First Pitch is scheduled for 4:05 PM ET
Venue: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia (home for the Washington Nationals)
This early-season NL interleague series finale at Nationals Park pits a surging Cardinals club (fresh off a dramatic extra-innings win Tuesday) against a struggling Nationals team looking to avoid the sweep and salvage a homestand. St. Louis sits near the top of the NL Central, while Washington lingers near the bottom of the NL East with pitching woes mounting.
Recent Team Forms
St. Louis Cardinals (W2; strong in series):
Apr 7: Win at Nationals 7-6 (10 innings; Thomas Saggese go-ahead double, Jordan Walker homer; rallied vs. Nats bullpen).
Apr 6: Win at Nationals (exact score not detailed but series-opening victory).
Cardinals have won 4 of their last 6 overall and shown late-game resilience.
Washington Nationals (L2; 3-7 in last 10):
Apr 7: Loss vs. Cardinals 6-7 (10 innings; bullpen collapse after late lead).
Apr 6: Loss vs. Cardinals.
Nationals have dropped 4 of their last 5 and rank near the bottom in bullpen ERA (around 6.34 entering Tuesday).
Series History (2026 Season)
Cardinals lead the current series 2-0 after back-to-back wins, including Tuesday’s extra-inning thriller. Over the prior three seasons, St. Louis holds a slight edge in head-to-head play, with recent matchups tending toward competitive, higher-scoring games when bullpens are involved. This is the rubber match of the three-game set.
Weather Updates
Nationals Park (outdoor) forecast for first pitch (4:05 PM ET):
Temperature: ~50-55°F (cool for April; highs in the low 50s)
Conditions: Mostly clear/partly cloudy with light winds (~8-11 mph from the northeast)
Chance of precipitation: Low (~20-30%; isolated shower possible but unlikely to impact)
Humidity: ~40-45%
Cool temps and light wind should favor pitchers and suppress offense slightly—no rain delays expected. Fans should dress in layers for the evening chill.
Injury Report
St. Louis Cardinals (pitching depth thinned):
Hunter Dobbins (SP) – 15-Day IL (knee)
Matt Pushard (RP) – 15-Day IL (knee tendinitis)
Lars Nootbaar (OF) – 60-Day IL (heel surgery)
Ixan Henderson (SP) – 60-Day IL (elbow)
Victor Santos (RP) – 60-Day IL
Cardinals are relying on available rotation depth and a solid bullpen otherwise.
Washington Nationals (multiple pitching absences):
Joan Adon (RP) – Out (day-to-day or unavailable)
Paxton Schultz (RHP) – 15-Day IL (elbow inflammation)
Trevor Williams (SP) – 60-Day IL (elbow)
DJ Herz (SP) – 60-Day IL (elbow)
Josiah Gray (SP) – 60-Day IL (elbow)
Nationals bullpen and rotation are significantly depleted, forcing heavy reliance on available arms and potentially early hooks.
Key Player Matchups
Starting Pitchers: Cardinals RHP Michael McGreevy (0-1, 2.53 ERA, 0.84 WHIP in 10.2 IP; solid command and ground-ball stuff) vs. Nationals RHP Miles Mikolas (0-2, 14.46 ERA; facing his former team after seven seasons in St. Louis). McGreevy brings early-season effectiveness, while Mikolas has been hit hard (high xERA around 8+); expect the Cardinals to attack early.
Offense vs. Defense: Cardinals stars Jordan Walker (hot bat, recent homers and RBIs) and Thomas Saggese (clutch extra-innings hero) vs. Nationals pitching and defense. Washington’s CJ Abrams and emerging bats must generate runs against McGreevy after Tuesday’s bullpen meltdown.
Bullpen/Defense: Both sides are thin in relief—Nationals’ unit has been particularly vulnerable (ranked near league-worst). Late innings could favor St. Louis if starters exit early in cool conditions.
Betting Trends
Early-season road favorites with strong starters have performed well against teams with depleted rotations/bullpens.
Nationals are 1-4 at home and have covered poorly as underdogs lately.
Totals have leaned Over in recent Cardinals games but cool April weather at Nationals Park often suppresses scoring.
Game Odds
St. Louis Cardinals – 124
Washington Nationals 8.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, April 7, 2026
