Barstool Bush
Predictions

Arizona Diamondbacks at St. Louis Cardinals

By Bush StaffUpdated 30d ago·2 min read
Arizona DiamondbacksARI(53-49)
St. Louis CardinalsSTL(52-49)
10—6
FINAL
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ARI
00031005110160
STL
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Brandon Pfaadt (4-1, 4.58) gets the ball for Arizona looking for revenge on the mound after he beat these Cardinals just 5 days ago. St. Louis counters with Michael McGreevy (4-7, 2.92), who's been quietly dominant at home all year, in a 4:15 PM CT first pitch.

Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Diamondbacks(53-49)
WWLWW
10
Cardinals(52-49)
WLLLL
6
Best BetDiamondbacks +101
Pregame

Arizona's the plus-money side here, and given they just beat this exact team on the road and are riding a hot stretch, that price looks generous. Pfaadt's home/road split is a real concern, but this lineup has shown it can erase deficits against St. Louis specifically. Backing the Diamondbacks at plus odds is the value play.

The Diamondbacks left St. Louis last weekend with one of the wildest wins in team history. Down 7-0, Arizona clawed all the way back and won it in extra innings on a Max Kepler walk-off double, matching the largest comeback in franchise history. They followed that up by taking 2 of 3 from Oakland, including a 15-5 laugher, and arrive in St. Louis winners in 4 of their last 5.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Brandon Pfaadt
(6-1)·3.66 ERA
Jul 18 vs Cardinals
W
5.1IP
2ER
3K
0BB
87P
07/23 Lineup
St. Louis Cardinals
Michael McGreevy
(4-9)·3.59 ERA
Jul 17 @ Diamondbacks
ND
6.1IP
1ER
5K
1BB
94P
07/23 Lineup

St. Louis, meanwhile, has been scuffling. The Cardinals dropped 4 straight before scratching out a 1-0 win over the Angels on Tuesday, and this current homestand is their first shot at building any real momentum since getting outscored by Arizona in that Sunday collapse. Whatever direction this team is trending, this series against a hot Arizona club will say a lot.

McGreevy is the reason the Cardinals aren't panicking. In 9 home starts this season he's running a 1.89 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP — genuine ace-level stuff in his own park, and it's come against a Diamondbacks lineup that's had its share of trouble against right-handers. He was even better his last time out, allowing just 1 earned run over 6.1 innings against the Angels.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
(13)
  • 10-Day-ILLourdes Gurriel Jr. (LF) — Gurriel isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against St. Louis.07/18
  • 10-Day-ILJordan Lawlar (LF) — Manager Torey Lovullo said Saturday that Lawlar (hamstring) has been cleared for all baseball activities other than full-speed running, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.07/18
  • 10-Day-ILTommy Troy (LF) — Manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that Troy (shoulder) is expected to remain out for roughly 3-to-4 weeks, Jack Sommers of SI.com reports.07/17
  • 15-Day-ILDrey Jameson (RP) — The Diamondbacks recalled Jameson from Triple-A Reno on Saturday.07/22
  • 15-Day-ILZac Gallen (SP) — Gallen (elbow) met with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles for a recommended course of action and was scheduled to be back in Arizona on Tuesday to resume his rehab, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM reports.07/21
  • 15-Day-ILMichael Soroka (SP) — Manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that Soroka (glute) is in line to return from the injured list sometime around early August, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.07/17
  • 60-Day-ILJustin Martinez (RP) — Martinez (elbow) threw pitches to rehabbing outfielder Jordan Lawlar (hamstring) in a live batting practice session Saturday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.07/20
  • 60-Day-ILA.J. Puk (RP) — Manager Torey Lovullo said Saturday that MRI results on Puk's left shoulder revealed that his shoulder capsule hasn't fully healed, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.07/18
  • 60-Day-ILRyne Nelson (SP) — Nelson (elbow) will begin a throwing program Saturday or Sunday, Alex D'Agostino of SI.com reports.07/18
  • 60-Day-ILAndrew Saalfrank (RP) — Saalfrank (shoulder) has begun a throwing program, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.07/18
  • 60-Day-ILCorbin Burnes (SP) — Burnes (elbow) began a throwing program July 10 and felt good following the session, MLB.com reports.07/13
  • 60-Day-ILCristian Mena (RP) — Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters Monday that Mena underwent surgery on his right shoulder and will be sidelined for the rest of the season, Jack Sommers of SI.com reports.06/01
  • 60-Day-ILBlake Walston (SP) — Walston (elbow) paused his rehab program earlier in the season, but he was expected to start building back up around the middle of May, MLB.com reports.06/01
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
(4)
  • Day-To-DayPedro Pages (C) — Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol indicated Pages will see a downturn in playing time following the promotion of Jimmy Crooks, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.07/22
  • 15-Day-ILJoJo Romero (RP) — The Cardinals do not expect Romero (appendicitis) to be ready for activation from the 15-day injured list when first eligible, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.07/19
  • 60-Day-ILMax Rajcic (RP) — The Cardinals transferred Rajcic (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.07/07
  • 60-Day-ILRamon Urias (3B) — Urias (elbow) returned to St. Louis to undergo an examination on his left elbow, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.06/12

Arizona's pitching depth is stretched thin. Zac Gallen remains on the shelf rehabbing an elbow issue, Ryne Nelson and Corbin Burnes are both out for extended stretches, and the bullpen has bled relievers to injury all year — Drey Jameson, Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk among them. It's a testament to how the lineup has carried this team that Arizona is still a game over .500 and angling to be buyers before the deadline.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
(53-49)
Jul 22Wvs Athletics15-5
Jul 22Wvs Athletics6-5
Jul 21Lvs Athletics2-5
Jul 19Wvs Cardinals8-7
Jul 18Wvs Cardinals5-3
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
(52-49)
Jul 22W@ Angels1-0
Jul 22L@ Angels1-5
Jul 21L@ Angels2-3
Jul 19L@ Diamondbacks7-8
Jul 18L@ Diamondbacks3-5

St. Louis has its own decisions looming. With the Cardinals hovering right around .500 and names like Lars Nootbaar and JoJo Romero drawing rental interest, front office direction over the next week could shape who's even in this lineup by the time August rolls around. For now, though, it's about stopping the bleeding against a Diamondbacks club that just won't go away.

Sources

MLBArizona DiamondbacksSt. Louis CardinalsPolymarketKalshiBrandon PfaadtMichael McGreevy