WASHINGTON (AP) For all of the opt-outs and rule-change oddities, the spring training interruption and social distancing, Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez figures his team’s bid for a rare repeat World Series championship during this pandemic-affected season might very well come down to what gave the franchise its first title a year ago.

That, of course, would be the

he refers to as the “four horses”: Max Scherzer, who is slated to throw in Washington’s opener against the visiting New York Yankees on July 23; followed by Stephen Strasburg, who re-signed for $245 million over seven years; Patrick Corbin and Aníbal Sánchez.