Washington Nationals: Takeaways From First Ten Games Of Spring Training

With ten Washington Nationals spring training games in the books, here are some of our takeaways

Today, the Washington Nationals have the day off from games after completing their first ten games of the exhibition season (5-4-1). While the Nats won’t have a 19-4 record like they did last season, they are still off to a good start in 2017.

Yes, exhibition records do not mean much. However, consider this fact. Since 2005, the Nats have only been over .500 three times in exhibition play. In two of those seasons (2014 and 2016), they ended up making the postseason.

Of course, the big story for this spring training is the opening of the new facility the Washington Nationals play in, the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches down in West Palm Beach, Florida. In the first three games at the new facility, the Nats have hit five home runs as the ball has been carrying in left field.

With the World Baseball Classic this year, spring training is a lot longer than usual. But, while teams are losing players to the WBC (including the Nats), the Washington Nationals will eventually see catcher Matt Wieters and reliever Joe Blanton play in a curly W uniform for the first time.

Before the Washington Nationals play their next spring training game on Tuesday afternoon against the Boston Red Sox in West Palm Beach (1:05 p.m ET, MASN), here are a few of my takeaways from the first ten games. Feel free to share your thoughts on the Nats spring training so far in the comments section: