The Arizona Diamondbacks head to Nationals Park on Saturday, July 25, 2026, for a 4:05 PM ET first pitch against the Washington Nationals. Left-hander Mitch Bratt gets the ball for Arizona against Washington's Foster Griffin in what shapes up as an intriguing pitching matchup between two arms still carving out their roles at the big-league level. With the regular season well into its second half, every game matters for a Diamondbacks club that has championship aspirations — road wins in mid-summer are how contenders separate themselves from the pack.
Probable Starters: Mitch Bratt vs. Foster Griffin
Mitch Bratt draws the Saturday start for Arizona. The young left-hander has shown flashes of the stuff that made him a prospect to watch, and this road start against a Washington lineup is a genuine test of where his command and sequencing stand right now. How Bratt handles pressure situations — runners on base, deep counts — will tell us a lot about his readiness to be a reliable piece of Arizona's rotation going forward.
On the other side, Foster Griffin takes the hill for the Nationals. Griffin is a veteran arm who knows how to pitch to contact and work the zone. Arizona's hitters will need to stay disciplined and avoid chasing soft offerings early in counts. Griffin can be hittable when lineups work the count and force him to come over the plate.
Keys to Watch for the Diamondbacks
- Bratt's command early: If Bratt is locating his fastball and mixing his secondary pitches effectively in the first two innings, Arizona has a real chance to steal a quality road start. Walks and first-inning trouble are the biggest risk factor to monitor.
- Plate discipline against Griffin: Griffin lives on getting hitters to swing at his terms. Arizona's lineup needs to grind at-bats, run up his pitch count, and get into the Washington bullpen as early as possible.
- Bullpen management: With a split doubleheader possibility always in play during summer scheduling, how Arizona manages its bullpen arms behind Bratt will be critical. Protecting key relievers for a potential multi-game stretch is a real factor.
- Road mentality: Nationals Park is not Chase Field. Arizona has to manufacture energy on the road and play aggressive, fundamental baseball — base running, situational hitting, and defense — to neutralize any home crowd advantage.
Broadcast Information
Fans in Arizona can catch the game on DBACKS.TV or listen live on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. Spanish-language coverage is available on La Campesina 101.9 FM and 860 AM. Washington-area fans can watch on Nationals.TV or tune in to WJFK 106.7 The Fan.
Prediction
This one hinges almost entirely on Bratt. If he gives Arizona five or six innings of competitive work, the Diamondbacks have the lineup depth to support him against Griffin. Expect a low-scoring, tightly contested game that comes down to late-inning execution. Arizona is capable of picking up a road win here, but it requires Bratt to be sharp and the offense to manufacture at least a few runs the hard way. Edge: Diamondbacks, 4-2.
