Starting lineups: Nats vs. Yankees in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – I think it’s finally safe to say we’ve reached the final countdown of spring training. Starting pitchers are going five or six innings. Position players are getting four or five plate appearances. Relievers are throwing back-to-back days. And Joey Meneses is back in Nationals camp.

Meneses, who became an international sensation over the last two weeks playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, has rejoined the Nationals and is right back in there this afternoon, batting third and starting in left field. Davey Martinez has said he wants Meneses to get some time in the outfield, because there’s a chance he’ll play out there when Corey Dickerson has a day off (most likely against lefties). So the big slugger is out there today against the Yankees.

Martinez’s lineup might well be what we see on Opening Day. At the very least, these are probably the nine names who will be out there next Thursday. The only question is what the batting order will be.

MacKenzie Gore, meanwhile, faces an important start today. He has not looked good the last few weeks, and he knows it. Now the young lefty has to see if he can get himself straightened out against a Yankees lineup that actually includes several big names, including Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. NEW YORK YANKEES
Where: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: None
Radio: None
Weather: Sunny, 76 degrees, wind 9 mph in from right field

NATIONALS
RF Lane Thomas
1B Dominic Smith
LF Joey Meneses
DH Corey Dickerson
3B Jeimer Candelario
2B Luis García
C Keibert Ruiz
SS CJ Abrams
CF Victor Robles

LHP MacKenzie Gore

YANKEES
SS Oswald Peraza
2B Gleyber Torres
1B Anthony Rizzo
DH Giancarlo Stanton
3B Oswaldo Cabrera
LF Aaron Hicks
RF Rafael Ortega
C Carlos Narvaez
CF Estevan Florial

RHP Clarke Schmidt