Washington Nationals at New York Yankees: Grapefruit League GameThread

Washington Nationals’ righty Joe Ross warmed up during the Grapefruit League opener last week, though play never resumed after a prolonged rain delay, so he was burned and had a long wait before he could make his first start of the Spring this afternoon.

Ross will take the mound at 1:05 PM EST in Tampa, FL’s George M. Steinbrenner Field, weather permitting, where the Nats and New York Yankees are set to meet.

The 26-year-old starter finished the 2019 campaign with a 4.28 ERA, a 3.75 FIP, eight walks (1.80 BB/9), and 32 Ks (7.20 K/9) in eight starts and 40 innings pitched at Triple-A Fresno and a 3.02 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 22 walks (4.43 K/9), and 38 Ks (7.66 K/9) in 44 2⁄3 IP in his major league starts, and Nationals’ manager Davey Martinez talked last week about expecting big things out of the right-hander in the upcoming campaign, which is his second full season following Tommy John surgery in 2017.

“As we all know,” Martinez said, “... the injury has slowed him down, but I’ve always felt like those guys that have Tommy John, it takes — like this Spring for me was the Spring where I thought he’ll be back to the Joe Ross that we saw early in his career, and so far he looks like that guy. The ball is coming out really well. I know he’s working on different things with his mechanics, and repeating his delivery, so I look at Joe doing big things for us this year.”

Ross makes his 2020 debut today. It’s available on MLB.tv in D.C. via the Yankees’ YES Network feed. Enjoy.

HERE’S THE NATIONALS’ LINEUP FOR TODAY’S GAME: