Game #2 in Jupiter with Tanner Roark starting

Posted on February 24, 2018 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo of the front gates of Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter by Sol Tucker for TalkNats.com

Game #2 is an early afternoon road game in Jupiter, Florida just up the road against the Miami Marlins. The Nationals only have to travel less than 14 miles north to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium which is also the home for the St. Louis Cardinals, and this destination is a journey the Nationals will make 7 times during the Grapefruit League schedule. The 17 minutes drive was one of the advantages for the Nationals and Astros choosing West Palm Beach for their Spring Training homes for the ease of travel.

Today’s 1:05pm game projects the starting pitchers as Tanner Roark for the Washington Nationals and right-handed pitcher Jacob Turner for the Marlins. Turner was a member of the Washington Nationals in 2017 and made his Nationals debut on April 24th in Colorado.

The plan that evening in Coors Field was to pitch Jacob Turner just 60-to-70 pitches. He threw a 5-inning shutout and was surprisingly brought back out for the 6th inning even though he looked to be out of gas in that Rocky Mountain thin air. Of course in the 6th inning he unraveled, and his impressive debut turned to a so-so start after giving up 3-runs in the 6th inning and pulled at 84-pitches. Turner remained with the Nats and was put in the bullpen, but then summoned to make a spot start on May 17th after he had made 2 relief appearances that week. Turner threw 89 pitches in that start after not being stretched out and 119 pitches in the 5-day span, and he never was the same again. In the month of May before that start, Turner had pitched in 9 2/3 innings only giving up 2 runs in total and had seemed to have found his niche with the Nats. Turner was sent to Syracuse Triple-A in June and never seen again.

This is an opportunity for Jacob Turner to try to impress his coaches and get another chance in the Majors as he took the contract with the Marlins on a Minor League deal.

Besides Tanner Roark, all the Nats projected starters will be resting today while the bench players and non-roster invitees along with the remaining 40-man roster players will get some limited action. Miguel Montero will be Roark’s battery mate and top prospect Victor Robles will start in center field. Wilmer Difo, Andrew Stevenson and Adrian Sanchez round out the players in the starting line-up for the Nats who played for them last year.

It is also a good idea to check back to Sao’s “Who the heck is that” guides for players on the spring roster.

Washington Nationals vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium:   Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter Florida
1st Pitch: 1:05 pm EDT
TV:
Nats Radio: On 1580 AM for Nationals feed, also available on Marlins feed

Line-up subject to change (without notice):

  1. Wilmer Difo SS
  2. Victor Robles CF
  3. Miguel Montero C
  4. Kelvin Gutierrez 3B
  5. Jose Marmolejos
  6. Taylor Gushue DH
  7. Andrew Stevenson LF
  8. Moises Sierra RF
  9. Adrian Sanchez 2B

Tanner Roark RHP

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