With Robles on roster, Dominican Winter League opens today

After such a short season, many ballplayers wondered if they should consider going somewhere to get more at-bats or throw more innings this winter. The answer from the Nationals front office: No, take a normal offseason, then report for spring training fresh and ready to go.

That message doesn't apply to every single player on the Nats roster, though. There are a handful of guys who the organization believes could benefit from some extra work this winter.

And the most notable name on that list is Victor Robles, who is about to begin playing winter ball in his native Dominican Republic.

Robles has joined Aguilas Cibaenas, which along with five other Dominican Winter League clubs is scheduled to open its 30-game season today.

This isn't new for Robles. He played for the same team two winters ago, getting 110 plate appearances and using that as a springboard for his first full season in the majors in 2019.

The task for Robles this time around, though, will be different. After a disappointing big league season, the Nationals want him to work on some specific things, both at the plate in the field.

Robles hit just .220 with a .293 on-base percentage and .315 slugging percentage in 189 plate appearances this year, a considerable drop-off in offensive production from his rookie campaign. Manager Davey Martinez felt the 23-year-old at times was too aggressive at the plate, swinging at the first pitch and chasing balls out of the zone in an attempt to salvage what already was turning into a rough season.

Perhaps more alarming was Robles' decline in the field. Rated as the best defensive center fielder in the sport in 2019, he rated as one of the worst in 2020. Martinez and the coaching staff felt it was a direct result of poor jumps and reaction time off the bat, which may have been a byproduct of the weight he put on during the spring and summer hiatus.

The Nationals don't necessarily want Robles to lose weight - what he gained was muscle, not fat - but they do want him to get better at playing with the extra weight, focusing on agility and flexibility and improving his first step in the outfield.

A month of winter ball should provide Robles a good opportunity to work on all of that without the pressure of performing in the major leagues.