Time to honor commitments to the top prospects!

We are now at the final weekend of the Grapefruit League, and the 15-10 Washington Nationals have assured themselves to have clinched a winning record with just three games remaining that include a split-squad doubleheader tomorrow, and a Sunday afternoon finale. The team will then fly to Washington, D.C. after Sunday’s game. Monday is a day-off, and Tuesday is the On Deck: Nationals Futures Game. Of course, Thursday is Opening Day in Cincinnati. Josiah Gray will start one of the games tomorrow on regular rest and pitch Opening Day on regular rest.

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Spring Training Game #25 Trevor Williams’ turn

Yesterday, we wrote that the Washington Nationals game, last night, would be the final audition for Zach Davies, and unfortunately for him, he stumbled off of the stage. Davies hit the skids in the fourth inning — giving up seven runs, and nine in the game to push his Spring Training ERA to 9.00. Davies, fighting for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, seemed to have it sewn up, until he didn’t, after that fourth inning collapse. Trevor Williams pitches today in his final Grapefruit League game for that same fifth starter’s spot, and there’s the issue, there are no more games for Davies to prove himself. Maybe Davies and Williams pitch in the Future’s game on Tuesday — but how do you get past yesterday’s meltdown?

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Spring Training Game #24 Zach Davies final audition

This will be Zach Davies final audition in the Grapefruit League for the Washington Nationals. There has been no indication if Davies is set to make the Nats’ roster, and a fifth starter is not technically needed until April 7 against the Phillies. As of now, his next start is TBD, and could be at the Nats’ On Deck: Nationals Futures exhibition game in six days at Nationals Park, or he could stay behind at extended Spring Training at the CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches.

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If you chose the best ST players, James Wood would be on the Opening Day roster

“Best” is a subjective word unless you define it on factual data. For instance, the best player could be judged on a minimum of 40 plate appearances coupled with the highest OPS, and your best player would be James Wood based strictly on that criteria.

Some would say that evaluating the best players is subjective since Spring Training stats have never been an accurate predictor of regular season performance. In ST of 2023, Alex Call slashed .321 /.403 /.464 in 56 at-bats with a .867 OPS, and in the regular season was a Mendoza hitter at .200 with a .614 OPS for the Washington Nationals. In mid-August, Call was benched. This Spring Training, he is batting a gaudy .406 and raising eyebrows again. Chances are, Call won’t make the Opening Day roster. Baseball is cruel, no doubt. Some would say, “Fool me once, shame on you — fool me twice, shame on me.” You don’t get many second chances in baseball.

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Spring Training Game #23 Josiah Gray starts

While technically not a home game for the Washington Nationals, this really is as the Nats share the CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches with the Houston Astros and that makes these head-to-head games so convenient. The Nats will be providing the radio coverage tonight, and the Astros will have the TV coverage. This is also a great pitching matchup between Josiah Gray and Cristian Javier.

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The roster has had two rounds of cuts; More to come.

While the dream is still alive for some, it is flickering for others — and over for now — for several players. To date, perhaps the most significant move in Washington Nationals’ camp was the DFA of former 2016 first round pick, Carter Kieboom, as he passed through waivers and was retained by the team on a minor league deal. Another former first rounder, Jackson Rutledge, from the 2019 draft was optioned to Triple-A yesterday. But most of the moves so far have been as expected. The really tough decisions will be happening in the next 10-days.

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Spring Training Game #22 MacKenzie and Patrick on St. Paddy’s Day

Time flies when you’re having fun. The Washington Nationals wrap-up their Grapefruit League play a week from today. It’s St. Patrick’s Day so who else would you want pitching today than someone named Patrick and MacKenzie. The Nats will probably be donning their green hats today.

The Nats will have two starters on the same schedule as both MacKenzie Gore and Patrick Corbin will both pitch today, and Josiah Gray was named by manager Dave Martinez as his choice for Opening Day in 11-days in Cincinnati.

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Spring Training Game #21 Bullpen Game and a recap of the SPRING BREAKOUT showcase

What a day yesterday for the Washington Nationals organization and their fans. We had hoped to see Travis Sykora pitch for the first time, Yohandy Morales play first base, and some other positive signs. We got it all. Sykora and Morales were third and second round draft picks respectively in the 2023 draft, and Sykora hasn’t appeared in a game of record until yesterday. That was worth it all.

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Spring Training Game #20 Trevor Williams

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SPRING BREAKOUT exhibition game today!

The Washington Nationals and New York Mets Spring Breakout showcase game starts at 3:10 PM EDT with a big league game following in a doubleheader. The “Spring Breakout” game, which is a new concept this year, fields rosters of team’s future stars for a showcase in the middle of the Spring Training schedule. Teams are paired against nearby teams in the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues, and the Nats prospects are at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie to face the Mets’ top prospects today.

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