The Washington Nationals travel to Jupiter to face the Marlins in a split-squad day/night road/home doubleheader with both games against the Marlins. With less than two weeks remaining in Florida for Grapefruit League games, starting pitchers might be down to their final two to three starts of the pre-season. After being scratched last week with neck stiffness, Mitchell Parker is back on the mound for the first game today.
Shinnosuke Ogasawara will be getting the start in tonight’s early evening second game. Tomorrow is the final off-day in Florida on the Grapefruit League schedule. We could see a lineup on Wednesday that looks like an Opening Day type of lineup. Then Thursday and Friday are long road trips to play the Tampa Bay Rays and the Atlanta Braves.
This will be a 1:10 pm start and the game will be radio only from the Marlins via the MLB App. In the first game, the Nats will face Sandy Alcantara again.
The Nationals are at 8-7 in Grapefruit League play. Manager Dave Martinez had to watch his team begin on defense with an error on the first ball in play, that led to five unearned runs. Then the Nats lost the game on an unearned run in the eighth inning. The defense the past two games has been horrible after a dozen games that were excellent. Martinez has said it before that defense has been a focus in this camp. The good news was that Saturday’s game was with an infield of players who won’t be starting.
“[Luis Garcia Jr. ] had a good day. I’m liking his at-bats more and more against lefties, too. He’s staying in there a little better. That’s awesome.”
— Martinez said
“He spread his legs out a little bit today, because he wanted to feel his hands work a little better, and it was really good. He’s really just trying to hit the ball hard in the middle of the field and working good at-bats. If he doesn’t chase, and he gets the ball up — he’s going hit the ball hard.”
Much of Spring Training is about getting the reps in for the veteran players while working on new pitches and mechanics for the pitchers, and batters are working on increasing contact and power. For the players who are trying to make the roster, they are the players who have to impress.
As we know, the key is also staying healthy. Riley Adams was hit by a pitch on his wrist on Friday and scratched from Saturday’s game. He did have an X-ray which showed no broken bones. RHP Zach Brzykcy has been dealing with a quadricep tendon issue, and he wasn’t projected to make the Opening Day roster prior to the announcement of his injury. Again, health is a key. Players will be ramped up in their workload as Spring Training continues.
“[Orlando Ribalta] has got a little more positivity. A little more conviction throwing pitches. We’re not seeing the 91s and 92s we did last year. Everything has been 95-97, touches 98. The changeup is really, really, really good. He’s just got to stay right there, but I think it’s all how he presents himself now on the mound. I think he really has confidence — and knows he can do this.”
— Martinez said
Here is the 40-man roster as well as a list of the NRI players you will be seeing. At some point, you might also see players from Minor League camp get some action.
There are 17-days until the Opening Day, and we get to see this lineup today:
- Alex Call RF
- Nathaniel Lowe 1B
- Keibert Ruiz C
- Josh Bell DH
- Paul DeJong 3B
- Robert Hassell III CF
- Daylen Lile LF
- Nasim Nunez SS
- Trey Lipscomb 2B
