The Astros had the kind of Monday night that leaves a mark. Their bats showed up, but Mike Burrows’ rough outing on the mound helped turn a promising start to the three-game series against Washington into a 12-11 loss.
Now the focus shifts to Tuesday, where Houston gets a chance to steady things against Nationals left-hander Andrew Alvarez. A win would do plenty to erase some of the sting from the opener and get the Astros pointed back in the right direction.
Alvarez has been one of Washington’s more interesting arms this season. After making only five starts in 2025, he has put together a strong 2026 so far, posting a 3.05 ERA across 41 1/3 innings.
He has struck out 48 and walked 16, and in 11 appearances, five have come as starts. He’s still a rookie, though, and that gives Houston’s veteran lineup an opening if Alvarez leaves anything over the plate.
Tuesday’s game is set for Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., with first pitch at 6:45 p.m. EDT.
The Astros will be on Space City Home Network, while the Nationals are on Nationals.TV. On the radio, Houston has KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2 and KLTN-TUDN 102.9 FM, with Washington on WJFK 106.7 The Fan.
Houston sends right-hander Tatsuya Imai to the mound, and he enters at 5-4 with a 6.14 ERA. Alvarez gets the ball for Washington at 2-1 with that 3.05 ERA.
A few individual matchups stand out for the Astros in this one.
Nick Allen is the only Houston hitter with any real history against Alvarez, and even that sample is tiny: two plate appearances, one walk. Still, it’s more than the rest of the lineup has, so maybe there’s something there for the Astros to lean on before first pitch.
Then there’s Yordan Alvarez, who looms as the biggest threat in the order. His numbers against left-handers are still excellent - a .295/.354/.591 slash line - even if they’re a tick below what he does against righties. Against a pitcher with Andrew Alvarez’s profile, Houston will be expecting its star slugger to make the difference.
Christian Walker is another key name, and his production against left-handed pitching has been a problem in 2026. He’s hitting just .206/.313/.441 in those matchups, with four home runs and 11 RBI. Batting cleanup, he’ll need to snap out of that trend if the Astros are going to punish a young lefty and even the series.
In Other News...
Cade Cavallis Suspension May Have Changed Everything For The Nationals
Cade Cavallis suspension has already rippled beyond one roster spot, forcing the Nationals to keep adjusting the bullpen while they wait for his situation to settle. Cavalli has expressed remorse for what happened, and the club has had to juggle arms such as Eddy Yean and Cole Henry just to keep the relief corps moving, with another move likely coming soon as the innings keep piling up elsewhere.
The more immediate question is what comes next for Cavalli himself. His first outing after the suspension was rocky, and Washington is weighing whether to give him the July 12 start or pull him back and let nearly two weeks pass before he takes the mound again. For a pitcher trying to regain his footing, the Nationals now have to decide whether more work or a longer reset is the better path. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Rebuild Pressure Just Put Three First Round Picks Under Spotlight
The Nationals rebuild has put a fresh spotlight on the last three first-round picks, and the review is a reminder of how quickly a draft class can shape the direction of an organization. Eli Willits, the first overall selection, has already pushed himself into top-prospect territory with strong contact and some power in the low minors, while Seaver King has given the club a different kind of upside with speed and versatility after being taken 10th in 2024.
Dylan Crews, the 2023 second overall pick, is the name that keeps the conversation from feeling too tidy. His path has been interrupted by injuries and uneven major league results, which makes the Nationals recent draft record feel less like a finished verdict and more like a live test of whether the front office has enough impact talent on the way to support the rebuild. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Surge Has Put One Deadline Decision Under The Spotlight
Bostons recent surge has changed the feel of the deadline conversation, and not just because the club has won nine of its last 11 games. The Red Sox have played better offensively over the past two weeks, but they still sit near the bottom of the league in home runs, which keeps the search for a real impact bat very much alive as July approaches.
One name that naturally fits that discussion is CJ Abrams, whose profile has made him an intriguing possibility for a team looking to add more punch from the right side. He is 25 and under control for two more seasons, which only adds to the appeal if Boston decides it wants a longer-term answer rather than a short-term rental, even if the odds of any deal remain far from certain. [Read more 🡒]