The St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals continue their early-season series on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, with Matthew Liberatore set to face Cade Cavalli in a matchup that pits Washington’s fast-start offense against a St. Louis staff that has been living on the edge late in games. The market is treating it like a coin flip (Cardinals -106, Nationals -110), with Washington catching +1.5 on the run line and a 7.5 total that asks both starters to keep the bullpens out of trouble.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals Game Info
| Matchup | St. Louis Cardinals @ Washington Nationals |
| Date | April 07, 2026 |
| Time | 06:46PM ET |
| Location | Nationals Park (Washington, DC) |
| How to Watch | Nationals.TV (in-market), MLB.TV (out-of-market) |
St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals Full Odds
| Market | St. Louis Cardinals | Washington Nationals |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -106 | -110 |
| Run Line | -1.5 (155) | +1.5 (-188) |
| Total (7.5) | Over 7.5 (-106) | Under 7.5 (-114) |
St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals Team Stats
| Team | Record | Runs | AVG / OBP / SLG | HR | Team ERA | HR Allowed | BB Allowed | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals | 5-5 | 46 | .222 / .305 / .353 | 10 | 5.40 | 11 | 48 | 59 |
| Washington Nationals | 4-6 | 64 | .277 / .352 / .457 | 14 | 6.24 | 21 | 43 | 75 |
St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals Starting Pitcher Stats
| Pitcher | Team | W-L | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Liberatore (LHP) | St. Louis Cardinals | 0-0 | 11.0 | 1.64 | 1.18 | 3 | 4 |
| Cade Cavalli (RHP) | Washington Nationals | 0-0 | 9.2 | 2.79 | 1.34 | 5 | 8 |
St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals Recent Form and Pitching Notes
St. Louis (5-5) is coming off a 9-6 loss at Washington on Monday, a game that swung violently in the eighth inning. Andre Pallante gave the Cardinals five innings and allowed two runs, but the bullpen covered three innings and surrendered seven runs total, including a six-run eighth that featured a three-run homer allowed by Ryne Stanek and back-to-back long balls later in the frame by Matt Svanson.
Offensively, St. Louis did enough to put itself in position: Ramón Urías drove in three (including a two-run homer), and Jordan Walker homered as well. The problem was simple too many high-leverage outs had to be recorded by relievers who couldn’t keep the ball in the yard.
Washington (4-6) needed the win after a rough stretch, and it got it on the back of an explosive finish and another loud night at the plate. Zack Littell worked five innings and allowed one run with six strikeouts, while the Nationals’ bullpen handled the final four innings and was tagged for five runs—yet the offense erased it with a six-run eighth fueled by three home runs.
James Wood’s three-run blast tied the game, Brady House followed with a two-run homer, and CJ Abrams added a solo shot, turning a deficit into a cushion in a matter of minutes. Through 10 games, Washington has scored 64 runs and is showing real early-season power depth.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals Betting Trends
- The St. Louis Cardinals are 5-4-1 to the over in their last 10 games.
- The Washington Nationals have scored 64 runs in 10 games this season.
- The Washington Nationals have hit 14 home runs in 10 games this season.
- The Washington Nationals have allowed 21 home runs in 10 games this season.
- The St. Louis Cardinals have issued 48 walks in 10 games this season.
- The April 6 series opener finished Nationals 9, Cardinals 6 (15 total runs).
St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals Breakdown
This game starts with a clear question: can Liberatore keep Washington from getting comfortable early, and can St. Louis avoid turning the late innings into a home run contest again? Liberatore’s surface results have been excellent so far (1.64 ERA across 11 innings), but the low strikeout total jumps off the page—he’s been living on contact management and sequencing, which can get tricky in a park where Washington’s right-handed power is already making noise.
On the other side, Cavalli has the stronger miss-bat profile to date, but not without traffic (five walks in 9.2 innings). If he puts extra runners on, this is a Cardinals lineup that can get back into the game quickly with one swing, and Washington’s pitching staff has already been unusually homer-prone through the first 10 games.
The tight moneyline fits what we’re seeing: Washington’s offense has been the more consistent story, while St. Louis has the starting pitching foundation to keep this close until the middle relief and matchup decisions take over. With a 7.5 total, the number is daring both bullpens to behave after Monday’s chaos, and that’s not a bet I’m eager to make.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals Best Bet
Over 7.5 (-106) (3 out of 5 units)
Liberatore and Cavalli both have the ability to give their clubs five solid innings, but the game state matters: Washington’s offense is forcing contact quality mistakes into damage, and both teams have shown early-season volatility once they get beyond the starters. With Washington’s home-run-heavy profile (both at the plate and on the mound), this sets up as a game where one crooked inning can do most of the work toward the total.
Predicted Score
Our computer projections model for this matchup predicts a final score of St. Louis Cardinals 5, Washington Nationals 3.