The Nationals head into Monday night’s matchup with Houston looking to get the series started on the right foot and keep themselves above .500. First pitch is set for 6:45 PM ET, with another meeting with the Astros coming Tuesday at 6:45 PM ET and a third on Wednesday at the same time. The questions hanging over the series are simple enough: can Washington open with a win, can Alvarez keep pitching well and get through more than five innings, and can Foster keep his win streak rolling all the way to his tenth victory?
Sunday brought a roster shakeup and a debut in the same breath. Robert Hassell was designated for assignment, and Eddy Yean was brought up from Rochester to take his place.
Yean made his first big league appearance and delivered two scoreless innings, allowing no hits while striking out three. In Triple-A this season, he had worked 39 games for Rochester and put up a 3.60 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts across 40 innings.
He also showed off the kind of arm that gets noticed fast, throwing a 90mph changeup and a 98 mph two-seam fastball in his debut. After the game, Yean was optioned back to Triple-A Rochester.
The move sent the 24-year-old Hassell off the 40-man roster. Hassell, who came over in the Juan Soto trade, has spent most of his career in the minors.
In 70 MLB games in 2025, he hit .223 with a .315 slugging percentage. Blake Butera had praise ready for Yean, saying, “He's had a lot of success this year in Triple-A.
Also, [he's] just a really good person. I'm sure you saw the big smile.
He's excited to be here. His teammates love him; everybody in the organization loves him.”
Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh turned on the eighth inning and never really let go. The Nationals were tied 4-4 heading into the frame, then gave up seven runs over the final two innings in a loss that kept them from taking the series. Washington got its offense from Dylan Crews and Luis García Jr., with each player homering and driving in at least one run.
Luis García Jr. finished 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs, while Crews went 1-for-3 with a homer, an RBI, and a walk. José Tena added a 2-for-3 day with a walk, but Washington went just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
The Pirates committed no errors, while the Nationals had one. Gregory Soto earned the win, working two innings and allowing one hit and one run, while Brad Lord took the loss after giving up five earned runs in 1.1 innings.
The announced attendance was 19,587.
Saturday brought a different kind of headline for Washington, with the MLB All-Star teams announced and CJ Abrams and James Wood both earning their second selections. Abrams will start at shortstop for the National League, while Wood was named as an outfield reserve.
Abrams leads NL shortstops in home runs and all shortstops in RBIs. Wood leads all right fielders in home runs, walks, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, and he also leads the MLB in total runs.
The All-Star nods also added a little more history for the Nationals. Abrams became the first Nationals shortstop to make multiple All-Star teams with the club.
Wood became the fourth Nationals outfielder to be selected for an All-Star Game and the third to do it in back-to-back seasons. Abrams told the team, “I appreciate everybody in here.
I look forward to coming to the field every day; y'all make it fun.” Wood followed with, “I appreciate you guys, y'all make it a blast coming here every day, so let's keep doing it another half.”
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 🡒]