The Atlanta Braves hit the road for a Wednesday afternoon clash against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 PM ET on September 2, 2026. Grant Holmes takes the ball for Atlanta against Washington's Brad Lord in what shapes up as a pitching matchup between two arms still carving out their places in their respective rotations. With the dog days of the regular season winding down, every game carries weight, and the Braves are sending out a lineup loaded with recognizable names to get the job done in the nation's capital.

Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals: Pitching Matchup

Grant Holmes gets the start for Atlanta. Holmes has been working his way through a rotation spot, and Wednesday's start against a Nationals lineup that leans heavily on youth gives him a reasonable opportunity to build some momentum. Washington counters with Brad Lord, who is also building his big-league résumé. With no publicly available ERA or won-loss record for either starter heading into this one, the performance on the field will do the talking.

Washington's lineup is a young, dangerous group. James Wood leads off from right field, with Dylan Crews batting third in center and CJ Abrams — now at second base — hitting cleanup. This Nationals lineup has legitimate offensive pop, so Holmes will need to be sharp from the opening inning.

Atlanta Braves Lineup and Players to Watch

Manager Brian Snitker is running out a lineup that features some notable positioning. Ronald Acuña Jr. hits second and plays right field, slotted behind leadoff DH Drake Baldwin. Matt Olson follows at third in the order, with Ozzie Albies batting cleanup at second base. Michael Harris II is in center field hitting fifth, and Sean Murphy catches and bats sixth.

Austin Riley drops down to the eighth spot in the order, with Ha-Seong Kim rounding out the lineup at shortstop. Mike Yastrzemski gets the start in left field, batting seventh.

Keys to Watch Wednesday

• Holmes's command early: Washington's lineup has youth and athleticism at the top. Holmes needs to establish himself in the first two innings or the Nationals will make him work deep counts all afternoon.
• Acuña's presence in the two-hole: Hitting Acuña second keeps him in front of Olson and Albies. If he gets on base, Atlanta's middle of the order becomes a serious problem for Brad Lord.
• CJ Abrams and the Nationals' young core: Abrams, Crews, and Wood form a dangerous trio in the heart of Washington's order. Keeping them off the bases is the clearest path to a Braves win.
• Atlanta's depth in the lineup: Riley batting eighth is a reminder of how much depth this Braves lineup carries. No easy outs for Brad Lord from top to bottom.

Prediction: Braves Win a Tight One

This is a road matinee against a Nationals club that is building toward the future, but that young lineup can put runs on the board. Holmes's outing will define the tone. If Atlanta's offense — led by Acuña, Olson, and Albies — does its job early and gives the bullpen a comfortable margin to work with, the Braves should come away with a win. Call it Atlanta 5, Washington 3.

Catch the game on BravesVision or tune in on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan. Spanish-language coverage is available on Los Bravos.