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Nationals vs Twins: Grapefruit League GameThread...

There’s no television coverage of this afternoon’s game against the Twins, but you can listen to the Nationals in Fort Myers, FL via MLB.com or Sirius/XM radio.

By Patrick Reddington
Toronto Blue Jays v Minnesota Twins Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images

You’ll have to wait until Tuesday afternoon, when MASN returns with coverage, to see the Washington Nationals in Grapefruit League action, but you can listen to today’s game with the Minnesota Twins and tomorrow’s matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals via MLB.com and Sirius/XM satellite radio. It’s the opposing team’s coverage in each case, but we’ll take what we can get, right?

Today in Fort Myers, Florida’s CenturyLink Sports Complex, the Nats and Twins meet up at 1:05 PM EST with A.J. Cole on the mound against right-hander Trevor May.

Cole, 25, was (1-2) with a 5.17 ERA, a 4.74 FIP, 14 walks (3.29 BB/9) and 39 Ks (9.16 K/9) in 38 1⁄3 innings pitched over eight starts in the majors last season and he went (8-8) in 22 starts at Triple-A Syracuse, over which he put up a 4.26 ERA, a 3.96 FIP, 35 walks (2.53 BB/9) and 109 Ks (7.87 K/9) in 124 2⁄3 innings.

Cole told reporters this winter that after a slow start, finishing strong last season gave him confidence going into the 2017 campaign.

“It makes me feel a lot better about myself for the fact that I started figuring stuff out towards the end of the year,” Cole explained.

“I struggled in the beginning of the year, a little bit and as the season went on I got stronger, so I have a baseline of when I need to work out before I get into the season and everything like that, so I have a strong mindset.”

Will Cole end up at back Triple-A Syracuse as starting depth? What does the future hold for the 2010 Nationals’ 4th Round pick?

Here’s the lineup that will back Cole up at the start of this afternoon’s game:

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