The Washington Nationals welcome the Houston Astros to Nationals Park on Wednesday, July 8, with first pitch set for 6:45 PM ET. Foster Griffin gets the ball for Washington against Houston's Spencer Arrighetti in what figures to be a compelling mid-week matchup. The Astros bring a lineup loaded with proven offensive talent — led by Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve — while the Nationals counter with a young, deep batting order that features some of the organization's most exciting names. How Washington's pitching holds up against Houston's firepower is the central question of the evening.

Pitching Matchup: Griffin vs. Arrighetti

Foster Griffin draws the start for the Nationals. The left-hander has been part of Washington's rotation mix and will face a stiff test in the Astros lineup. No ERA or current win-loss record is available heading into this one, so the focus is on execution rather than prior numbers.

Spencer Arrighetti gets the nod for Houston. The right-hander has worked his way into the Astros' rotation plans and will look to keep Washington's offense off-balance from the jump. Again, current season stats weren't available at press time, but Arrighetti has the stuff to keep hitters guessing when he's on.

Washington Nationals Starting Lineup

• 1. James Wood — RF
• 2. Luis García Jr. — 1B
• 3. Curtis Mead — 3B
• 4. CJ Abrams — SS
• 5. Daylen Lile — LF
• 6. Dylan Crews — CF
• 7. Jorbit Vivas — 2B
• 8. José Tena — DH
• 9. Keibert Ruiz — C

Houston Astros Starting Lineup

• 1. Jose Altuve — 2B
• 2. Yordan Alvarez — DH
• 3. Isaac Paredes — 3B
• 4. Christian Walker — 1B
• 5. Cam Smith — RF
• 6. Yainer Diaz — C
• 7. Brice Matthews — CF
• 8. Zach Dezenzo — LF
• 9. Nick Allen — SS

Keys to Watch

James Wood Sets the Tone

Wood hitting leadoff means Washington wants him on base and creating chaos early. How he fares against Arrighetti in the first two at-bats could set the tone for the entire Nationals offensive effort. A Wood on-base percentage game opens the door for the middle of the order to do damage.

Protecting Against Alvarez

Yordan Alvarez batting second is a nightmare scenario for opposing pitchers. Griffin cannot afford to let Altuve reach and then face Alvarez in a hitter's count. Managing the top two spots in Houston's lineup will be the defining challenge for Griffin and the Washington bullpen.

The Bottom of the Nationals Order

Vivas, Tena, and Ruiz hitting seventh through ninth give Washington a chance to turn the lineup over with some punch. If those three can contribute and avoid being automatic outs against Arrighetti, the Nationals keep pressure on Houston's pitcher deep into counts.

Prediction

This is a tough matchup for Washington at home. The Astros carry serious offensive depth — Altuve, Alvarez, Paredes, and Walker form as dangerous a stretch as you'll see in any visiting lineup at Nationals Park this season. Griffin needs a clean early innings to give the Nationals a chance to stay competitive. Washington's young lineup is capable of putting up crooked numbers, but Houston's experience edge is real. Nationals Park crowd will be into it — but expect the Astros to grind out a close win in a 4-2 type ballgame. If Griffin can keep Alvarez in check, the calculus changes fast.