What was looking to be a crucial 4-game series for the St. Louis Cardinals trying to compete for a wild card spot as they host the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium now appears more like an exhibition of players just prior to the trade deadline. The Cardinals and Cubs appear to be heading in opposite directions.
Heading into this 4-game series that starts Monday night in St. Louis, the Cubs are first in the MLB Wild Card standings 4 1/2 games up on the pretenders. The Cardinals are only 1 1/2 games back,
but they have the Diamondbacks, Pirates and Nationals ahead of them for the final spot in the post-season.
How are the Cardinals and Cubs trending?
The Cubs aren’t setting the world on fire as they’re just 6-4 over their last 10 games including an 8-7 loss Sunday to the Pirates. The Cardinals have only won 3 of their last 10 with their offense sputtering since the All-Star break. But, hey, at least we have some sweet Jordan Walker Home Run Derby shirts to show for it, right?
Here are the pitching matchups for the Cards/Cubs this week
Monday night – David Peterson vs Matthew Liberatore
Tuesday night – Colin Rea vs Michael McGreevy
Wednesday night – Matthew Boyd vs Dustin May
Thursday afternoon – Shota Imanaga vs Andre Pallante
Who are the Cubs players to watch?
Pete Crow-Armstrong (CF): Leads the team with a .291 batting average, .390 OBP, 23 home runs, and an .900 OPS.
Seiya Suzuki (RF): Provides heavy power and run production with 17 home runs and an .836 OPS.
Dansby Swanson (SS): Hitting better than he did the last time the Cardinals played the Cubs as Swanson has hit 16 home runs.
Ian Happ (LF): The frequent Cardinals-killer has 18 home runs and a .334 OBP.
Michael Busch (1B): Currently has 13 home runs and a .365 OBP.
After a disappointing weekend series versus the Reds, I estimate that many Cardinals fans don’t have high hopes for this 4-game clash against the Cubs. I hope I’m proven wrong and St. Louis plays like every game is a playoff opportunity, but my gut instinct says they will limp toward the trade deadline knowing that much of the roster is about to change possibly drastically by the time the trade deadline of August 3 arrives. The Cubs have the opportunity to more or less apply the knockout blow to the Cardinals wild card hopes if they can win the series in St. Louis. If, somehow, the St. Louis Cardinals rise to the occasion and can sweep the Cubs, perhaps that will turn this season around. I have been and always will be a St. Louis Cardinals fan no matter if they have a winning season or sit in the cellar of the NL Central and I try to remain optimistic. At this point, I’m having a hard time envisioning this Cardinals/Cubs series as anything more than an emphasis that the rebuild still has a long way to go. Again, I’d love to be wrong. Prove me wrong, Cardinals. I dare you.
