This series is scheduled to start Friday night, kicking off the second half for both sides. A Saturday night contest will be the second of three between the Washington Nationals (36-54) and St. Louis Cardinals (38-52). Those records should tell the story of each season, independent of expectations. Although dreams of October are rapidly dwindling, every player will give it their all in Busch Stadium over the weekend. At 7:15 p.m. EDT, round two will commence in Missouri's National League park.
Only one NL team came out of the All-Star break with a worse record than the Nationals. It's been rough for the rebuilding club, in most facets of the game. Pitching is the primary concern, as Washington has one of the worst staffs in the league. Their relievers particularly have struggled this season, arguably more than any other bullpen. There hasn't been an official announcement on a start for this game, but signs are pointing toward Jake Irvin getting the ball. The Nationals have lost eight of Irvin's 12 starts this season. However, he's been stronger on the road, with a 3.71 ERA which has led Washington to a 2-1 record. The rookie struggles to generate whiffs and has walk issues, but he's found ways to avoid getting squared up often.
Ranking 26th in hard-hit rate, the Nationals' offense isn't known for barreling the ball either. Still, MLB's lowest strikeout rate has led them to th e fifth-highest batting average. Other than that, there's not much going right, hence their runs per game total that's only higher than four teams as the second half gets started. If Washington can string hits together, they'll have fun at the plate. If not, don't expect much action by way of walks, steals, or homers. With Washington, it's all about finding a hole in the defense.