NL CENTRAL STANDINGS

TeamW-LGBStrk
Brewers49-29-W4
Cubs44-376.5W4
Cardinals42-367.0L2
Pirates41-409.5W2
Reds37-4212.5L3

NL EAST STANDINGS

TeamW-LGBStrk
Braves48-31-L4
Phillies45-364.0W3
Marlins42-397.0W2
Nationals41-418.5L3
Mets34-4715.0L6

RECENT RESULTS (LAST 10)

DateOppH/AResult
Jun 24ARIHomeL 4-9
Jun 23ARIHomeL 3-4
Jun 22ARIHomeW 3-2
Jun 21KCAwayW 12-10
Jun 19KCAwayL 5-6
Jun 18KCAwayL 6-14
Jun 17SDHomeL 1-6
Jun 16SDHomeW 3-2
Jun 15SDHomeW 3-0
Jun 14MINAwayL 4-5

STARTING PITCHERS

Michael McGreevy (R) -- 3-6, 3.35 ERA, 83.1 IP, 53 K, 20 BB, 1.15 WHIP. 12 HR allowed across 15 starts. 2025 batted-ball baseline runs ground-heavy (49.2% GB) with a vulnerable LHB platoon line (.318 / .368 / .543 / .911 OPS over 190 PA, 9 HR allowed). Home/road is the headline split: 5.22 ERA at Busch (50.0 IP) versus 3.55 on the road (45.2 IP).

Max Meyer (R) -- 8-0, 2.80 ERA, 90.0 IP, 102 K, 34 BB, 1.16 WHIP. A 27.1% K rate carries the season-to-date line, but supporting splits flag two cracks. 2025 vs LHB is his strength (.237 / .287 / .389 / .676 OPS, 143 PA); 2025 vs RHB is the exposure (.315 / .373 / .531 / .904 OPS, 7 HR in 142 PA). On the road, 5.54 ERA over 26.0 IP; at home, 3.72 over 38.2 IP. He has not lost yet, but the warning lights are on.

EXPECTED LINEUPS

Cardinals (Projected from 2026-06-25)

#PlayerPosBats2026 RISP AVG2026 RISP OPS
1Wetherholt2BL.309.875
2HerreraDHR.206.715
3Burleson1BL.341.901
4WalkerRFR.304.969
5NootbaarLFL.100.540
6WinnSSR.200.580
7CrooksCL.3331.052
8Gorman3BL----
9ChurchCFL.265.603

Handedness: 3 RHB (Herrera, Walker, Winn), 6 LHB (Wetherholt, Burleson, Nootbaar, Crooks, Gorman, Church).

Marlins (From active roster)

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

PlayerPosBats
NavarretoCR
RuizRFR
ConineLFL
HernándezLFR
MarseeCFL
Sanoja3BR
MackCL
StowersLFL
Jiménez3BR
LopezSSR
CaissieRFL
Edwards2BS

Handedness: 6 RHB (Navarreto, Ruiz, Hernández, Sanoja, Jiménez, Lopez), 5 LHB (Conine, Marsee, Mack, Stowers, Caissie), 1 SHB (Edwards).

INJURIES & ROSTER NOTES

No injury or roster-move updates available for tonight.

2A: BVP -- CARDINALS BATTERS VS OPPONENT STARTER

PlayerPAABHAVGOBPSLGHRBBK
Iván Herrera330.000.000.000000
Jordan Walker221.500.5001.000000
Alec Burleson220.000.000.000000
Masyn Winn210.000.500.000010

Small sample: Iván Herrera (3 PA), Jordan Walker (2 PA), Alec Burleson (2 PA), Masyn Winn (2 PA).

All four samples are tiny (2-3 PA). The only positive note is Walker (1-for-2 with extra bases), which is a single swing and not a signal. Herrera 0-for-3, Burleson 0-for-2, Winn with a BB. The Cardinals are essentially facing Meyer blind.

Bench note: No bench BvP history vs Meyer in the career sample -- Wetherholt, Nootbaar, Crooks, Gorman, and Church each enter with no prior at-bats against him.

2B: BVP -- OPPONENT BATTERS VS CARDINALS STARTER

PlayerPAABHAVGOBPSLGHRBBK
Xavier Edwards331.333.333.333000
Otto Lopez331.333.333.333000
Jakob Marsee331.333.3331.000001
Heriberto Hernández320.000.333.000001

Small sample: Xavier Edwards (3 PA), Otto Lopez (3 PA), Jakob Marsee (3 PA), Heriberto Hernández (3 PA).

Edwards, Lopez, and Marsee each carry 1-for-3 against McGreevy, with Marsee's hit going for extra bases (.333 / .333 / 1.000). Hernández is 0-for-2 with a K. Every line is a sub-10 PA sample -- noise, not signal -- but Marsee's slug line is the lone power hint.

