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Washington Nationals News: Nats reassign Jason Martinson, release Logan Schafer

By Pablo Roa

Mar 12, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Washington Nationals center fielder Logan Schafer (22) breaks his bat swinging during the seventh inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Washington Nationals center fielder Logan Schafer (22) breaks his bat swinging during the seventh inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Today’s District Daily discusses the Washington Nationals’ latest roster moves and what the team must do to return to the postseason in 2016.

Good evening DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily. Get caught up on the latest Nats news and opinions with Washington Nationals updates and articles from around the web below.

We start off today’s Daily with the team’s latest Spring Training roster moves. As the team continues to trim the roster down ahead of Opening Day, the Nationals reassigned infielder Jason Martinson to minor league camp today. The team also granted Logan Schafer his unconditional release.

Martinson went 7 for 24 at the plate this spring, hitting two doubles while recording four walks and 11 strikeouts in 15 exhibition games. The 27-year-old infielder played 131 games with Triple-A Syracuse last season, where he hit 19 home runs.

The Nationals signed Schafer, 29, to a minor league deal with an invite to major league Spring Training during the offseason. The veteran outfielder hit .221 in 69 games with the Brewers in 2015.

With Opening Day less than two weeks away, the Nationals still have several moves to make this spring to get the roster down to 25 players by April 3.

More from District on Deck

Also in today’s Daily, the Washington Post’s Barry Svrluga writes an interesting column on what he believes the Nationals have to do this season to take back the NL East crown and make a run at their first World Series title.

As Svrluga writes, the key for the Nationals to make the playoffs isn’t necessarily to beat contenders like the Cardinals or the Mets. Rather, the key might be to consistently beat the division’s worst teams —the Phillies, Braves and Marlins.

Be sure to check out Svrluga’s article below, it’s definitely worth a read. And as always, stay tuned to DoD for all your Washington Nationals needs.

The key to the Nationals winning the NL East isn’t what you think it is

(Barry Svrluga, Washington Post)

From the chair of an American League general manager, this is what the American League looks like this year.

“They’re all trying,” Baltimore General Manager Dan Duquette said.

Uh, implied in that would be … what, exactly?

“There’s a few teams in the National League, they’ve already said, ‘We’re building our roster for the future.’ But not that I’m aware of in our league. The American League East, these organizations are trying their best every day to staff their teams for the pennant race. It’s a tough neighborhood.” Read full article here.

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