Last time out…

The Washington Nationals continued their winning streak, securing their second straight victory in Spring Training with an 11-6 win over the New York Mets at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on Sunday afternoon.

The Nationals started strong, batting around the lineup in the first inning to take an early 5-0 lead. They continued to score consistently, putting up runs in five of the next seven innings to reach a total of 11.

Robert Hassell III maintained his strong performance, going 2-for-3 with two runs. Dylan Crews showcased his speed with a stolen base and a triple. Newcomer Nathaniel Lowe made his Nationals spring debut with two walks and an RBI double. Six other Nationals contributed RBIs: Andrew Pinckney, Josh Bell, Yohandy Morales, Luis García Jr., Stone Garrett, and Daylen Lile. (Read more about Robert Hassell III)

Shinnosuke Ogasawara had a short but efficient first spring start on the pitching side, throwing only eight pitches and allowing one hit in four batters. Mitchell Parker, Orlando Ribalta, Konnor Pilkington, and Jack Sinclair each pitched scoreless outings.

vs. the Marlins

The Nationals and the Miami Marlins will meet for six games this spring. Last season, the Nationals dominated the Marlins, winning the season series 11-2 in 13 matchups. The two teams will play 13 regular season games this year, starting with a three-game series in Miami on April 11th. Their final season series will also be at LoanDepot Park, a four-game set from September 8th to 11th.

On the mound for the Washington Nationals

RHP Trevor Williams will make his 2025 Spring Training debut this afternoon against the Miami Marlins. Williams finished the 2024 season with an impressive 6-1 record with an ERA of 2.03, striking out 88 over 102.0 innings pitched. He had a win-loss record of .545%, giving up 15 homeruns and 46 earned runs, and finished with a WHIP of 1.333.

Williams spent most of the 2024 season on the IL list due to a right flexor muscle strain that started in June. In September, Williams started a rehab assignment with the Harrisburg Senators but didn’t return to the majors. Williams hopes to have a full season with the team after re-signing with the Washington Nationals on December 31, 2024, after selecting to go to free agency.

Opposition Research: Miami Marlins

Clayton McCullough was named the 17th manager in Miami Marlins history on November 11, 2024. He comes to Miami after a decade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he served as First Base Coach for the past four seasons, including their 2024 World Series championship win. Prior to his time in Los Angeles, McCullough spent nine years (2006-2014) in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, including five postseason appearances. As a Minor League Manager in the Blue Jays system, he earned two Manager of the Year awards and compiled a 402-367 (.523) record, leading his teams to winning records in six of his seven seasons.

The Marlins' farm system, ranked 20th in baseball by Baseball America, has improved significantly from its 27th-place ranking prior to the 2024 season.

In 2025, the Marlins will welcome back ace right-hander Sandy Alcantara, who missed the entire 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner (the first Marlin to achieve this honor), posted a 2.28 ERA that year, leading the majors in innings pitched (228.2) and complete games (6). His 207 strikeouts in 2022 were the third-most in franchise history.

Miami also bolstered its pitching staff by signing free agent right-hander Cal Quantrill to a one-year contract on February 13. The 30-year-old Quantrill went 8-11 with a 4.98 ERA in 29 starts for the Colorado Rockies last season, leading the team in wins and ranking third in starts, innings pitched (148.1), and strikeouts (110). He pitched at least five innings in 21 starts, including 12 outings of six or more innings, recording a quality start in each of those 12 games. His 2024 season marked his highest totals in starts, innings pitched, and strikeouts since his 2022 season with Cleveland, as he made only 19 starts in 2023.

2024 Regular Season Record:

• Overall Record: 89-73

• Home Record: 46-35

• Road Record: 43-38

• vs. Right-handed starting pitchers: 65-51

• vs. Left-handed starting pitchers: 24-22

On the mound for the Miami Marlins

RHP Edward Cabrera's 2023 season saw him match his career high with 20 starts, though his record was 4-8 with a 4.95 ERA (53 earned runs in 96.1 innings). He walked 50 batters and struck out 107, leading all Marlins pitchers in strikeouts. Opponents hit just .227 against him (82 hits in 361 at-bats).

Cabrera's season was interrupted by two stints on the Injured List: March 28-April 15 and May 8-July 7. His performance showed a marked improvement after the All-Star break. Before the break, he was 1-3 with a high 8.26 ERA (26 earned runs in 28.1 innings), and opponents hit .263 against him (30 hits in 114 at-bats). After the break, he went 3-5 with a much-improved 3.57 ERA (33 earned runs in 68 innings), holding opponents to a .211 average (52 hits in 247 at-bats). He also pitched deeper into games after the break, going at least five innings in 10 of his 13 starts, compared to just two such outings in his seven pre-All-Star starts.