SPRING TRAINING COVERAGE 2025

THE LEAD

Yesterday was not only St. Patrick’s Day; it marked ten days to Opening Day against the Phillies (next Thursday at Nationals Park!). There are just seven games left in Florida, including two split-squad games to finish the Grapefruit League season on Sunday, before the team travels north to play their final exhibition game against the Orioles on Monday afternoon. Real baseball is right around the corner!

As such, the Nats made a few more roster moves yesterday, optioning Darren Baker (on the 40-man roster) to AAA Rochester and reassigning Daylen Lile, Cayden Wallace, and Yohandy Morales (not on the 40-man) to minor league camp. According to the Nationals’ website, that leaves 37 active players, meaning 11 more will need to be optioned, reassigned, or moved to the injured list in the next nine days. Right now, I would bet on the following moves coming down the pike: Zach Brzykcy and Cade Cavalli to the IL; Shinnosuke Ogasawara, DJ Herz, and Jackson Rutledge optioned; Evan Reifert returned to Tampa Bay or optioned; Drew Millas, Trey Lipscomb, José Tena, and Robert Hassell III optioned; and Andrés Chaparro and Amed Rosario to the IL. Andrew Pinckney and Brad Lord are also still around as non-roster invitees.

 SPRING TRAINING COVERAGE 2025

Game Recap

The Nationals hosted the Cardinals yesterday at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches with Opening Day starter MacKenzie Gore on the hill and lost 6-2. For his part, Gore pitched five innings of two-run ball, allowing seven hits but just one walk while striking out four. The remaining damage was done against Lucas Sims in the seventh, while Lord, Orlando Ribalta, and Rutledge pitched 3.1 scoreless innings. The Nationals opened the game with what very well could be their Opening Day lineup: SS Abrams, RF Crews, LF Wood, DH Bell, 1B Lowe, 2B García, 3B DeJong, C Ruiz, CF Young.

Today, the Nationals will “visit” the Astros with Trevor Williams pitching, with the first pitch at 6:05 PM.

 OPENING DAY COVERAGE

Coming Soon!

Starting Wednesday night, we will launch our Opening Day Live Blog, which will have all the news, highlights, analysis, and more. Be sure to bookmark the page and visit often!

 WASHINGTON NATIONALS SPRING TRAINING COVERAGE 2025

Will Lord Make the Team?

Manager Davey Martinez mentioned yesterday that he only pitched Brad Lord one inning because he wanted to see how he did on back-to-back days, flashing in bright lights that the Nats are considering Lord for the MLB bullpen as a multi-inning long man, a role that there are not many candidates for (Rutledge and maybe Ribalta are really the only other options). Given that Lord has no immediate path to a rotation spot at present, and that despite his success last year there are a host of options that might be ahead of him still in the future pecking order (Cavalli, Jarlin Susana, Travis Sykora, Alex Clemmey, maybe Andry Lara - just to name five). While I am of the opinion that Lord has an excellent shot of replicating Jake Irvin’s trajectory, he could potentially be best served now by being a long reliever and/or fireman (his sinker generates a lot of weak contact). Rostering Lord would require dropping someone else from the 40-man, so perhaps Darren Baker or Reifert should be a bit nervous.

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 WHAT WE THINK THE NATIONALS FRONT OFFICE IS READING

Speed Reads

📌 Shuman named to All-Spring Breakout 2nd Team (MLB.com)

📌 Gore Starting Opening Day (MLB.com)

📌 Preseason Power Rankings (The Athletic)