VIERA, Fla. — Danny Espinosa arrived at Space Coast Stadium this week with an impressive Fu Manchu mustache, a new look resembling something out of an old Western movie.
His challenges this spring will also be a bit different than years past.
Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams said Saturday that the usually switch-hitting infielder is in the process of becoming a primarily right-handed hitter. Espinosa will maintain his left-handed swing, according to Williams, but his focus will be on hitting right-handed against right-handed pitchers from this point forward.
“The majority of the reps he’ll take will be righty-righty,” Williams said. “He’s going to have to see what that feels like and what that looks like. So, we’ll evaluate, he’ll evaluate. It’s a constant conversation, and he’ll report back to us what he feels and what we could do to make him feel more comfortable.”
Williams said the Nationals will curtail Espinosa’s defensive work this spring in order to focus on his swing. Instead of fielding ground balls in a defensive drill, for example, he might be off to the side with a hitting instructor. He’ll then go through additional defensive drills either before or after the team’s workout.
Williams also said Espinosa will stand in the batters’ box during some bullpen sessions with right-handed pitchers, simply to get accustomed to seeing right-handed pitches from the right side.
SEE ALSO: Nationals pick up 2016 option on manager Matt Williams
“This a process for him,” Williams said. “The breaking ball’s new because he just hasn’t seen it. Where does the sinker need to start to be a strike, and where does it start to be a ball? All of those things are going to be new, but he’s willing and he’s excited about trying it and taking a look at it and seeing where he’s at. And we’re here to support him in that endeavor, because he’s really good right-handed.”
Espinosa has only taken 13 right-handed at-bats against right-handed pitchers in his major-league career, but he has always been a more consistent hitter from the right side of the plate. In parts of five major-league seasons, he has a .271 batting average, .343 on-base percentage and .460 slugging percentage from the right side. As a left-handed hitter, he has more power but makes less contact, posting a .213/.284/.362 line.
General manager Mike Rizzo said he had conversations with Espinosa about the move over the offseason, allowing Espinosa to start working on his right-handed swing before arriving in Viera. Given Espinosa’s defensive prowess and speed on the basepaths, Rizzo said a right-handed approach at the plate is the best way for the 27-year-old to impact the team.
“I think he took it positively when we explained it to him he took to it and agreed with the decision,” Rizzo said. “If it was certainly just up to him, we may have had more discussion on it. But when we mapped it out for him and explained our position, he thought it was the best way to go.”
Espinosa took right-handed swings in batting practice Saturday, with Williams throwing to him from behind the L-screen, and he will hit right-handed when spring training games begin early next month. Throughout this process, the Nationals will preach patience. After years and years of switch-hitting, Espinosa and the team both know the adjustments will not happen overnight.
“The objective for Danny is to get comfortable,” Williams said. “This is not an easy process, by any stretch of the imagination.”
SEE ALSO: Casey Janssen is healthy, ready to contribute in first season with the Nationals
• Tom Schad can be reached at tschad@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.