Game 29 lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals (Soto scratched)

It's a new month, and the Nationals can only hope things go better in May than they did in April. One way to try to make that happen? Dominant performances from the top of their rotation. They're sending Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg to the mound the next two days against the Cardinals, so the table is certainly set for this to happen.

Scherzer was fantastic in his last start against the Padres, striking out 10 while allowing only two runs in seven innings. He did surrender a homer to Eric Hosmer on an 0-2 fastball, and then faded in his final inning, but in the larger picture he was excellent. He'll need to be that and more against a really good St. Louis lineup.

The Nationals lineup, meanwhile, needs to find a way to push more runs across the plate while missing Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner. They've got Howie Kendrick back in there tonight, batting cleanup behind Juan Soto. Wilmer Difo, meanwhile, gets the start at second base, with struggling Brian Dozier on the bench.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, MLB.com
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 73 degrees, wind 9 mph in from right field

NATIONALS (12-16)
RF LF Adam Eaton
CF RF Victor Robles
LF Juan Soto
3B Howie Kendrick
1B Matt Adams
C Yan Gomes
SS Carter Kieboom
2B Wilmer Difo
CF Michael A. Taylor
RHP Max Scherzer

CARDINALS (19-10)
3B Matt Carpenter
1B Paul Goldschmidt
SS Paul DeJong
LF Marcell Ozuna
RF Jose Martinez
C Yadier Molina
2B Kolten Wong
CF Harrison Bader
RHP Miles Mikolas

Update: Soto has been scratched from tonight's lineup with back spasms, according to the Nationals. Eaton will now shift to left field, with Robles moving to right field and Michael A. Taylor entering the lineup in center field.