'Zero' concern as Wood (quad) limited to BP in first full-squad workout

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-- Nationals outfielder James Wood is dealing with left quad tendonitis as Spring Training opens.

Wood was held out of outfield defense drills but did participate in batting practice during the first full-squad workout on Tuesday. He rates his level of concern as “zero.”

“I feel good, but we’re just taking it slow,” Wood, 22, said. “Just trying to let it calm down a little bit before we get going. It’s nothing too serious.”

Wood experienced the discomfort during the offseason, and the achiness lingered “more than [he] would have liked it to.” The results of an MRI were reassuring.

“It’s no structural damage; it’s just inflammation,” Wood said. “The muscle’s just a little [ticked] off. I trust the training staff. I feel good about everything I’m doing, so I have no doubt I’ll be just fine.”

While Wood “really want[ed] to be out there” for defensive work on Tuesday, he is cleared to take BP. Wood noted he doesn’t make the same motions that bother him on defense while he is hitting.

“He says, ‘Every now and then, I just feel [it] like a little bit,’” manager Dave Martinez said. “And I said, ‘Well, great, I don’t want you to feel any of it. So let’s just do this, do what you can.’ I know it doesn’t bother him at all when he hits. The running, I think it’s the getting down, squatting that bothers him a little bit when he gets up. Like I said, we’ve got time.”

Wood is preparing for his first full year in the Majors. He earned the starting left-field role when he made his big league debut last year on July 1.

Last season, Wood slashed .264/.354/.427 with nine home runs, 13 doubles, four triples, 41 RBIs, 39 walks and 14 stolen bases in 79 games. He pummeled 54 batted balls with an exit velocity over 105 mph, according to Baseball Savant.

“I’m being more cautious than anything,” Martinez said. “It’s early, so we want to make sure that he’ll be ready to go Opening Day.”

There is a possibility Wood could DH when Spring Training games begin this weekend. To get in his at-bats without running, he also could face Minor League pitchers in their camp. In the meantime, he will diligently follow his training program.

“[I am doing] a whole bunch of lower-half stuff, getting my mind to trust getting into those positions,” Wood said. “Because there’s nothing really wrong. The achiness, my knee, that’s what the pain is -- my knee telling me to stop, to chill out a little bit. So it’s not like tricking my mind, but it’s getting that reaction out and just having my mind trust, ‘It’s OK, nothing’s wrong, I can do all this stuff fine.’

“We’re getting there. It’s feeling better every day.”