Series preview: What to watch as Cardinals, Cubs face off for first time this season
It took 89 days, but at long last, the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals will finally play each other in a pivotal division matchup.
The Cubs (46-31) have cruised atop the National League Central for the majority of the season. The Cardinals (42-36) have been a pleasant — if not remarkable — surprise. In a year designed to be about player development and preparing for future seasons, St. Louis has surpassed expectations and is proving to be a competitive club. It's made for a compelling division race so far: 4 1/2 games separate these two historic rivals (and don't forget the Milwaukee Brewers, who sit between the two at 43-35).
The Cardinals will host the Cubs for four games at Busch Stadium starting Monday. To preview the series, Cardinals beat writer Katie Woo and Cubs beat writer Sahadev Sharma break down three areas to watch as these archrivals finally meet in 2025.
tuck = activated#VoteCubs // https://t.co/hFFdpa6Utp pic.twitter.com/dm8Cf2Mnpl
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 22, 2025
Katie Woo: The Cardinals rotation was projected by most to be its Achilles' heel. Instead, it's helped them gain their footing. St. Louis starters have thrown the sixth-most innings in MLB (427 2/3) while posting a 3.96 ERA, a mark that ranks right at league average. And like we all predicted, it's Erick Fedde who leads the rotation with his 3.54 ERA. The Cardinals (once again) are not a swing-and-miss staff. Sonny Gray leads the rotation with 90 strikeouts, but the next pitcher on that list is Matthew Liberatore with 66. It's a groundball-reliant staff, but they've done an exceptional job pitching to their strengths — no team in baseball has recorded more ground-ball outs than the Cardinals' 455.
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What has really been the difference-maker for St. Louis is its health. During an era when pitching injuries are at an all-time high, the Cardinals have not had a significant injury to their pitching staff. The organization has been extremely intentional about maximizing rest and keeping its starting pitchers on a six-day schedule. That's why they've implemented a six-man rotation at times, turning to Michael McGreevy as a spot starter when needed. That pattern will continue this series. Though not yet official, McGreevy should start one of the next four games, likely Tuesday.
Sahadev Sharma: No one would have been surprised had the Cubs collapsed with Justin Steele out for the season and Shota Imanaga getting hurt May 4. But somehow, they've grown their division lead in that time. There are probably three main reasons why. First, Matthew Boyd has pitched like an All-Star. He's been stellar and stayed healthy. Jameson Taillon has been an inning-eating, quality-start machine. He has had issues with the long ball, but he doesn't walk batters and is a leader in the clubhouse. Those two have been tremendously valuable. Finally, rookie Cade Horton isn't going to blow anyone away with his numbers just yet, but he's displayed the type of poise on the mound rarely seen by youngsters. Imanaga will return soon, likely in St. Louis, but it'd be a surprise if Horton, who replaced Imanaga in the rotation, is going anywhere. He appears to be just scratching the surface.
Sharma: Pete Crow-Armstrong is a freak on defense. You have to watch him in person to fully appreciate the speed and breaks he gets on the ball. He's a menace on the basepaths, as well. He will chase pitches out of the zone, so he can sometimes look rough. But he can also hit balls out of the park that are at his ankles or his eyes. His power display has been remarkable this season, and he deserves a lot of credit for making mechanical tweaks that have led to him emerging as a superstar.
Oh, to be young and good at baseball. pic.twitter.com/Ufoy9Q0VHW
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 19, 2025
Woo: The Cardinals don't have a clear budding star like Crow-Armstrong, but what Brendan Donovan has done can't be ignored. He can play around the diamond, but he's solidified himself as the starting second baseman. Manager Oli Marmol has hit Donovan third most of the season, but with Lars Nootbaar working his way back up from a slump, Donovan has become the default leadoff hitter. His .308 average (third highest in the National League behind only Will Smith and Freddie Freeman) made that decision fairly easy. Donovan is the type of gritty, old-school player the Cardinals seemed to churn out regularly a decade ago. He's become a fan favorite because of his play style.
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Woo: After a two-year hiatus, the Cardinals are again a strong defensive club. They lead baseball with 24 outs above average. Masyn Winn is a legit shortstop, and Victor Scott II can match Crow-Armstrong in center field in terms of standout plays. Nolan Arenado is still Nolan Arenado, and old friend Willson Contreras has become a top first baseman in the National League (seriously, check the stats). The offense took a significant hit with Iván Herrera (hamstring strain) out for several weeks, but Alec Burleson and Nolan Gorman have swung hot bats lately, regardless of opposing handedness.
NOLAN ARENADO GOES ALL OUT! pic.twitter.com/rbbdkfEBEe
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 25, 2025
The biggest strength for this team is its resilience, as evidenced by 19 comeback wins. The Cardinals play a lot of close ballgames and hardly ever get blown out. That's what makes this squad dangerous — regardless of scenario, you can rarely count it out.
Sharma: Everyone should know the Cubs offense is great. They faced some amazing starting pitching in June — MacKenzie Gore, Tarik Skubal, Zack Wheeler and Paul Skenes are just a handful — so it's been a so-so month. But make no mistake, this offense is fearsome. Beyond that, they have a lot of speed and they're aggressive on the basepaths. They've made a habit of not giving the opposition easy outs and forcing mistakes. When you do that against this lineup, it likely will cost you. The defense at every position is stellar, and that rarely slumps. Finally, after a dreadful start to the season, the bullpen has turned into a strength. Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, Daniel Palencia and Caleb Thielbar are just a handful of names you likely aren't aware are doing brilliant work in relief for the Cubs.
(Photo of Matthew Boyd: Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)
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