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Today · 8:15 PM ETLineup pendingNL East / NL Central

Washington Nationals   vs   St. Louis Cardinals Preview

September 18, 2026

Starting pitchers, lineup status, recent form and weather at Busch Stadium.

8:15 PM ET · Busch StadiumStats availableLineups not confirmed
T-Score50
Washington Nationals
71–82 · 4th NL East · T-Score 50
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First pitch 8:15 PM ET
St. Louis Cardinals
75–78 · 4th NL Central · T-Score 43
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T-Score43
First pitch 8:15 PM ET

Matchup at a glance

PitcherStat calculation
CategoryComparisonWhy
Starting pitcherNationalsCavalli leads Leahy in P-Score (70 vs 57), WHIP and K/9.
Offense vs handNationalsWashington has produced the stronger offense against right-handed pitching.
WeatherLow impact77°F, wind 5 mph, no precipitation expected at first pitch.

Starting pitchers

WSH
Cade Cavalli RHP
Cade Cavalli
Washington Nationals
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
3.12
34th
WHIP
1.17
55th
K/9
10.60
23rd
BB/9
2.62
57th
P-Score70i
FIP
3.33
HR/9
0.98
65th
OPS/R
0.611
IP
164.2
2026 ERA splits
Home ERA3.25
Road ERA2.95
Last 5 starts
STL
Kyle Leahy RHP
Kyle Leahy
St. Louis Cardinals
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
3.33
39th
WHIP
1.31
113th
K/9
8.53
92nd
BB/9
2.53
53rd
P-Score57i
FIP
3.58
HR/9
0.93
56th
OPS/R
0.588
IP
135.0
2026 ERA splits
Home ERA2.79
Road ERA3.94
Last 5 starts
How the starters differ
·Cavalli strikes out 2.1 more batters per nine innings.
·The WHIP gap favors Cavalli, 1.17 to 1.31.
·Cavalli enters with a 2.95 road ERA; Leahy owns a 2.79 ERA at home.
Advanced starter metricsERA−, FIP, WAR, career vs opponent
MetricCavalliLeahyNote
ERA−7383Park- and league-adjusted; 100 is average.
FIP3.333.58
WAR3.62.4Season value.

How the lineups match the starters' pitch mix

Pitch data coverage: partial. Usage and velocity only.

Cavalli arsenal
PitchUsageVelo
Four-seam33%96.8
Knuckle Curve27%86.2
Sweeper14%86.3
Sinker13%96.1
Changeup8%89.1
Cutter6%93.5
Slow Curve0%77.6
Leahy arsenal
PitchUsageVelo
Four-seam26%94.2
Slider16%89.4
Curveball16%83.0
Changeup15%88.6
Sweeper14%84.8
Sinker13%94.2

Team OPS vs opposing starter's hand

Nationals vs RHP (Kyle Leahy)
10th
in MLB
0.737OPS
.600.700.800.9001.000
Cardinals vs RHP (Cade Cavalli)
27th
in MLB
0.693OPS
.600.700.800.9001.000

Lineups

Lineup pendingOrder from the stored snapshot; treat as unofficial until the card is filed.Full lineup page
Lineups not announced

Neither club has posted a batting order. Handedness composition, H-Score leaders and batter-vs-pitcher samples appear here as soon as the first order is filed — typically two to three hours before first pitch.

Team comparison

ResultsWSHWSH·STLSTL
+2935th
Run differential
+19718th
71–82 Record75–78
Last 10 games
Washington Nationals (0–0)
St. Louis Cardinals (0–0)
2026 head-to-head
Season Series
0—0
0 Games Played

Frequently asked

Who is starting for the Nationals?+
Cade Cavalli is listed as the starter.
Who is starting for the Cardinals?+
Kyle Leahy is listed as the starter.
What time does the game start?+
8:15 PM ET at Busch Stadium.
Where is the game being played?+
Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Are the lineups confirmed?+
Not yet. Orders appear here when they are posted.
How do the starters compare on P-Score?+
Cade Cavalli is at 70; Kyle Leahy is at 57. P-Score is PitcherStat's 0–100 season index for qualified starters.