MLB Game Preview: Washington Nationals (37-54) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (49-43)

Date: Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Venue: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
First Pitch: 7:45 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN, MASN, Bally Sports Midwest

Team Overview & Recent Form

Team	Record	Last 5 Games	Road/Home Split
Washington Nationals	37–54	L-L-L-L-W	19–26 (Road)
St. Louis Cardinals	49–43	W-W-L-W-W	27–17 (Home)

• Cardinals have won all four meetings vs. Washington this season.
• Nationals are trying to snap a four-game losing streak, including a 4–2 loss on Tuesday.

Pitching Matchup

Pitcher	Team	Record	ERA	WHIP	Notes
MacKenzie Gore	Nationals	3–8	3.11	1.21	131 K in 104.1 IP; 2.57 ERA over last 7 starts
Andre Pallante	Cardinals	5–4	4.10	1.28	18 IP, 2 ER over last 3 starts; 7 shutout innings vs. Pirates

Gore has been Washington’s most consistent starter, while Pallante is coming off his best stretch of the season.

Key Players to Watch

Washington Nationals

• James Wood: .287 AVG, 23 HR, 68 RBI; ranks top 10 in MLB in both HR and RBI
• Josh Bell: 13-for-33 in last 10 games; 3 doubles, 1 HR
• CJ Abrams: .285 AVG, 12 HR, 18 doubles; dynamic leadoff threat

St. Louis Cardinals

• Brendan Donovan: 3 HR, 5 RBI in last 10 games; hit decisive 2-run HR Tuesday
• Lars Nootbaar: Leads team with 12 HR; added insurance blast in last game
• Willson Contreras: .251 AVG, 11 HR, 51 RBI; veteran power bat

Statistical Comparison

Category	Nationals	Cardinals
Team ERA	5.16 (28th MLB)	4.08 (19th MLB)
Batting Average	.247	.251
Home Runs	98	84
Bullpen ERA	5.54 (last 10)	3.45
Run Differential	-17 (last 10)	-13 (last 10)

Washington’s pitching has faltered recently, while St. Louis has relied on timely hitting and bullpen depth.

The Cardinals have dominated this season series and are riding momentum at home. However, Gore’s recent form and Washington’s urgency after a managerial shakeup could make this a tighter contest. Expect a low-scoring duel early, with bullpen execution deciding the outcome.