Diamondbacks and Cardinals Clash in Thursday Makeup Game Behind Strong Pitching Matchup

The Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals are set to meet for the fourth time in a week, squaring off in a makeup game at Busch Stadium. Arizona holds a 4-2 season lead against the Cardinals after winning two of three in their previous series. The Diamondbacks head into the contest with momentum, having won consecutive games to start the second half of the season.

Offensively, Arizona has been prolific recently, tallying 21 runs in their last two contests and 40 over the past six games. Their batting average of .290 ranks fifth in the league, accompanied by top-five marks in OPS, OBP, and SLG since the All-Star break. Conversely, the Cardinals are struggling at the plate, having scored the sixth-fewest runs in the league (19) during the second half. St. Louis snapped a four-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over the Angels but ranks fifth-worst in batting average (.214) and has hit the third-fewest home runs (3) in that span.

Thursday’s pitching matchup features a notable contrast in statistics. Arizona will send Brandon Pffadt to the mound. Through 59.0 innings this season, Pffadt holds a 4-1 record with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He will face St. Louis’s Michael McGreevy, who has logged 108.0 innings with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP, though his record stands at 4-7.

The game is available for streaming on MLB TV, a service operated by Comcast Corporation. Comcast’s stock was down 4.63% in recent trading, closing at $22.57.

Market Context

Current betting lines list the Diamondbacks as slight favorites at -122 on the moneyline, with the Cardinals at +101. The run total is set at 7.5. Interestingly, both teams have been solid against the spread (ATS) this season; Arizona ranks fifth-best at 56-46 ATS, while St. Louis is close behind at 57-44 ATS. Additionally, the Diamondbacks have leaned toward the Under, hitting the mark in 53 of their 102 games with a total listed.

Key performers to watch include St. Louis outfielder Jordan Walker, who boasts 22 home runs and 76 RBI, and Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno, who is hitting .302 on the year.

What to watch

• First pitch is scheduled for 5:15 PM EST on Thursday, July 23.
• Performance of Arizona’s offense against Michael McGreevy’s 2.92 ERA.
• Whether the trend toward the Under (53-43-6) for Arizona continues.

Source: original release