Konnor Griffin, James Wood take center stage as Pirates visit Nationals in July 4 matinee

Two of baseball's brightest young stars share a field.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 42 min read

Can't go wrong with either of these young stars ⭐️ Catch Konnor Griffin and the Pirates take on James Wood and the Nati Via @MLBNetwork on X

What happened: The Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals meet Saturday at 11 a.m. ET, with the game airing on MLB Network. The matchup pairs two of the game's most touted young talents: Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin and Nationals outfielder James Wood.

Why it matters: Washington enters riding a three-game winning streak at 46-43, including a 9-5 victory over Pittsburgh on Friday, while the Pirates sit at 44-45 looking to even the series. For Griffin, the holiday spotlight comes just weeks after beginning a rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona in late June, marking another step in a season that has kept the young Pirate in the headlines.

By the numbers: Nationals: 46-43, winners of three straight, averaging 5.4 runs while allowing 5.1. Pirates: 44-45, scoring 5.1 runs and allowing 4.9 per game. Head-to-head this season: Washington has taken three of the teams' last four meetings dating to April, though Pittsburgh's largest win in the season series was a 16-5 rout on April 13.

What to watch: First pitch is set for 11 a.m. ET Saturday in Washington, with the Pirates aiming to snap a Nationals win streak and pull back toward .500.

Sources

@MLBNetwork 2026-07-04T14:40:57.350754+00:00

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