which was awesome. Overall, I think there’s a lot of positives we can take from this loss and carry over into the next start.”

Since debuting in 2016, Williams had started in 118 of his 159 games. He made 21 of his 30 appearances out of the bullpen in ‘22 with the Mets, including seven consecutive relief outings to end the year. He threw six innings in relief in the season finale against the Nationals.

This offseason, Williams was the only free agent to ink a multiyear contract with the Nationals, at two years worth $13 million. The plan was for him to join fellow veteran Patrick Corbin and Josiah Gray, 25, MacKenzie Gore, 24, and Cade Cavalli, 24. Chad Kuhl stepped into the rotation after Cavalli underwent Tommy John surgery during Spring Training.

“I’m thankful that [general manager] Mike Rizzo gave me an opportunity here,” said Williams. “I’m hopefully earning [manager Dave Martinez’s] trust out there as a starter. But I will be better in the next five days, and I look forward to getting ready for my start in Colorado.”

Williams struck out the leadoff batter in each of the first three frames, and he threw 59 of his 93 pitches for strikes. But he allowed a pair of homers -- to Luke Raley in the first inning and to Isaac Paredes in the fourth -- to fall behind, 4-0.

“You had some unfortunate plays -- a couple balls he left up and got hit hard,” said Martinez. “… He wanted to go back out for the sixth inning, because that’s just who he is, but at five innings and 90-plus pitches, I thought that was good.”

Williams noted that the area he would like to improve was “fielding my position.” In the second inning, Josh Lowe and Manuel Margot hit dribblers to Williams in consecutive at-bats. Both reached safely. Williams tripped while going after Margot’s ground ball and flicked the ball to Dominic Smith at first base, where Margot knocked off Smith’s glove.

“It is frustrating, because when you get weak contact, you’re hoping that turns into an out, especially when I’m the one going after it,” Williams said. “It’s a play that I need to make two times, and unfortunately, it was a bad bounce our way and it led to a couple of runs.”

Looking ahead, Ruiz plans to hone in with Williams on attacking the strike zone, mixing up pitches when needed and inducing weak contact.

“He’s not afraid. … No matter what the result, he’s just going to compete in the game,” said Ruiz.

As a pitcher who has filled multiple roles, Williams will collaborate with his teammates, too, between starts when needed.

“He’s been unbelievable, he really has,” Martinez said. “He communicates really well with our young guys -- both position players and pitchers. He’s just one of those team guys, [a] good clubhouse guy. He gets it, he understands the game and he tries to help out any way possible.”