The Nationals head into their series with Houston needing answers on the mound, and the timing could hardly be sharper. Washington just watched its staff get battered for 23 runs in a three-game loss to Pittsburgh, and with the Phillies and Marlins both rolling, the National League Wild Card race is only getting tighter. July is starting to feel like a month that could define things for Washington, and this set against the Astros is part of that pressure.
Houston comes in with some momentum of its own. The Astros are still two games below .500 and sitting third in an uneven American League West, but they’ve played much better after a pair of ugly stretches earlier in the season. One series can still swing the feel of that division, which gives this matchup a little extra weight.
Monday’s opener at 6:45 PM EST sends Miles Mikolas to the hill for Washington against Mike Burrows. Mikolas is 2-7 with a 5.44 ERA, and his recent form has made him a tricky read.
A strong May and part of June had him looking like a useful piece in a patched-together Nationals rotation, but two of his last three starts have gone for five or more runs. He’s getting a full week off before this one, and Washington will be hoping that rest helps him reset.
Burrows, meanwhile, has not given Houston much stability. The right-hander is 4-8 with a 5.58 ERA, and in June he had only two outings in which he allowed fewer than four runs - one of those came in a one-inning relief appearance. He has yet to string together a run of starts that looks remotely settled, which gives the Nationals a chance to attack early and try to seize control of the series.
Tuesday’s game, also set for 6:45 PM EST, features Andrew Alvarez for Washington and Tatsuya Imai for Houston. Alvarez is 2-1 with a 3.05 ERA, and while he hasn’t worked into the sixth inning yet, he has become something close to a rotation savior for the Nats.
He doesn’t always make it look clean, but he keeps runs off the board and has recently seen his whiff rates climb. That makes him one of the most important arms on the roster right now.
Imai’s first season in MLB has been rough. The right-hander signed a large contract with Houston over the offseason as one of the premier Japanese pitching talents to come overseas in recent years, but hitters have been finding him.
He’s getting whiffs, yet opponents are not chasing enough and are squaring up plenty of pitches in the zone. For Washington’s power bats, that sets up a night where lifting the ball could matter a lot.
Wednesday’s finale at 6:45 PM EST brings Foster Griffin and Spencer Arrighetti together. Griffin has been one of Washington’s biggest breakout stories, and the numbers keep backing it up: he’s 9-2 with a 2.87 ERA, and his WHIP is close to slipping below 1.00. He has stayed steady into July and is building a case as one of the most productive arms in the National League.
Arrighetti is coming off a month that went in the opposite direction. He was tagged for 25 runs in 25.0 innings over five June appearances, though he opened July by allowing just one run and two hits across 6.0 innings against Tampa Bay. Washington will be hoping the June version shows up again, because the matchup leans heavily toward the Nationals in a finale that figures to come down to finesse more than power.
In Other News...
Nationals Suddenly Face A Trade Dilemma That Could Define Their Season
The Nationals have spent most of the summer trying to prove their record is no fluke, and at 47-45 they are still squarely in the postseason picture. That makes Foster Griffin one of the more interesting names on their roster right now, because the left-hander has quietly turned in a strong season with a 2.87 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 18 starts, enough production to draw attention beyond Washington.
MLB insider Robert Murray reports the interest in Griffin is expected to be plenty, which puts the Nationals in a familiar but tricky spot for a team trying to move forward without giving up too much ground. For a club that has already spent months climbing into contention, the question around Griffin is not just about what he has done so far, but what Washington is willing to risk if the market keeps building before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Former Royals Arm Is Suddenly Raising A Familiar Question Again
Foster Griffin has quietly given the Nationals a stretch of steady work, and it comes at a time when clubs are always looking for left-handed pitching depth that can travel well into October. The former Royals arm has leaned on a seven-pitch mix this season, added a sinker, and shown enough consistency to keep his name in the conversation as a useful bullpen piece.
The control issues have not disappeared, but his recent run has been hard to ignore. Over his last four appearances, Griffin has put up a 0.95 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 28.1 innings despite 10 walks, and his overall line for Washington remains solid at 2.87 ERA with a 4.27 FIP and 1.04 WHIP. He also brings recent experience from Japan, where he worked from 2023 to 2025, and that background only adds to the appeal for a contender weighing whether he might fit a late-season bullpen puzzle. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Abrams Deadline Tension Just Got Real For Nationals Fans
CJ Abrams has spent the summer carrying the pressure that comes with being a two-time All-Star and the Nationals starting shortstop, and lately that burden has only grown heavier. His recent struggles at the plate have put him back in the trade-rumor conversation ahead of the deadline, even as Washington keeps pushing in the postseason race and needs its young core to stay steady.
Abrams has been trying to keep the outside noise from taking over, using meditation to stay centered while the speculation around him keeps building. He gave the Nationals a jolt with a key three-run homer against the Astros, a reminder of how quickly his bat can change a game, but the larger question hanging over him and the club is whether Washingtons surprising run changes the way the front office views his future. [Read more 🡒]