VIERA, Fla. -- The Nationals will play their first intrasquad game of the spring on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET. The game will be played at Space Coast Stadium and is open to the public for free. The gates will open at 10 a.m.
The game will be played for eight innings. Right-hander Max Scherzer of the Intrasquad team will face the Mini Camp's Joe Ross. Pitching coach Mike Maddux wanted to start getting the pitchers in games because the team has some tough decisions, according to manager Dusty Baker.
Baker has often talked about the great arms in camp, and the Nationals are looking to fill the last two spots in the rotation. Ross, Tanner Roark, Bronson Arroyo and top-prospectLucas Giolito are battling for those spots.

They also have to figure out who will be in the bullpen. Closer Jonathan Papelbon, Felipe Rivero and Shawn Kelley are expected to be on the back end, while Yusmeiro Petit will be the long man. The remainder of the 'pen is to be determined.
Also scheduled to pitch Sunday are Petit, Sammy Solis, Sean Burnett and Andrew Lee for the Intrasquad team, and Roark, Taylor Jordan, Erik Davis, Nick Masset for the Mini Camp team.
Baker said some of the injured players from last year's team, such as Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman, will not play in the game. Baker plans to start those players off slowly. The skipper also said some of the players from Minor League camp will play in the game.