LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- For the Rays, the first leg of this strange spring is nearly over. After roughly two weeks as short-term tenants at Disney World, the team completed its final full squad workout at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex on Friday, its sights set westward and on Grapefruit League play.

With the exhibition season beginning Saturday, here are a few observations from the first fortnight of Rays camp:

1) These Rays are motivated
That early postseason exit the Rays suffered at the hands of the Guardians in the AL Wild Card Series last October? Yeah, it didn’t sit well with the team’s many returning regulars, who are hungry to return to the postseason and advance deeper this time around. The lack of new faces in camp -- 90 percent of the team’s 40-man roster are holdovers from last year -- seems to have galvanized this group even more.

“We were close,” said starter Shane McClanahan. “We were so close. We were in both of those games. One pitch or one hit, and I feel like it's a different outcome. All the guys came into camp after working their butts off all offseason, and it feels like we didn't skip a beat. Everyone is really excited to see each other, we’re all happy to be here. We got that taste last year and the year before, and I think we want more.”

Added first baseman Yandy Díaz: “I think this is the best team in MLB. I always say that, and I’m going to continue saying it.”

2) They are (pretty much) injury-free
While it has been a complicated spring logistically for the Rays, it has been otherwise quiet on the news and injury fronts -- and that’s how Tampa Bay likes it. Getting through camp healthy is always a goal for every team, and the Rays can be satisfied that their two-week stay in Disney didn’t include many hiccups in that regard. The only limited Rays are utility infielder Taylor Walls (oblique) and middle relievers Shawn Armstrong (neck) and Calvin Faucher (oblique) -- plus righties Andrew Kittredge and Shane Baz, who are recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The concern level for others with notable injury histories appears to be receding further into the rearview mirror. Brandon Lowe (back) has been full-go, participating in cage work and live BPs -- including a difficult left-on-left assignment vs. McClanahan on Thursday -- without restriction. Nothing is holding McClanahan or Tyler Glasnow back, after both returned from arm injuries down the stretch last season. The Rays are more or less as healthy as most teams can hope to be at this point, and they are trying to keep it that way.

3) It’s nearly World Baseball Classic time
Like other teams sending a sizable group of players to the WBC, the Rays plan to play their soon-departing regulars early and often in Grapefruit League play, with an eye toward maximizing their reps before tournament time and avoiding injury.

For guys like Harold Ramirez (Colombia), Isaac Paredes (Mexico) and Francisco Mejía (Dominican Republic), that means suiting up for Saturday’s opener against the Twins in Fort Myers. Randy Arozarena (Mexico) and Wander Franco (D.R.) are slated to make their spring debuts Monday in Sarasota against the Orioles.

All told, the Rays are sending eight rostered players, four non-roster players and several coaches to the Classic, including bench coach Rodney Linares. Linares will manage Franco and Mejía on the highly touted Dominican Republic squad.

“We’ve had some talks about how we’re going to handle it, and I said I would like to play as much as I can before I leave,” said catcher Christian Bethancourt, who is playing for Panama. “It might be my only chance to play in [the WBC], and I want to take full advantage of it. I’m thankful to the Rays for allowing me the opportunity, not giving any restrictions, and helping me to be as ready as I can before I leave.”

Given the tournament-style nature of the WBC, the Rays can’t predict how much camp time any one player will miss. What they can do is give longer looks to the players in front of them. That could work to the benefit of guys like Vidal Bruján, Luke Raley and the newly acquired Ben Gamel, who are all fighting for jobs on the roster’s periphery and are not WBC-bound. They should all get ample playing time in the weeks to come, as should top prospects Taj Bradley and Curtis Mead.