Left-hander Sammy Solís finished up spring with a scoreless inning against the Twins on Tuesday. His spring ERA was 1.80, the best ERA he has ever posted in camp. He struck out 15 and walked one in 10 innings.

"He had a great spring training," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez. "He's very confident coming into the season, which I love. We will keep him going. He's a big part of that bullpen, and he knows that. He will pitch some big moments for us."

In one inning Tuesday, Solís scattered two hits and struck out one.

Solís handcuffed Bobby Wilson in the eighth inning with a called third strike, a pitch clocked at 93.8 mph. His curve was hitting 77 mph, while his changeup dropped to 83 mph. The changeup forced Williams Astudillo into a weak outfield popup to end the threat.

Closer Sean Doolittle, who also pitched a scoreless frame against the Twins, believes fellow southpaw Solís' changeup is a pitch that is going to be a difference maker this season.

In the eighth-inning appearance, Solís was able to mix his fastball, knuckle-curve and changeup.

"He's got really nasty stuff and he has the ability to mix it up," Doolittle said. "I think everybody knows about how good his breaking ball can be. But what impressed me most about his spring was his changeup and his ability to have a feel for that, which in turn makes his fastball that much more effective.

"He's a lefty throwing mid-90s mph with a three-pitch mix. He can get lefties and righties out. He can go multiple innings. He can provide that versatility for us in the bullpen and I think he's going to be a really important piece for us."

Solís looks and feels strong. No longer slowed by the nerve impingement that hampered most of his season in 2017, Solís can't let it go now with confidence.

"Never really felt better, honestly," Solís said. "The nerve issues have passed now. We are past that, thank God. Just excited for what the season holds because I think I can compete with the best when I'm feeling 100 percent and that's where I'm at now."

Solís said getting pitches to go 93-94 mph, then being able to go 77 mph with the knuckle-curve and 83 mph with the changeup forces hitters into guessing, something he was unable to do enough of last season.

"Exactly, that was the thing last year with the nerve problem, I didn't have off-speed," Solís said. "I had non-existent off-speed completely, so guys just sat fastball and when it was 90-91 mph, which it was, that made it pretty tough to pitch in the big leagues. I'm past it now. Everything is working, everything is feeling great."

But the biggest pitch for him right now is the changeup, a pitch that made him a starter candidate coming out of college.

"I think that's kind of the equalizer for me right now," Solís said. "Having a little bit of a starter's repertoire, more so than a two-pitch reliever's repertoire, just gives them another look, and hopefully do well this season and stay healthy, that's the biggest thing."

Solís can get lefties and righties out and can go multiple innings like a starter. This will provide Martinez with a lot of options in his bullpen as 2018 begins. And now that Solís is at full strength, he can reach the potential the club had hoped he could achieve when he made his 2015 debut.