Cardinals Face Nationals in Washington Series Opener

The St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals will open a three-game series in Washington, with the Nationals currently on a three-game losing streak and holding a 17-22 record, fourth in the NL East. The Cardinals, second in the NL Central at 20-19, enter the series on a five-game winning streak and have benefited from strong performances by Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn. James Wood leads the Nationals with 10 doubles and 10 home runs, while C.J. Abrams has been productive in the last 10 games. The Cardinals maintain a high team on-base percentage, and the Nationals are 10-10 at home. Friday's opening game will be broadcast exclusively on Apple TV+ as part of its Friday Night Baseball coverage. This series is the first meeting between the two teams this season.