Washington Nationals news & notes: Josiah Gray, Angel Hernandez; Gaining experience + more…

Notes and quotes on the Nationals in West Palm Beach, FL.

ROUGH DAY FOR GRAY:

Josiah Gray walked two, struck out five, and gave up a run on two hits when he faced the Boston Red Sox in his second start of the spring last weekend.

Gray, 26, gave up a run on four hits, with two walks and 10 Ks in his first five innings pitched this spring going into last night’s outing.

He talked to reporters after his second start about his new, shortened, delivery, which he adopted late last season, as a key to his success early this year.

“I went to sort of an abbreviated stretch delivery, and I think focusing on the start of the delivery has allowed me to stay more stacked, stay more stable throughout the delivery, and really give myself a chance to throw strikes,” Gray said, as quoted by MLB.com writer CJ Haddad. “I think there were times last year where I’d be pitching well out of the stretch, and then go back to the windup and throw four balls in a row.

“I think putting in that work with the abbreviated delivery has been successful so far.”

Having done the work late last year, over the winter, and early this spring to get comfortable with the new delivery, Gray said he’s been enjoying the fruits of his labor in his early outings in Spring Training.

“Felt good from pitch one,” Gray said of the start against the Red Sox, which saw him throw a total of 48 pitches (27 of them for strikes):

“Maintained the fastball. Established the fastball. Finished a lot of good hitters with the fastball. Another good start. Definitely encouraged.”

Start No. 3 for the righty… did not go as well as the first two:

All I took from the above Twitter/X posts = #AngelHernandez

YOUNG NATIONALS:

Davey Martinez talked early this spring of the value of having the Nationals up-and-coming prospects in camp with their big league colleagues in the organization.

“I’ve seen some guys already kind of mix and mingle with some of the veteran guys, and so it’s been interesting to watch the whole combination of how they’re conversing,” he said on Day 1 of Spring Training. “So I’m excited, I’m really excited about this year. I talk a lot about what our young players did last year. Another year under their belt. And I’m looking at these guys to do some big things for us this year.”

His message for the prospects in camp with the club this spring?

“I’ll talk to them a lot about just being where your feet are, be that sponge, listen, learn, and enjoy every second of it,” the former big leaguer said, “because as I look back, as a young 20-year-old in big league camp, to where I am now, it really does go fast, so enjoy every second of it, but learn. Learn as much as you can. I’ll talk a lot about — keep progressing, enjoy the process, and what it takes to be a major league player and what it takes to stay up here and be consistent.”

Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images

Almost a month into the process, he told reporters last week about the progress the Nats’ prospects have made early this spring.

“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, as quoted by MLB.com’s Paige Leckie:

“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.”

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

ALSO THIS:

AND THIS: