Game Details

• Washington Nationals (3-2) vs. New York Mets (2-4)

• Pitching Matchup: LHP Shinnosuke Ogasawara (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Brandon Sproat (0-0, -.--)

• Date: February 28, 2025 | 1:10 p.m. ET | Spring Training Game: #6 | Spring Training Road Game: #3

• Location: Clover Park | Port St. Lucie, FL

Game storylines and notes

The Washington Nationals will visit NL East Division Rivals the New York Mets today. The Nationals will send LHP Shinnosuke Ogasawara to the mound for his second start of Spring Training, and the New York Mets will send RHP Brandon Sproat.

James Wood will be making his Spring Training debut this afternoon in the DH spot and will lead off the game for the Washington Nationals.

Game Recap
Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals

Despite a 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, bringing their Grapefruit League record to 3-2, the Nationals saw strong performances last night. Robert Hassell III was a standout, going 3-for-3 and extending his hitting streak to five games. He's now hitting a scorching .571 with a home run and five RBIs in his first five spring games.

CJ Abrams also notched his first hit and RBI of the spring, breaking through with his first hit and RBI, while starting pitcher Jake Irvin delivered 2.1 hitless innings, starting strong and pitching 2.1 innings without allowing a hit.

Spring Training 2025 Coverage

Spring Training 2025 Schedule

Before heading to Washington, D.C., for their March 27th Opening Day game against the Philadelphia Phillies at 4:05 p.m., the Nationals will complete a 32-game spring training schedule ending on March 23rd.

Their spring training matchups include six opponents: the Houston Astros (7 games), New York Mets (8), Miami Marlins (6), Atlanta Braves (2), St. Louis Cardinals (7), and Tampa Bay Rays (2). The Nationals will split their spring training locations, playing 20 games at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches and seven games at Roger Dean Stadium, the spring home of the Cardinals and Marlins, conveniently located just a 15-minute drive (12.2 miles).

Anyalsis
Robert Hassell III: Breakout Prospect of the Year?

Robert Hassell III is hot as the Washington Nationals kick off their 2025 spring training. From a Nationals fan’s perspective, it’s the kind of spark that’s been missing since his prospect star dimmed a bit in recent years. The 23-year-old outfielder, once a top-50 prospect and a key piece in the Juan Soto trade, has come out swinging, posting a blistering .571 batting average through his first 14 at-bats as of February 27, 2025. With eight hits, including three doubles, a home run, 5 RBIs, and a stolen base—plus a jaw-dropping diving catch in center field—Hassell is making a loud case that he’s ready to reclaim his status as one of baseball’s brightest young talents.

This hot streak isn’t just a flash in the pan; it’s a continuation of the momentum he built in the Arizona Fall League last year, where he hit .281/.360/.517 with seven doubles and four homers over 22 games. For Nationals fans, watching Hassell tear it up feels like a redemption arc in the making—proof that the injuries and struggles of the past few seasons haven’t doused his fire. So far, his 1.571 OPS in spring training signals that the left-handed hitter’s elite bat speed and plate discipline are back in full force. If he keeps this up, Hassell could force his way into the big-league conversation, which would be an interesting development as the Nationals seem to have already their outfield set for the season.

On the mound for the Washington Nationals
Shinnosuke Ogasawara

The Nationals made history this offseason by signing a left-handed pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara from Japan, hailing from Fujisawa. Shinnosuke Ogasawara's spring training debut on February 23rd against the Mets was a success, featuring a scoreless first inning. Shinnosuke Ogasawara spent nine seasons with the Chunichi Dragons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League, accumulating a 54-72 record and a 3.67 ERA. In his final season with the Dragons (2024), he recorded a 5-11 record with a 3.12 ERA and 82 strikeouts across 144.1 innings.

Opposition Research 
The Amazin’ Mets

This spring, the Washington Nationals will play the New York Mets eight times, their most frequent opponent. Last season, the Mets dominated the series against the Nationals, winning 11 of the 13 games played between the two teams. The 13-game regular season series this year starts on April 25th with a four-game series at Nationals Park and ends with a three-game weekend series at Citi Field from September 19th-21st.

The New York Mets finished the 2024 season by going 89-73, which was tied for second place in the NL East and clinched a Wild Card spot in the postseason, and fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-games-to-2 in the NLCS.

Their 89-73 record was a 14-win improvement from the 2023 season. The New York Mets dominated the headlines during the offseason by signing former Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto and making other significant moves. The New York Mets also re-signed first baseman Pete Alonso to a two-year contract. Alonso, 30, ranks third in franchise history with 226 homers.

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 New York Mets
Brandon Sproat

Right-handed pitching prospect Brandon Sproat will be making his New York Mets Spring Training debut. Sproat is considered the New York Mets’ top pitching prospect. Brandon Sproat is a right-handed pitcher whose 'filthy stuff' has fans eagerly anticipating his major league arrival, potentially as early as 2025. With pitching being a crucial need, Sproat's spring training performance will be under intense scrutiny, with a fast start potentially leading to a mid-season call-up. His early outings are considered must-watch events."