Washington hosts Pittsburgh in an early rubber match at Nationals Park, with Washington reshuffling the lineup as Dylan Crews sits. Robert Hassell moves to right, Jacob Young to center, Daylen Lile in left, and James Wood shifts to DH while Riley Adams handles catching and Nasim Nunez stays at second. Cade Cavalli starts for the Nats. Pittsburgh counters with a lefty-friendly lineup featuring Oneil Cruz, Ji Hwan Bae, Spencer Horwitz, Joey Bart catching, and Mike Burrows on the mound. The Nats seek a September spark against aPirates club facing similar odds, hoping to prove they can beat teams in this tier.

The tactical shifts create fantasy intrigue: expect Hassell and Young to climb the batting order, Lile and Wood to contribute from spots that boost run potential, and Cavalli to deliver mixed results against a left-handed heavy Pirates lineup. For Pittsburgh, left-handed combinations against Cavalli will test Washington’s defense and opportunistic baserunning. This game is a chance for both teams to showcase resilience in a tight early-season schedule.

Week 25 fantasy baseball pivots sharpen the edge: avoid knee-jerk drops and weigh schedules, park factors, and playing time. Alcantara’s two starts, including Coors Field, and Castellanos’s platoon-like role push risk; Cease and Abbott offer holding upside despite late-season noise.

Machado’s surge, Wood’s late-season reawakening, and Merrill’s injury-plagued year shape Week 25 expectations; Yelich’s back adds risk but the slate remains favorable. Reader input remains central for next week’s Cut List.

Brady House has yet to unlock legitimate MLB power. With 3 homers in 224 AB and a launch angle around 5.8°, his slugging is far from ideal. He struggles to time fastballs and must lift and pull the ball to reach 20+ homers, a prerequisite for fantasy relevance given his walk rate and strikeout profile.

Within the Nationals' rising group, James Wood represents a higher-ceiling power benchmark, underscoring how crucial House's development is to his long-term role. If House unlocks power while maintaining solid defense, his fantasy floor could rise substantially in a competitive lineup.