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Washington Nationals Grapefruit League GameThread: Nationals vs Marlins

The Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins meet up in Grapefruit League action this afternoon in Viera, Florida's Space Coast Stadium with Doug Fister on the mound vs Fish hurler Tom Koehler at 1:05 PM EDT. It's available on MLB's Gameday audio (in Spanish).

By Patrick Reddington
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Through four Spring Training starts, Doug Fister has allowed 18 hits, two walks and eight runs, seven earned in 12 ⅔ innings pitched, with opposing hitters putting up a combined .333 BAA. Last time out, last Monday in Viera, Florida, Fister allowed seven hits, two of them home runs and four runs total, all earned, in 4 ⅓ IP.

This afternoon in Space Coast Stadium, Fister will try to bounce back from the rough-ish outing when he takes on the Miami Marlins in Grapefruit League action at 1:05 PM EDT.

The Nationals released the lineup for today's game earlier this morning:

Nationals' skipper Matt Williams set the Nats' rotation for the start of the season yesterday, putting Fister fifth in line after a 2014 campaign in the nation's capital in which the 30-year-old right-hander went (16-6) with a 2.41 ERA, a 3.93 FIP, 24 walks (1.32 BB/9) and 98 Ks (5.38 K/9) in 25 starts and 164 IP over which he was worth +1.3 fWAR.

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 Photo © Brad Barr/USA TODAY Sports

Williams talked to reporters, including the Washington Post's James Wagner about the decision to put Fister where he did. Since he's not a "power pitcher" in Wagner's words, like the rest of the Nationals' starters, "Williams believes Fister will be best equipped to handle the longer wait for his season debut."

Fister also lines up as the Nationals' starter for next Saturday's exhibition game with the New York Yankees in D.C. when the Nats wrap up Spring Training with one more in the nation's capital.

This afternoon, Fister takes the mound in Space Coast Stadium against the Fish.

LISTEN: As far as we can tell, though the game is available via MLB.com's Gameday audio, it's only available via the Marlins' radio feed on WAQI 710 in Miami, which is a Spanish-language station.

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