Martinez plans for more consistent batting order this season

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals used 125 different lineups last season, some of that a byproduct of injuries and some of it a product of Davey Martinez's tinkering and attempts to create advantageous daily matchups.

If things go as he hopes, Martinez will be deploying far fewer batting orders this season.

"What I want to do, honestly, this year, if these guys are healthy, is have a constant lineup," the second-year manager said today.

Martinez came to that realization during the offseason, after spending time going back and analyzing various positives and negatives from 2018. He decided the lineup tinkering he used - particularly early in the season - wasn't producing the desired effect.

So don't be on the lookout for random games with Trea Turner batting sixth (something that happened 11 times last season) or as many instances of the pitcher batting eighth (29 times).

The benefit of a consistent lineup? Martinez believes it has to do with the confidence one batter has stepping to the plate behind the same batter every single night.

"A lot of guys talk about sequences and how they pitch guys in certain situations," he said. "And if a guy is hitting behind one guy constantly, you kind of are going to know what pitches you are going to get. So for the most part, I want to kind of keep our lineup the same. Like I said, it all depends on who is off and who's not, and which guys are really swinging the bats well and who aren't."

Though he's been toying with various lineups in his head all winter, Martinez isn't ready to commit to one set batting order yet. But he suggested he's leaning toward a 1-2 punch atop the lineup of Adam Eaton and Turner.

"We'll see how it all plays out, but Trea made an adjustment last year," Martinez said. "His biggest thing was on-base percentage, just getting on base. And he did a lot better last year with that. So having him on the top of our lineup ... between him and Eaton, they make us go. Haven't decided what's going to happen with that, but I do like Trea up there right now."

New second baseman Brian Dozier has actually spent the majority of his career leading off or batting second, despite his power numbers. Given the Nationals' current needs, Dozier appears more likely to bat in the middle of the lineup (fifth or sixth, perhaps).

"The good thing about it is we have options, which is nice," Martinez said. "We have guys who can do a lot of different things and be successful at it."