The St. Louis Cardinals host the Washington Nationals on September 20, 2026. First pitch from Busch Stadium is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on CARD.
The Cardinals are favored by -145 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Nationals are +118 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 9 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Nationals vs Cardinals prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Nationals vs Cardinals Prediction
- Nationals vs Cardinals Pick: JJ Wetherholt Under 0.5 RBI (-225)
My Nationals vs Cardinals best bet is on Wetherholt to finish without an RBI. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page and be sure to download the Action Network app for more picks and analysis.
Nationals vs Cardinals Odds
| Nationals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -165 | 9 -102o / -118u | +118 |
| Cardinals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +135 | 9 -102o / -118u | -145 |
- Nationals vs Cardinals moneyline: Nationals +118, Cardinals -145
- Nationals vs Cardinals over/under: 9 (-102o / -118u)
- Nationals vs Cardinals spread: Cardinals -1.5 (+135), Nationals +1.5 (-165)
Nationals vs Cardinals Probable Pitchers
| Jake Irvin | Stat | Quinn Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| 2-9 | W-L | 2-3 |
| 0.5 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.8 |
| 5.51 / 5.39 | ERA / xERA | 3.62 / 3.47 |
| 5.11 / 4.72 | FIP / xFIP | 3.58 / 4.11 |
| 11.7 | K-BB% | 12.3 |
| 37.7 | GB% | 39.6 |
| .283 | BABIP | .311 |
| 99 | Stuff+ | 97 |
| 98 | Location+ | 101 |
Nationals vs Cardinals MLB Betting Preview
Action PRO projects Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt for just 0.20 RBIs in today's matchup against the Nationals, giving us a strong 12.6% edge against the market when compared to his current prop line of over/under 0.5.
Nationals vs Cardinals Pick, Betting Analysis
Wetherholt enters today's game with 48 RBIs on the season, but his recent production makes the Under particularly appealing. He has failed to record an RBI in each of his last five games and has stayed under this line in eight of his last 10.
Wetherholt's RBI prop stands out as one of the stronger edges on today's slate.
A deeper look into his profile explains why this matchup limits his run-producing potential. The rookie infielder often hits in spots where RBI opportunities rely on the bottom half of the order to set the table.
His contact metrics also show modest power output across the second half of the year. That limits his ability to drive himself in with extra-base hits because without consistent power to clear the fences or find the gaps with men on base, he depends on sequential singles from a Cardinals lineup that struggles to build rallies.
The betting market overvalues season-long totals and ignores recent lineup positioning and plate appearance quality. The Under aligns with the mathematical projection from Action PRO and reflects the real-time trends for Wetherholt at the plate.
Pick: JJ Wetherholt Under 0.5 RBI (-225)
