VIERA, Fla. -- Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker confirmed the obvious Sunday: Max Scherzer will be the team's opening day starter April 4 in Atlanta.
"He was opening day before I got here," the Nationals first-year manager said.
It will be the second consecutive opening day start for Scherzer, who signed a seven-year, $210 million contract prior to last season. He went 14-12 with a 2.79 ERA in 2015.
Scherzer also became the sixth pitcher in major league history to throw two no-hitters in the same season. He no-hit the Pirates on June 20 and the Mets on Oct 4.
The 31-year-old right-hander was set to make his third spring training start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.
Baker said, "He comes to pitch. Guys like playing behind him. I watched him on TV last year, every chance I got because I like watching baseball, and I like watching guys who have a chance to throw a no-hitter every time out."
Cardinals: Rosenthal getting heavy spring workload
JUPITER, Fla. -- Trevor Rosenthal working a scoreless sixth inning is a spring training-only phenomenon.
MLB
That's why the St. Louis Cardinals discount most results for the pitcher who set a franchise record with 48 saves last year. They just want him to get his work in.
"I put no stock in spring training with closers, I just don't," manager Mike Matheny said. "It's different just in general for closers."
Rosenthal has a 6.75 ERA after his first four spring appearances, twice allowing a run in an inning, and his timing could be a little off. But health counts most considering his track record.
Handling middle innings there's far less pressure than getting the last three outs. There's no scouting report to pore over in March and he's often facing hitters he's never seen before and won't see during the season, either (see full story).
Astros: Correa bringing excitement to Houston
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Carlos Correa doesn't want to hear a word about how many shoes he has.
Last year's AL Rookie of Year has a closet filled with hundreds of pairs and is constantly adding to the collection. Why? Because the shoes symbolize just how far Houston's shortstop has come since his childhood in Puerto Rico, where he recalls having only one pair for more than two years.
"I'm like, `Dude just shut up because you don't know where I come from,'" he said. "I come from having the same pair of shoes for years and now that I can have a lot of shoes, don't talk (expletive), don't do it, because you don't know anything about my past ... I truly came from nothing."
Although Correa's parents, teenagers when he was born, didn't have much money, they did everything possible to foster his childhood dream of playing in the majors. When he was in elementary school and wanted to learn English, they enrolled him in a bilingual school (see full story).