NL CENTRAL STANDINGS

Team	W-L	GB	Strk
Brewers	32-20	-	W2
Cardinals	29-24	3.5	L3
Reds	29-25	4.0	W3
Pirates	29-26	4.5	W3
Cubs	29-26	4.5	L10

RECENT RESULTS (LAST 10)

Date	Opp	H/A	Result
May 26	MIL	Away	L 0-6
May 25	MIL	Away	L 1-5
May 23	CIN	Away	L 0-0
May 23	CIN	Away	W 8-1
May 23	CIN	Away	L 6-7 (11)
May 21	PIT	Home	L 2-6
May 20	PIT	Home	L 0-7
May 19	PIT	Home	W 9-6 (10)
May 17	KC	Home	L 0-2
May 16	KC	Home	W 4-2

STARTING PITCHERS

Dustin May (R) -- Cardinals

2026 to date: 3-5, 5.00 ERA, 1.43 WHIP across 10 starts and 54.0 IP. 42 K, 17 BB, 5 HR, 60 H allowed. Rate profile: 18.3% K%, 7.4% BB%, 46.7% GB%. Command-leaning right-hander -- below-average strikeouts (league 22.1%), low free-pass volume (league 9.3%), near-league ground-ball rate (league 47.5%). The 1.43 WHIP is the tell: contact has been frequent, and traffic feeds the Brewers' RISP cluster.

Chad Patrick (R) -- Brewers

2026 to date: 2-2, 2.63 ERA, 1.20 WHIP across 5 starts and 41.0 IP. 29 K, 17 BB, 2 HR, 32 H allowed. Rate profile: 17.6% K%, 10.3% BB%, 39.1% GB%. The ERA masks a contact-prone, walk-prone profile: 17.6% K% is below the league 22.1%, 10.3% BB% is above the league 9.3%, and 39.1% GB% is below the league 47.5%. The runway for Cardinals patience is here.

EXPECTED LINEUPS

Cardinals (Projected from 2026-05-26)

#	Player	Pos	Bats	2026 RISP AVG	2026 RISP OPS
1	Wetherholt	2B	L	.316	.887
2	Herrera	DH	R	.231	.781
3	Burleson	1B	L	.328	.869
4	Walker	RF	R	.302	1.011
5	Gorman	3B	L	.212	.629
6	Winn	SS	R	.182	.523
7	Church	CF	L	--	--
8	Saggese	LF	R	.158	.411
9	Pagés	C	R	.125	.390

Handedness: 5 RHB (Herrera, Walker, Winn, Saggese, Pagés), 4 LHB (Wetherholt, Burleson, Gorman, Church).

Brewers (From active roster)

13 players listed from active roster pool. Actual game lineup will be 9 from this group.

Player	Pos	Bats
Vaughn	1B	R
Perkins	CF	S
Turang	2B	L
Yelich	DH	L
Hamilton	SS	L
Mitchell	CF	L
Sánchez	DH	R
Chourio	LF	R
Bauers	1B	L
Ortiz	SS	R
Rengifo	3B	S
Frelick	RF	L
Contreras	C	R

Handedness: 5 RHB (Vaughn, Sánchez, Chourio, Ortiz, Contreras), 6 LHB (Turang, Yelich, Hamilton, Mitchell, Bauers, Frelick).

INJURIES & ROSTER NOTES

No injury or roster-move information is available for today.

KEY MATCHUPS & WATCHLIST

Bottom Line

EDGE: Patrick's command profile. The 2.63 ERA looks pristine, but the 2026 rate stats tell a different story: 17.6% K% (below the league average 22.1%), 10.3% BB% (above the league average 9.3%), and 39.1% GB% (below the league average 47.5%). The walks are there if the Cardinals stay patient.

THREAT: The Brewers' RISP machine vs May's 5.00 ERA. Four of Milwaukee's projected bats sit above .950 in 2026 RISP OPS: Turang (1.102, 59 PA), Bauers (1.094, 59 PA), Mitchell (1.081, 53 PA), Contreras (.956, 66 PA). May has allowed 60 H and 5 HR in 54.0 IP with a 1.43 WHIP. Traffic feeds runs.

WATCH: The handoff window. May (5.00 ERA, 1.43 WHIP across 10 starts) and the Brewers bullpen sit behind two starters whose game-to-game length has varied. Cardinals' best chances arrive against relief sequences -- lose the middle innings and the series is gone.

Key Matchups

Walker vs Patrick. Walker carries the lineup's best 2026 RISP profile (.302 / 1.011 OPS, 74 PA) and is the four-hole right-handed power threat. Patrick has surrendered only 2 HR in 41.0 IP, but a 10.3% BB% means the cleanup at-bats arrive with men on base.

Wetherholt vs Patrick. Cardinals leadoff with a .316 / .887 RISP line (50 PA). The top-of-order at-bats set the tone -- if Patrick walks Wetherholt, Herrera (.781 RISP OPS) and Burleson (.869 RISP OPS) follow.

May vs the Brewers' RISP core. Turang (1.102 RISP OPS), Bauers (1.094), Mitchell (1.081), Contreras (.956) -- the cluster that combined for all six runs yesterday now sees a 5.00 ERA right-hander. Yelich (.819) and Hamilton (.964) round out the danger.

Watchlist

-- Patrick walk rate. 10.3% BB% across 41.0 IP. League average 9.3%. The Cardinals must turn baserunners into runs.

-- Brewers RISP cluster. Four bats above .950 RISP OPS: Turang 1.102, Bauers 1.094, Mitchell 1.081, Contreras .956. May's 1.43 WHIP feeds the situation.

-- Cardinals offense vs RHP. Lineup is 5 RHB / 4 LHB against right-hander Patrick. The right-handed core -- Herrera, Walker, Winn, Saggese, Pagés -- carries the platoon edge this afternoon.

-- Series stakes. MIL leads 2-0 in a 3-game set with the Cardinals on a 3-game losing streak. A win today is sweep-avoidance.

QUICK REFERENCE -- IN-GAME QUERIES

1. How has Jordan Walker performed against Chad Patrick in their career?

2. How has Dustin May fared against Christian Yelich in their career?

3. How has Trevor Megill performed against Alec Burleson in their career?

4. What are Dustin May's third-time-through-the-order splits in 2025?

5. What are Christian Yelich's splits vs RHP in 2025?

6. How often does JoJo Romero strand inherited runners in 2025?

7. What is the home run park factor at American Family Field in 2025?