Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – It’s been a beautiful spring here from a weather standpoint, warm with abundant sunshine every day for the last month. That may finally change today, with a line of storms supposed to sweep through the state of Florida later this afternoon. We’ll see if it impacts the Nationals’ game against the Astros. Might be a good day to really take advantage of that pitch clock.

Trevor Williams gets the ball for his third start of the spring. The right-hander has yet to allow a run in three innings to date; he also has yet to issue a walk. We’ll see how he handles an Astros lineup that doesn’t exactly have the big names in there today.

Houston does have a big-name pitcher on the mound in Framber Valdez, so this will be a nice challenge for a Nats lineup that has an unfamiliar face in the No. 1 spot: Keibert Ruiz. Don’t worry, Davey Martinez isn’t suddenly thinking about making his $50 million catcher a leadoff man. It’s just a way to get him an extra at-bat without having to catch too many innings on a hot, muggy afternoon.

James Wood gets another chance to start a big league game, batting ninth and playing center field. Fellow prospect Elijah Green is slated to replace him later on.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: None
Radio: MLB.com (Astros broadcast)
Weather: Chance of storms late, 87 degrees, wind 17 mph out to center field

NATIONALS
C Keibert Ruiz
DH Lane Thomas
2B Luis García
1B Dominic Smith
LF Alex Call
3B Ildemaro Vargas
RF Stone Garrett
SS Jeter Downs
CF James Wood

RHP Trevor Williams

ASTROS
CF Mauricio Dubon
RF Corey Julks
3B Alex Bregman
1B José Abreu
LF David Hensley
C Yainer Diaz
DH J.J. Matijevic
SS Grae Kessinger
2B Shay Whitcomb

LHP Framber Valdez