Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – It’s not exactly a happy day at Nationals camp, where news of Cade Cavalli’s upcoming Tommy John surgery has cast a pall over everything. But there’s a game to play tonight, and a season to continue to prepare for. That process will continue with a 6:05 p.m. contest against the Mets.

This was Josiah Gray’s day to throw, but he already went ahead and got his work in on a back field this morning. Davey Martinez said Gray went five innings and 82 pitches, and he specifically focused on his changeup, which he threw 10-11 times. They felt that controlled situation provided a better opportunity for the right-hander to work on such things than a Grapefruit League game.

So that means it’s going to be Wily Peralta starting tonight against the Mets. The veteran right-hander has been trying to make the Opening Day roster off a minor league deal, most likely as a long reliever. He hasn’t been stretched out all that much; perhaps tonight he can give them two or three innings and make his case to head north with the club.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. NEW YORK METS
Where: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches
Gametime: 6:05 p.m. EDT
TV: None
Radio: MLB.com (Mets broadcast)
Weather: Partly cloudy, 73 degrees, wind 10 mph in from right field

NATIONALS
RF Lane Thomas
1B Dominic Smith
LF Alex Call
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Luis García
3B Ildemaro Vargas
CF Victor Robles
DH Michael Chavis
SS Jeter Downs

RHP Wily Peralta

METS
LF Tim Locastro
SS Luis Guillorme
2B Danny Mendick
3B Brett Baty
C Tomas Nido
DH DJ Stewart
1B Mark Vientos
RF Jaylin Davis
CF Lorenzo Cedrola

RHP Kodai Senga