WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Shinnosuke Ogasawara will get one last shot to face major league hitters in a spring training before the Nationals make a final decision on the identity of their No. 5 starter to begin the season. Ogasawara, who has struggled to date in his first camp since signing with the Nats from Japan, was moved to a back field to start

SARASOTA, Fla. – The long wait is over for Jorge Mateo. He gets to appear in his first game today since injuring his left elbow on July 23 and undergoing reconstructive surgery a month later. The Orioles haven’t sounded as optimistic as Mateo about his availability for Opening Day. Today’s start at shortstop could be an indication that he remains i

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – It’s going to be a long day at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, where the Nationals play twice. Later this afternoon (5:05 p.m., to be precise), the organization’s top prospects take on the Mets’ top prospects in the Spring Breakout game (televised live on MASN). But first up, it’s the regular Grapefruit League game of the da

SARASOTA, Fla. – Jorge Mateo is making his spring debut this afternoon by starting at shortstop against the Phillies in a split-squad game at Ed Smith Stadium. Mateo has recovered from late-August reconstructive surgery on his left elbow. He’s engaged in full baseball activities and waited for clearance to play. Today, it happens. Gunnar Henderson

SARASOTA, Fla. – Enrique Bradfield Jr. joined in the raucous celebration last night after Leandro Arias’ walk-off single in the Spring Breakout game. He embraced teammates as the crowd erupted in a way normally sparked by major league comebacks, and he was one of the last Orioles prospects to leave the field. He was euphoric and destroyed. Overcome

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Sure, a dominant performance would’ve been nicer and may have firmly locked up the fifth starter’s job for Mitchell Parker. But in some ways, the outing Parker did actually produce tonight might have been more valuable for the Nationals left-hander, who still made his case for the last spot in the Opening Day rotation thanks

SARASOTA, Fla. – He’s listed at 5 feet 8 and his 19th birthday is three months away. The Orioles promoted him from the Dominican Summer League to the Class A level last season. Height and age didn’t factor into how they treated him. Results and a 70-grade fastball got Venezuelan right-hander Keeler Morfe moving faster than expected. Morfe has grown

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Andrés Chaparro will open the season on the injured list after an MRI today revealed a left oblique strain for the Nationals first baseman/designated hitter. Chaparro was taking batting practice Friday prior to the Nats’ game against the Braves in North Port when he felt a “jab” in his side on one swing. He immediately

BRADENTON, Fla. – The Orioles held pitchers fielding practice inside the ballpark this week in Sarasota. They took turns chasing soft ground balls that manager Brandon Hyde rolled near them, causing them to break left or right from the mound, and waited for a teammate to yell “first” or “third.” A reminder of those tedious drills came in the fourth

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Nationals are back on their own side of the state after a two-day jaunt to the Gulf Coast. And they’ll stay here until the end of camp, with every remaining game either in West Palm Beach, Jupiter or Port St. Lucie. Tonight, it’s the Mets coming to town, and they brought some of the big names with them. Yes, Juan Soto ma