Washington Nationals’ lineup for 3rd of 3 with Miami Marlins in D.C.

There was some concern about the lack of at bats that Daniel Murphy got this Spring since he didn’t play that much for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

Coming of a .347/.390/.595, 47 double, 25 home run, 156 wRC+, 5.5 fWAR campaign, the Washington Nationals’ second baseman went 0 for 6 in the WBC and 6 for 30 in Grapefruit League action.

Through two games this season, however, Murphy is 4 for 8 with four singles and two runs driven in.

Nats’ skipper Dusty Baker talked after Murphy’s second straight 2 for 4 performance about what he’s seen from the 32-year-old second baseman so far.

“He’s still not right, 100%,” Baker said, “even though you’re getting hits.”

“We’ll take whatever he can give us till he is sharp, but he’s getting sharper, he’s getting sharper daily, you can tell.

“In the first game or two he came back, he was getting fooled by some of those breaking balls, now he’s not going for them and he hit a couple breaking balls very well.

“As long as some of the other guys are picking it up as well — the bottom of our order is picking it up. It was nice to see [Jayson Werth] get some knocks tonight and [Ryan] Zimmerman continues to swing the bat well.”

Matt Wieters, who went 0 for 2 with a K in his Nationals debut on Monday, followed up with a 3 for 3 game last night in the Nats’ second straight win over the Miami Marlins and took a walk as well.

Baker was asked if he and the veteran catcher discussed the adjustment to hitting in the eighth spot in the Nationals’ lineup.

“We’ve had conversations,” Baker said. “I mean it is a bit of an adjustment with the pitcher hitting behind him vs the American League. I think he hit eighth or ninth, but he had a position player hitting behind him. But he’s a smart man. He knows what to do. He has a pretty good idea of the strike zone, he doesn’t try to do too much, and it’s good to see him turn the corner as far as his timing is concerned, because he was battling rust in Spring Training and looks like he’s on his way.”

The Nationals are off to a 2-0 start after last night’s 6-4 win and Baker isn’t changing things up for the series finale with the Fish.

Here’s the Nats’ lineup for this afternoon’s game: