WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Washington second baseman Daniel Murphy thinks he will be ready for the start of the season, even with his lack of playing time in the World Baseball Classic.
Nationals manager Dusty Baker is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“You can talk all you want,” Baker said. “He wasn’t comfortable when he left and he didn’t get many ABs.”
Murphy went hitless in six at-bats for gold medal-winning Team USA. Only Alex Bregman and Josh Harrison got fewer at-bats on the American squad.
“I treated it the same way I would the regular season - show up to the ballpark ready to play every day and if you’re in the lineup, be prepared and if you’re not, be prepared if your name is called in the middle of the game,” Murphy said.