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  4. title => "Austin Voth continues strong case for fifth-starter spot while Joe Ross stumbles"
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  6. article_body => "<p>In one of the few spring training battles at Nationals camp, the competition for the fifth-starter spot has been tightly contested between Joe Ross and Austin Voth thus far.<\/p>\n<p>Each entered play Saturday with two appearances under their belt before taking the mound for the Nationals. Both got the start with the team playing split-squad games; Ross faced the Miami Marlins in West Palm Beach, Voth played the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie.<\/p>\n<p>With small-sample caveats applied, Ross led the way statistically with no runs and just one walk allowed across five innings of work prior to Saturday\u2014although he had just two strikeouts. Voth gave up one run in four innings with three strikeouts while walking one batter and hitting another.<\/p>\n<p>But on Saturday, Ross struggled early against the Marlins. He allowed a single and back-to-back walks the loaded the bases before getting out of the frame unscathed. Ross wouldn\u2019t be so fortunate in the third, putting runners on first and third before Jes\u00fas Aguilar brought them both home with a double to right. He was then lifted for Wander Suero, who got two outs to end the frame.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pitching line for Joe Ross: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 1 K<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Joe Ross evaluates his start against the Marlins: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/uevvzEKKmn\">pic.twitter.com\/uevvzEKKmn<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Jessica Camerato (@JessicaCamerato) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JessicaCamerato\/status\/1236415170781614082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 7, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n \n<p>Voth, on the other hand, cruised through his three innings of work against New York. He gave up two hits in the first but settled down to retire six of the final seven hitters he faced. Two of those hits were doubles off the bat of Brandon Nimmo, who\u2019s gotten off to a hot start to the spring with a .435 average.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pitching line for Austin Voth: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 3 K<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">If you&#39;re wondering why Austin Voth keeps popping up at the backend of top 100 SP lists... <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mMXpKYQzlN\">pic.twitter.com\/mMXpKYQzlN<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Alex Fast (@AlexFast8) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlexFast8\/status\/1236362390054281217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 7, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n \n<p>Erick Fedde, who's scheduled to face the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, is also considered to be among the candidates for the job. But Fedde's rare fourth-year option makes him a likely candidate to be sent to the minors before Opening Day.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that Ross was on the mound at home\u2014where manager Davey Martinez and the rest of the Nationals\u2019 coaching staff can see him pitch in person\u2014while Voth traveled to Port St. Lucie speaks to where the two of them stand in the competition for the fifth spot.<\/p>\n<p>With just two weeks remaining before the team breaks camp for D.C., both Ross and Voth have just a few chances left to make their cases for the job before Martinez and Co. are forced to choose.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb65a2b6cedb?site_id=Dig_RSN_Wash&amp;creative_id=nbcswash1200&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcswash1200\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports. Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream Capitals and Wizards games easily from your device.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MORE NATIONALS&nbsp;NEWS:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Contract renewd: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/nationals-renew-juan-sotos-contract-629400-2020\">Juan Soto to make $629k<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Web gem:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/carter-kieboom-robs-mets-dom-smith-hit-leaping-catch\">Kieboom makes leaping grab<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Coronavirus concerns:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/amid-coronavirus-outbreak-nationals-limit-autographs-pre-signed-or-team-provided-items\">Nats limit fan interaction<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/racing-presidents\/episodes\/5852fe73-5006-417a-8626-9b83b71421a5\/embed?theme=light-blue\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n"
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Nationals

Nationals

In one of the few spring training battles at Nationals camp, the competition for the fifth-starter spot has been tightly contested between Joe Ross and Austin Voth thus far.

Each entered play Saturday with two appearances under their belt before taking the mound for the Nationals. Both got the start with the team playing split-squad games; Ross faced the Miami Marlins in West Palm Beach, Voth played the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie.

With small-sample caveats applied, Ross led the way statistically with no runs and just one walk allowed across five innings of work prior to Saturday—although he had just two strikeouts. Voth gave up one run in four innings with three strikeouts while walking one batter and hitting another.

But on Saturday, Ross struggled early against the Marlins. He allowed a single and back-to-back walks the loaded the bases before getting out of the frame unscathed. Ross wouldn’t be so fortunate in the third, putting runners on first and third before Jesús Aguilar brought them both home with a double to right. He was then lifted for Wander Suero, who got two outs to end the frame.

Pitching line for Joe Ross: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 1 K

Voth, on the other hand, cruised through his three innings of work against New York. He gave up two hits in the first but settled down to retire six of the final seven hitters he faced. Two of those hits were doubles off the bat of Brandon Nimmo, who’s gotten off to a hot start to the spring with a .435 average.

 

Pitching line for Austin Voth: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 3 K

Erick Fedde, who's scheduled to face the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, is also considered to be among the candidates for the job. But Fedde's rare fourth-year option makes him a likely candidate to be sent to the minors before Opening Day.

The fact that Ross was on the mound at home—where manager Davey Martinez and the rest of the Nationals’ coaching staff can see him pitch in person—while Voth traveled to Port St. Lucie speaks to where the two of them stand in the competition for the fifth spot.

With just two weeks remaining before the team breaks camp for D.C., both Ross and Voth have just a few chances left to make their cases for the job before Martinez and Co. are forced to choose.

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