World Series Game 7 lineups: Nats at Astros (updated)

HOUSTON - Well, here we are. It's the day before Halloween. There's one baseball game remaining on the 2019 schedule. And the Nationals are playing in it. Who'd have thunk it?

There's really nothing like Game 7 of the World Series. It's something so many other teams and fan bases have experienced before, including the Astros only two years ago, but it's completely new for the Nationals, who had never even been involved in a Game 6 in any round of the postseason prior to Tuesday night. Having covered two of these a long time ago (2001 in Arizona, 2002 in Anaheim) let me just say these are intense affairs.

They also tend to produce some weird games, because the leash is so short on pitchers and everybody with a functioning arm is available out of the bullpen. So while the Max Scherzer-Zack Greinke matchup - the best Game 7 matchup since Curt Schilling-Roger Clemens in 2001 - looks great on paper, don't be surprised if Aníbal Sánchez, Patrick Corbin, Gerrit Cole or Jose Urquidy is on the mound relatively early in this game.

And, yes, Scherzer is officially starting tonight. So is Kurt Suzuki, who returns to catch after sitting out the last three games with a right hip injury. Suzuki's game-calling with be appreciated by Scherzer, but it'll be interesting to see if he has any trouble blocking balls in the dirt, which he had to do a lot in Game 1. And look for the Astros to be aggressive on the bases against him.

The rest of the Nationals lineup looks the same, with Howie Kendrick as designated hitter and Asdrúbal Cabrera (18-for-40, four doubles, one triple, three homers, 1.122 OPS in his career versus Greinke) at second base. Who will deliver the big hit tonight? Will it be one of the usual suspects (Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto) or will someone else step up (Trea Turner, Adam Eaton, Ryan Zimmerman, Victor Robles)?

Hey, it's Game 7. Anything can - and often does - happen. Enjoy every single moment of it, folks.

Update: A late lineup change: Suzuki is out and Yan Gomes is behind the plate, batting eighth.

WORLD SERIES - GAME 7
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Minute Maid Park
Gametime: 8:08 p.m. EDT
TV: FOX
Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
SS Trea Turner
RF Adam Eaton
3B Anthony Rendon
LF Juan Soto
DH Howie Kendrick
2B Asdrúbal Cabrera
1B Ryan Zimmerman
C Yan Gomes
CF Victor Robles

RHP Max Scherzer

ASTROS
CF George Springer
2B Jose Altuve
LF Michael Brantley
3B Alex Bregman
1B Yuli Gurriel
DH Yordan Alvarez
SS Carlos Correa
C Robinson Chirinos
RF Josh Reddick

RHP Zack Greinke