Zac Gallen (3-6, 6.10 ERA) and Michael McGreevy (3-6, 3.35 ERA) square off in the series finale at Busch Stadium Thursday, first pitch 6:45 PM CT. The records are identical. The ERAs are not — and in a one-game decider, that gap matters.
Gallen's last start against Minnesota was a 4-inning, 9-earned-run catastrophe. He allowed 12 hits — a career high — and walked off to boos from his own crowd. His four-seam fastball is generating just a 5% whiff rate, hitters are posting a 44.6% hard-hit rate against him, and he's surrendered 4 or more earned runs in 6 of his last 8 starts. Part of why the Diamondbacks are still running him out there is that their rotation is in absolute ruins — Corbin Burnes is out until September with a teres major strain, Ryne Nelson is on the IL with a partially torn flexor tendon, and Michael Soroka went down last week with a strained left glute. Gallen is their best available arm. That tells you something about where this pitching staff is right now.
This series has had some real texture to it. Nolan Arenado — traded from St. Louis to Arizona in January — returned to Busch Stadium for the first time Monday night and got a standing ovation from the crowd before his first at-bat. The Cardinals won that opener 3-2, with Andre Pallante going 6 solid innings. Arizona punched back in Games 2 and 3: a wild 9th-inning comeback Tuesday (the Diamondbacks' winning run scored on a passed ball, with Arenado delivering an RBI hit in the rally) and then a 9-4 blowout Wednesday gave Arizona the series lead. The Cardinals have dropped 2 straight after winning their opener, which adds urgency to Thursday's game.
- Day-To-DayA.J. Vukovich CF — no
- Day-To-DayDerek Law RP — no
- Day-To-DayKyle Amendt RP — Amendt was invited to major-league spring training by the Diamondbacks, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.
- 10-Day-ILJordan Lawlar LF — The Diamondbacks placed Lawlar on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right hamstring strain.
- 10-Day-ILJames McCann C — McCann (quadriceps) is expected to begin playing in complex league games next week, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMichael Soroka SP — The Diamondbacks placed Soroka on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to a strained left glute.
- 15-Day-ILRyne Nelson SP — Nelson will be placed on the 15-day injured list after being diagnosed with a partially torn right flexor tendon, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM reports.
- developmental listJuan Centeno C — The Diamondbacks re-assigned Centeno to minor-league camp Friday.
- Day-To-DayBryan Torres LF — Torres was scratched from Wednesday's matchup against the Diamondbacks for unspecified reasons.
- Day-To-DaySem Robberse SP — Robberse (elbow) has been sent to the Cardinals' Florida Complex League affiliate to begin a rehab assignment.
- Day-To-DayPacky Naughton RP — Naughton will undergo surgery next month to repair the damaged UCL in his left elbow, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
- Day-To-DayVictor Santos RP — The Red Sox traded Santos (undisclosed) and Nick Robertson to the Cardinals on Friday in exchange for Tyler O'Neill (foot), Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
- Day-To-DayIxan Henderson SP — Henderson (elbow) is starting the season on the 60-day injured list at Triple-A Memphis.
- Day-To-DayZack Thompson RP — The Cardinals reassigned Thompson (shoulder) to minor-league camp Monday.
- 15-Day-ILRyan Fernandez RP — Fernandez (back) is on track to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
- 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.
McGreevy has quietly been a reliable piece of St. Louis's rotation all season. He opened 2026 by throwing 6 no-hit innings in his debut and has posted a 3.35 ERA over the course of the year. His last start against Kansas City was rough — 5 ER in 5 innings — but the full-season number suggests that was an outlier. The Cardinals are at home, have the better starter on the mound tonight, and have a clear motivation to avoid dropping 3 of 4 to a team sitting below .500. Arizona can score — their offense showed that Wednesday — but without their full roster and with Gallen likely to need a short hook, this one tilts toward St. Louis.