The grind never stops in the NL Central, and right now, the St. Louis Cardinals desperately need their starters to deliver.
After dropping six of their last eight games against division rivals, including a rough sweep at the hands of the Brewers, St. Louis heads into a pivotal three-game set at Busch Stadium against a Chicago Cubs team that’s been equally ice-cold. Both clubs sit tied for second place at 29-25 and 30-26 respectively, each 4½ games back of Milwaukee. The Cubs just snapped a brutal 1-9 stretch with a win over Pittsburgh on Wednesday, but momentum feels fragile on both sides.
Friday night marks the start of this heavyweight showdown, and the Cardinals have already named their rotation for the series. It’s a mix of steady hope, proven turnaround stories, and a much-needed redemption arc.
Friday: Kyle Leahy gets the ball first.
In his first full season as a big-league starter, the right-hander owns a 4.44 ERA through 10 starts and 50⅔ innings. He’s shown flashes of dominance—eight of those outings have been quality, posting a sparkling 3.54 ERA in that span. But bookend starts have haunted him: four runs allowed in his debut and five earned in his most recent outing on May 23. For a Cardinals team starved for consistency, Leahy’s ability to limit damage against a Cubs lineup desperate to heat up will set the tone.
Saturday brings Andre Pallante, and his story might be the brightest spot in the rotation right now.
After posting a disappointing 5.31 ERA across 31 starts last season, Pallante has reinvented himself in 2026. He sits at a 3.76 ERA over 10 starts and 55 innings, and he’s been downright filthy lately—allowing just five earned runs in his last 17⅔ frames. That kind of command and late-game bite could be exactly what St. Louis needs to quiet Chicago’s bats and steal a game in this series.
Sunday closes it out with Matthew Liberatore, who enters with questions that need answers.
His 4.76 ERA in 11 starts tells part of the tale. While he’s shown strikeout stuff—19 K’s in his last two outings—he’s also surrendered seven runs across 9⅔ innings in those same starts. Liberatore hasn’t gone deeper than five innings or allowed fewer than three runs since May 7. A strong bounce-back performance here wouldn’t just help the Cardinals win a game; it could stabilize a rotation that’s been teetering on the edge.
This series feels bigger than three games. With both teams scuffling and the Brewers pulling away, every start carries extra weight. The Cardinals have the home crowd behind them at Busch and a much-needed day off Thursday to reset. But talk is cheap in the division gauntlet.
The arms are set. The stakes are clear. Now it’s time to pitch.