Martinez updates Murphy and Eaton's recoveries (plus notes)

JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals continue to take it slow and steady with second baseman Daniel Murphy and left fielder Adam Eaton, a pair of projected starters who are spending the early portion of spring training rehabilitating injuries.

Murphy, who is recovering from Oct. 20 debridement microfracture surgery, has progressed to hitting off a tee and the Nationals are hopeful that the snail's pace progression will allow him to be ready for opening day on March 29.

"He's actually hitting off the tee," manager Davey Martinez said Monday morning. "He did some soft tosses the other day and he looked really good. Like I said before, he's progressing really well and he knows what he needs to do. He knows his body better than anybody. He's working, as you know, diligently to get ready for the season."

There continues to be no known timetable for when Murphy will appear in a Grapefruit League game. Wilmer Difo and Howie Kendrick are getting a lot of early reps during exhibition games at second base, just in case Murphy's recovery lags into the early portion of the regular season.

"We're going to be smart about everything," Martinez said. "When (Murphy) comes back, we want him back at 100 percent, not 70 or 80 percent."

The Nats are taking a similar tack with Eaton, who is rehabbing a major knee injury sustained April 30. He was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a meniscus tear and a high ankle sprain.

Eaton has passed every test the Nationals have thrown at him this spring, but he's still awaiting his first appearance in an exhibition game. He says he feels no discomfort in the joint, has been doing fundamentals drills and seems comfortable with the progression the Nats have outlined for him.

Martinez said there is no target date for Eaton to get into a spring game. But Martinez hinted that he's getting closer to game action of some kind.

"He's doing really well," Martinez said. "We're still shooting for opening day. We really are. He thinks he'll be ready, which is good. We'll see how this week transpires and we'll go from there."

* Martinez is spending spring training getting to know his new charges. Suffice it to say that he's learned a few things.

For instance, forget about telling slugger Bryce Harper not to push it too hard in games that don't count for anything. It's not happening, so the rookie manager better not waste his breath.

Two days ago, Harper returned from surgery to remove an ingrown toenail and acted as if he was ready for the season to begin by attempting to steal a base. Miguel Montero fouled off the pitch, rendering the steal attempt moot. But Martinez gleaned something about Harper's makeup.

"He's had an ingrown toenail and I told him to take it easy, and he went and ... tried to steal a base," Martinez said. "That's him. That's who he is. I'll never tell him to take it easy again."

* Right-hander Tanner Roark never seemed to get on track last season. Though he won 13 games, his 4.67 ERA and 1.33 WHIP were career highs.

One popular theory for Roark's season-long struggles was his participation in the World Baseball Classic pitching for the United States entry. Some wondered if Roark would have been better served getting ready for the season with the Nationals rather than working sporadically in the preseason tournament.

Martinez doesn't buy the WBC as a reason for Roark's problems in 2017.

"I don't think it has a negative effect," the manager said. "I think that because it's so early that these guys get jacked up to prepare for it and all of a sudden they come to spring training and it's like a lull. So it's getting them rejuvenated again for opening day. I think that's what it's all about."

Roark is starting against the Cardinals today, and Martinez said the Nationals were hoping to stretch him out to around 50 pitches in his third spring outing.