Lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in West Palm Beach on MASN

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – It’s going to be a beautiful evening for baseball. If you can’t be down here with us, might as well live vicariously through your TV and watch Bob Carpenter and Kevin Frandsen on MASN.

The Nationals host the Cardinals in Game 25 of 27 on their Grapefruit League slate. They’ve actually done well, record-wise, so far, entering tonight 12-10-2 for the spring (if that matters at all). Most importantly, they’ve been getting excellent starting pitching this week. The quartet of Patrick Corbin (officially named Opening Day starter this afternoon), Josiah Gray, MacKenzie Gore and Trevor Williams combined to post an 0.75 ERA with three walks and 22 strikeouts over 24 innings the last four days.

Chad Kuhl will look to continue those good vibes going tonight against St. Louis. Kuhl hasn’t officially been named the No. 5 starter yet, but it’s hard to imagine anyone else taking the spot from him at this point, especially if he gets through tonight’s outing in one piece. There is, as noted yesterday, a possibility Kuhl doesn’t actually make the Opening Day roster and stays down here to make one final tune-up start in a minor league game before heading north in time to start either April 4 or 5 against the Rays.

Almost all of the regulars are in Davey Martinez’s lineup again tonight, aside from CJ Abrams and Victor Robles. Luis García gets another opportunity to lead off. Joey Meneses gets a start at first base after playing left field the last two nights.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches
Gametime: 6:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: MLB.com (Cardinals broadcast)
Weather: Clear, 80 degrees, wind 13 mph right field to left field

NATIONALS
2B Luis García
1B Joey Meneses
DH Dominic Smith
3B Jeimer Candelario
LF Corey Dickerson
C Keibert Ruiz
RF Alex Call
SS Ildemaro Vargas
CF Lane Thomas

RHP Chad Kuhl

CARDINALS
CF Dylan Carlson
DH Nolan Gorman
3B Nolan Arenado
RF Alec Burleson
1B Taylor Motter
LF Juan Yepez
SS Masyn Winn
C Andrew Knizner
2B Kramer Robertson

RHP Miles Mikolas