The Washington Nationals picked up a 7-4 victory over the New York Mets at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on Thursday in spring training action. José Tena paced the offense, going 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. Miles Mikolas worked 3.0 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 3 hits. The Nationals finished with 12 hits on the day while holding the Mets to 5. The Nationals will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.
Key Performers
José Tena was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Nationals will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Trey Lipscomb chipped in, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, Christian Franklin added to the attack, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Seaver King provided support, going 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.
On the other side of the diamond, Brett Baty led the Mets offense with a 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI day. Bo Bichette also contributed, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Mike Tauchman added a 1-for-1 with a double effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Nationals pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Miles Mikolas got the start, battling through his outing, working 3.0 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 3 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 57 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.3 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out five. The Nationals continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Gus Varland recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Jackson Rutledge stood out with 0.2 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Mets got on the board first with three runs in the first inning. The Nationals answered with two runs in the second. The Nationals tacked on a run in the fourth. The Nationals pushed across four runs in the sixth. Mets struck back with a run in the seventh. The Nationals spread their scoring across three different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Nationals out-hit Mets 12-5 on the day, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 4,106 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Nationals will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.
