Dozier impresses Nats early: 'He's a leader'

JUPITER, Fla. -- As much as the Nationals discuss the impact the addition of new second baseman Brian Dozier will have on their lineup and defense, they also note how valuable his presence could be in the clubhouse.

“He's a leader, he really is,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said prior to Sunday's 12-2 victory against the Cardinals. “He's a grinder, he grinds out at-bats. He's going to put the ball in play. He's going to try to beat you with his defense. He's going to steal a base when needed. Having him in the lineup, I think, is tremendous.”

During his Grapefruit League debut for the Nationals on Sunday, Dozier gave fans a small glimpse of what kind of hitter will be inserted into the middle of Washington's lineup. He went 1-for-2 at the plate, drawing a walk in the third inning and swatting a single to right field in the fifth inning.

For years, Dozier hit near the top of the Twins' lineup, a preference of manager Paul Molitor, but Dozier seemed flexible about where he bats for Washington. He will likely bat in the middle of the the Nationals' lineup, behind Juan Soto and Anthony Rendon as one of the run producers along with Ryan Zimmerman.

Washington is hopeful it can get Dozier, 31, back to his peak performance from 2014-17, during which he averaged 32 home runs, a 120 OPS+ and 4.7 Wins Above Replacement, per Baseball Reference. The Nationals believe his dip in performance in 2018 -- 21 home runs, an 88 OPS+ and 1.0 WAR -- stemmed from a knee injury that hampered him for much of the season, even though he never went on the injured list.

“As bad as you hate to say it, sometimes it’s good to take a breather to heal things up and get back to 100 percent,” Dozier said. “But at the end of the day, you always feel like you can do something if you’re not 100 percent to help your team win. That’s kind of who I am, but at the same time, you learn some things from last year.”

That sort of mindset is an addition the Nationals were searching for. Washington would rather Dozier admit to them when he is hurt, but it welcomes that mentality to the clubhouse.

Shortstop Trea Turner is someone who has spent the most time around Dozier since the start of camp, as the two try to develop a rapport together as double-play partners in the middle of the Nationals' infield. Turner acknowledged it was still early in camp, but Dozier has already impressed him.

“From what I’ve seen, he’s been really calm,” Turner said. “Everyday just the same guy, even keel, doesn’t get too high or too low, which is great in a long season. When you’re going really good and you think you’re the best, you can make sure you stay focused and vice versa.

"If you get too low and you feel like the world’s ending, you can kind of confide in him and feel a bit calmer.”