WEST PALM BEACH, FL - The Washington Nationals settled for a 9-9 tie with the Miami Marlins this afternoon before losing to them in another game this evening. Today’s two split-squad groups were relatively of equal quality at the plate, as were the pitching staffs on the bump. Mitchell Parker took the mound for the 1:00 game in Jupiter, while Shinnosuke Ogasawara started the nightcap.

In the early matchup, pitching became key towards the end, for better and for worse, but it was not very encouraging at first. While the first inning was scoreless, Parker surrendered two solo home runs in 4.0 innings. One was to Potomac, Maryland native Matt Mervis in the bottom of the second, and the other was to Jesús Sanchez. By the time Parker departed, the Nats had a huge lead. Kyle Finnegan relieved Parker for the bottom of the fifth, but he only recorded two outs while surrendering three runs (although just one was earned) and two hits. An error from Paul DeJong made things much worse this inning, but then he also made another when Evan Reifert relieved Finnegan. Reifert would give up two runs of his own, but he allowed a third unearned that came from DeJong’s second error.

This one disastrous inning took the game from 7-2 to 7-6 fast, and the momentum shift was clear in the ballpark. The Nats got their groove on the mound back, but not enough was done at the plate for insurance as just two more runs would score in the game for Washington. Chase Solesky allowed the game-tying run to score in the ninth, and since it is the spring, games can end in draws if the managers agree. That would be all she wrote as the Nationals’ record moved to 8-7-1 as a result of what was simply lackluster fielding.

Offensively, there were moments to be proud of this afternoon as the Nats jumped out to an early lead off a Keibert Ruiz three-run homer, and then a Stone Garrett grand slam not long after. All of that happened in the third and fourth innings, and things looked great early. The other two runs late in the game came off of a wild pitch and a pickoff, but the bats just got too quiet late in the contest. This has been an unfortunate trend throughout the spring, but it can be fixed. Outside of that, Robert Hassell III continued his hot spring by going 2-5. Overall, it was a solid day at the plate.

In the nightcap, much of the same issues occurred. Ogasawara surrendered five runs (three earned) over 3.2 innings while allowing seven hits and three walks. Jorge Lopez gave up two earned while recording as many outs, and Clay Helvey gave up two unearned. Errors from CJ Abrams and Riley Adams created these unearned run situations. Both games today echoed a sentiment that has been seen throughout the spring, which is that crisis management could use some work before Opening Day.

At the plate, this game was a sight for sore eyes. Abrams was 3-3 and scored, while Andres Chaparro went 3-4 in his own right. The offense recorded 12 hits, although they also struck out 10 times. James Wood and Luis Garcia Jr. both picked up clutch RBI hits in the first inning to give the team three runs early. While they ultimately would not win, it was great to see the team building early momentum. In the end, as the team sits at 8-8-1, all signs still point to a promising 2025 season.

Up next:

The Nationals will take Tuesday off before “hosting” the Astros on Wednesday. Neither team has announced a starter, but it will be a 1:00 game in West Palm. There will not be a broadcast.