Only eight matches on Monday’s MLB program and clearly the ideal matchup is a string opener out of St. Louis as the Washington Nationals see city in what could be a movie preview. In case the postseason were to begin on Monday — suggestion: it doesn’t — then the Nationals would be the NL’s top team and the Cardinals are the NL Central winner. However, the Cardinals are only up two matches on the Cubs in the Central so in theory we could see a Washington vs. St. Louis Wild-Card Game. Using the Cardinals winning in five matches those 2 teams met. The Nationals, Yankees Cardinals and Dodgers are the only teams to have winning records in each season since 2012.
Washington hosted St. Louis for four matches out of April 29-May 2 along with the Cardinals took two of them — the Nationals were a tiny mess which early in the summer but turned things around starting May 24. Harrison Bader had a good show, batting .357 using a homer and four RBIs. Marcell Ozuna had been 6-for-17 with three knocked in and 2 doubles. Paul Goldschmidt Matt Carpenter 1-for-16 together with 11 Ks and was together with five strikeouts. Howie Kendrick led the Nationals in hitting .429 vs. the Cardinals. Adam Eaton and Victor Robles had the only two Washington homers in this series. The Nats were outscored 15-8.
St. Louis has won the house part of this year show each of the previous couple of decades. It was 3-1 in 2018.
Washington starts Cy Young contender Stephen Strasburg (17-6, 3.49). He even signed a seven-year, $175 million extension with the team in May 2016 however is pitching so well and has finally stayed healthy that it’s expected the former No. 1 overall selection will select out of the deal with this winter to test free agency. Not the Nationals could manage him again with they are currently paying Patrick Corbin and Max Scherzer to studs.
Strasburg leads the National League in wins and is second in strikeouts (229), third in innings (191) and sixth at WHIP (1.05). The right-hander comes off a win in Minnesota. That single Washington win against the Cardinals before this season was with Strasburg about the mound because he allowed one run and six hits over 6.2 innings with nine strikeouts.
He has begun seven occasions in his career against St. Louis and is 3-2 with a 2.38 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 45.1 innings. Ozuna hits against him nicely livelihood, moving 13-for-41 with 2 homers and seven RBIs. He is the only Cardinal. Goldschmidt is 6-for-21 using 2 doubles.
It is handsome right-hander Dakota Hudson (15-7, 3.38) for the Cardinals. The 25-year-old did possess a streak snapped out last time but it was his fault since Hudson allowed two runs and only four hits over six innings. He enabled his very first road homer since July 23 and tied his season high by walking .
Hudson is making start and his sixth career look against the Nationals. It is his first start against the Nationals at Busch Stadium. Hudson took the reduction reverse Strasburg on May 2, allowing two runs over six. He got a relief win against Washington at August 2018. No Washington batter has homered off him. Ryan Zimmermann is 1-for-1 with a double and 3 RBIs.
Will the Cardinals have Carlos Martinez available? Likely not. He wasn’t available on Sunday against the Brewers as a result of respiratory difficulties and was hospitalized on Saturday night. The Cards could have used him as they allowed four runs together with four forthcoming on a Ryan Braun grand slam with 2 outs, in the 7-6 loss. The Cardinals dropped their first home show since July 26-28 vs. Houston. When carrying a guide into the 9th 12, they are.
Best Pick: Under 8 (+105) using BetOnline

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