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Nats Take Grapefruit League Opener, 3-2

With single runs in the 8th and 9th innings, the Nats erased a 2-1 deficit and took the 2023 Grapefruit League Opener, 3-2 over the Cards in Jupiter, FL.

MLFAs Leonel Valera and Erick Mejia both came through with a two-out single to score a leadoff double by Jake Alu in the 8th and a one-out single by Drew Millas in the 9th.

MacKenzie Gore got the start and worked around a two-out double while getting a strikeout in the first inning. He threw 18 pitches, 13 for strikes.

Matt Cronin picked up the win with a scoreless 8th with one whiff while Gerardo Carrillo survived a two-out single and an error that put the tying run in scoring position to earn the save.

Jeremy De La Rosa got the start in left field and went 1-for-2 with a single before giving way defensively to Yasel Antuna in the 5th.

Here’s a rundown of how the other watchlist players and notable minor-leaguers fared:

  • Alu subbed for Luis García and reached base twice with the aforementioned double and a walk in the 9th
  • Antuna grounded out in the 8th to move Alu to third base in his lone at-bat
  • Millas followed Riley Adams behind the and was 1-for-2 with a 9th-inning single
  • Thad Ward worked the 5th inning and gave up a walk but no hits and struck out one
  • José Ferrer pitched the 7th and was stung for double but fanned two and did not issue a walk

The Nats will split the squads for the first and only time this spring tomorrow afternoon. Our guys will most likely ride the bus to Port St. Lucie to face the Mets while the veterans return to West Palm Beach to host the Astros. Trevor Williams is listed as the starter for the home game while Josiah Gray is expected to start on the road.

9 Commments

  1. Gore did give up a double, but it was a ball by Paul Goldschmidt that deflected off of the newly enlarged first base bag. No crime there.

  2. It’s way-way-WAY too early to read anything into anything, but it is interesting to see Alu getting game reps at 2B. The Nats have several utility guys in camp, so that may not be the path available to Alu right now. There has always been some hint that the organization might see Alu as a safety net if Garcia flounders, though. It seems likely that Alu will start the season in Rochester, though, and hopefully keep hitting.

    I would have thought that Kieboom, if truly healthy, would have been getting in the game at 3B yesterday and getting as many reps as possible. Now I’m really curious to see if he plays with one of the split squads today.

    1. DM has indicated Kieboom’s still not 100% throwing, that he’ll get reps at DH until they are comfortable

      1. Good to know, although Kieboom isn’t in either lineup for Sunday as DH. I’m sure they’re trying to be careful. This is a player who is yet to prove himself, though, so I’m sure he will be eager for opportunities.

  3. I liked Ferrer’s outing. His match-up with Jordan Walker was the highlight, getting him on a 3-2 slider.

    all the hurlers threw strikes, gotta like that!

    great to be watching baseball again!

  4. I should probably save this comment for after the Sunday games post, but who had Brenner Cox in the pool to get in an MLB game before Hassell, Wood, Green, White, Young, or McKenzie? I’m thinking they must REALLY like that kid to even have him in an MLB dugout the spring after he was drafted?

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