Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in Jupiter on MASN

JUPITER, Fla. – The finish line keeps inching closer. The Nationals have only five more games to play down here in Florida, then one final exhibition Monday in D.C. Which means we’re starting to see the regulars play more regularly, not to mention play more innings per game.

Most of the starters are in today’s lineup against the Cardinals, with only CJ Abrams, Luis García Jr. and Keibert Ruiz getting the day off. That will give Dylan Crews a chance to lead off. Davey Martinez is also trying out Josh Bell in the No. 3 spot in front of Nathaniel Lowe. That’s an arrangement he said we could see sometimes this season against lefties, which explains why we’re seeing it today against St. Louis veteran Steven Matz.

Jake Irvin gets the ball for his fifth start of the spring, and as was the case last year the right-hander has been outstanding down here. Irvin sports a 0.84 ERA and 1.125 WHIP over 10 2/3 innings, though strangely he has walked six while striking out only five. Look for him to try to reach the sixth inning today, provided he can keep his pitch count below triple digits.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: MLB.com (Cardinals’ feed)
Weather: Clear, 73 degrees, wind 14 mph in from left field

NATIONALS
RF Dylan Crews
LF James Wood
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Paul DeJong
2B José Tena
CF Jacob Young
SS Nasim Nuñez
C Andrew Knizner

RHP Jake Irvin

CARDINALS
RF Lars Nootbaar
DH Willson Contreras
LF Brendan Donovan
3B Nolan Arenado
1B Alec Burleson
C Ivan Herrera
2B Nolan Gorman
SS Jose Fermín
CF Victor Scott II

LHP Steven Matz