Game Thread: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

Josiah Gray faces an MLB lineup today for the first time in nearly two years, plus an update on Dylan Crews' thumb and the first cuts of camp

It’s been nearly two years since Josiah Gray last pitched in a competitive game wearing a Nationals uniform. You can debate whether today’s exhibition against the Astros qualifies as “competitive” or not, but you better believe this game will mean something to the right-hander, who is trying to prove he’s finally all the way back from elbow surgery.

Gray, who did make three minor-league rehab starts in September, has stated he wants to be part of the Nats’ Opening Day rotation. It remains to be seen if club officials are willing to do that, or if they decide to slow-play his progression a bit, but today’s start could help point them in the right direction. If Gray’s velocity is fine, if his command is sharp and if he feels good after what should be a two-inning appearance, it would certainly help his cause.

Gray isn’t exactly easing his way back in, by the way. The first three Astros hitters he will face today are Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez (making his 2026 spring debut) and Carlos Correa. That’s no picnic, even under the best of circumstances.

The Nationals lineup, meanwhile, includes more regulars (or potential regulars) than we’ve seen so far this spring. And it includes James Wood again in right field for the third time in his last four games played. Definitely worth keeping an eye on this as the rest of March plays out.

Today’s game is on old-fashioned AM radio, 1580 AM to be precise. If you’re too new-school for that, you can also listen to Charlie and Dave streaming on nationals.com and the MLB app.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: None
Radio: 1580 AM, nationals.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 78 degrees, wind 17 mph in from center

NATIONALS
2B Nasim Nuñez
SS CJ Abrams
RF James Wood
3B Brady House
LF Daylen Lile
C Keibert Ruiz
DH José Tena
1B Andrés Chaparro
CF Joey Wiemer

RHP Josiah Gray

ASTROS
2B Jose Altuve
DH Yordan Alvarez
3B Carlos Correa
1B Christian Walker
RF Cam Smith
CF Jake Meyers
LF Lucas Spence
SS Riley Unroe
C César Salazar

RHP Hunter Brown

PREGAME NOTES

CREWS HAS THUMB CONTUSION
Dylan Crews is day-to-day with a left thumb contusion, manager Blake Butera told reporters in West Palm Beach this morning. The outfielder was hit by a pitch during a live batting practice session Saturday and had to be scratched from Sunday’s starting lineup. Butera said X-rays were taken of Crews’ thumb, which came back negative. The team has Tuesday off, so the soonest he could return to play would be Wednesday night when the Nationals host Venezuela in a World Baseball Classic exhibition game.

FIVE PLAYERS REASSIGNED TO MINORS
The Nationals made their first round of spring cuts this morning, reassigning five players to minor-league camp: right-handers Andry Lara, Jarlin Susana, Travis Sykora and Eddy Yean, plus catcher Max Romero. All five were non-roster invitees to big-league camp, with Susana (lat muscle) and Sykora (elbow ligament) still rehabbing from major surgeries late last season. Today’s moves leave 60 healthy players in big-league camp. You can check out the updated roster on the homepage.