First Pitch: 3:45 PM ET
Venue: Nationals Park — Washington, D.C.
Broadcast: MLB.TV
Weather Outlook (Washington, D.C.)
Temperature: ~61°F at gametime
Conditions: Mild spring conditions; no adverse weather expected.
Impact: Neutral environment—slight lean toward pitchers due to cooler air suppressing carry.
Venue Profile — Nationals Park
Location: 1500 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C.
Park Factors: Traditionally neutral-to-slightly hitter-friendly in warm months; early April tends to play fair.
Injury Report
St. Louis Cardinals
Masyn Winn (SS): Day‑to‑day, expected return Apr 6
Hunter Dobbins (SP): 15‑day IL, return Apr 7
Matt Pushard (RP): 15‑day IL, return Apr 14
Lars Nootbaar (LF): 60‑day IL, return May 26
Ixan Henderson (SP): 60‑day IL, return May 29
Washington Nationals
Paxton Schultz (RP): 15‑day IL, return Apr 6
Joan Adon (RP): OUT Apr 6
Josiah Gray (SP): 60‑day IL, return May 29
Trevor Williams (SP): 60‑day IL, return Jun 1
DJ Herz (SP): 60‑day IL, return Jul 1
Starting Pitching Matchup
St. Louis — RHP Andre Pallante (1–0, 0.00 ERA)
5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 K, 3 BB, 0 HR allowed in 2026
Ground‑ball specialist; thrives when inducing weak contact.
Early-season command slightly shaky (3 walks), but results strong.
Washington — RHP Zack Littell (0–1, 5.40 ERA)
5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 K, 2 BB, 2 HR allowed in 2026
Contact‑oriented pitcher; vulnerable to power when missing spots.
Nationals’ depleted rotation places pressure on Littell to eat innings.
Pitching Edge: Cardinals (Pallante’s profile fits Nationals Park well).
Team Records & Recent Form
St. Louis Cardinals (5–4)
Last 5: W–L–L–W–W
Recent wins include a 5–3 victory over Detroit on Apr 5.
Offense: .217 AVG, 40 R, 64 H, 8 HR, .294 OBP, .336 SLG
Pitching: 4.94 ERA, 1.56 WHIP
Washington Nationals (3–6)
Last 5: L–L–L–L–L (five‑game losing streak)
Swept by the Dodgers in a high‑scoring series.
Offense: .270 AVG, 55 R, 87 H, 11 HR, .340 OBP, .429 SLG
Pitching: 6.27 ERA, 1.61 WHIP (major liability)
Key Player Matchups
Cardinals Hitters to Watch
Nolan Gorman: 2 HR, 7 RBI; power threat vs. Littell’s HR tendency.
Victor Scott II: .310 AVG; table‑setter with speed.
Jordan Walker: 8 RBI, .300 AVG; emerging middle‑order anchor.
Nationals Hitters to Watch
CJ Abrams: 3 HR, 12 RBI, .290 AVG; red‑hot start.
Luis García Jr.: .324 AVG, .559 SLG; consistent contact and gap power.
Series History & Context
No 2026 head‑to‑head games yet.
Nationals enter on a five‑game losing streak, while St. Louis has won three of its last five.
Pitching mismatch favors St. Louis; Washington’s bullpen has struggled with inherited runners (52.4% scoring rate).
Betting Trends
Nationals pitching allowing 10+ runs in multiple recent games.
Cardinals bullpen middle‑tier but stabilizing.
Nationals offense is outperforming their record but cannot overcome pitching issues.
Game Odds
St. Louis Cardinals – 115
Washington Nationals 8
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, April 5, 2026