Bench note: No bench BvP rows in the career sample for Navarreto, Ruiz, Conine, Sanoja, Mack, Stowers, Jiménez, or Caissie against McGreevy.

2C: PLATOON SPLITS -- CARDINALS

PlayerPAAVGOBPSLGHRBBK
Alec Burleson L419.296.353.478153259
Lars Nootbaar L403.249.340.394104772
Masyn Winn R374.251.309.36872371
Iván Herrera R328.268.343.399102466
Jordan Walker R289.200.263.29142194
Nathan Church L51.114.216.1821314
Jimmy Crooks L38.108.132.1620015

Six LHB in the projected lineup (Wetherholt, Burleson, Nootbaar, Crooks, Gorman, Church) all face a RHP in Meyer. Burleson is the headline 2025 vs RHP bat (.296 / .353 / .478 in 419 PA, 15 HR); Nootbaar pairs an on-base profile with modest slug (.249 / .340 / .394 in 403 PA). The three RHB -- Herrera, Walker, Winn -- carry the platoon edge tonight, with Walker the slowest of the three to date (.200 / .263 / .291 in 289 PA).

Crooks (.108 in 38 PA vs RHP in 2025) and Church (.114 in 51 PA) carry the smallest and weakest profiles -- the bottom of the order against a high-K starter is the trap inning to track.

2C: PLATOON SPLITS -- OPPONENT

PlayerPAAVGOBPSLGHRBBK
Xavier Edwards B421.306.368.39133557
Otto Lopez R403.270.333.413123252
Kyle Stowers L356.297.377.5972439106
Javier Sanoja R209.249.288.39931222
Heriberto Hernández R170.270.347.43961641
Jakob Marsee L153.274.359.43721630
Griffin Conine L63.224.286.3792519
Owen Caissie L27.192.222.3461111
Leo Jiménez R11.000.000.000002
Brian Navarreto R8.286.250.429002
Esteury Ruiz R5.250.400.250011

McGreevy's 2025 vs LHB line (.318 / .368 / .543) is the matchup story. Five LHB in the active pool: Conine, Marsee, Mack, Stowers, Caissie. Stowers is the danger bat (.297 / .377 / .597 with 24 HR in 356 PA vs RHP) -- a slash line superior to any 2025 platoon row the Cardinals carry. Marsee (.274 / .359 / .437 in 153 PA) and Conine (.224 / .286 / .379 in 63 PA) round out the LHB threat.

Edwards is a switch-hitter listed at .306 / .368 / .391 vs RHP in 421 PA -- the leadoff on-base profile if he hits leadoff tonight. The six RHB in the pool are uneven: Lopez (.270 / .333 / .413) and Sanoja (.249 / .288 / .399) carry real samples; Jiménez (0-for-10 in 11 PA) and Navarreto (8 PA) are the smallest-sample edges.

2D: PITCHER PLATOON SPLITS

PitchervsPAAVGOBPSLGOPSHRK
Michael McGreevyvs LHB190.318.368.543.911927
Michael McGreevyvs RHB210.225.255.325.580331
Max Meyervs LHB143.237.287.389.676538
Max Meyervs RHB142.315.373.531.904730

Both starters split sharply along handedness, and both splits matter tonight. McGreevy 2025 vs LHB: .911 OPS in 190 PA, 9 HR allowed; vs RHB: .580 OPS, 3 HR allowed. Meyer 2025 vs LHB: .676 OPS in 143 PA; vs RHB: .904 OPS, 7 HR allowed.

Map to the lineups: McGreevy faces a Marlins pool with 5 LHB (his weakness) and 6 RHB. The Cardinals run 6 LHB (Meyer's strength) versus 3 RHB (Meyer's exposure). The platoon mismatch is symmetric -- each starter's hard side hits the lineup he is facing.

2D-HA: PITCHER HOME/AWAY SPLITS

PitcherSplitBFIPERAKBBHR
Michael McGreevyAway18845.23.552496
Michael McGreevyHome21250.05.2234116
Max MeyerAway12126.05.5423133
Max MeyerHome16438.23.724579

Tonight is at Busch Stadium. McGreevy pitching at home -- his weaker context this year (5.22 ERA over 50.0 IP versus 3.55 on the road over 45.2 IP). Meyer pitching away -- also his weaker context (5.54 ERA over 26.0 IP versus 3.72 at home over 38.2 IP). Both starters carry the home/road label that has been the rougher half of their season.

2E: TTO SPLITS (TIMES THROUGH ORDER)

PitcherTTOPAAVGSLGOPSHRKBB
Michael McGreevyTTO1154.282.465.7925228
Michael McGreevyTTO2152.271.417.7154146
Michael McGreevyTTO394.241.379.6773226
Max MeyerTTO1108.222.505.7928358
Max MeyerTTO2108.267.386.6922246
Max MeyerTTO369.377.508.943296

Meyer's 2025 third pass through the order is the deepest crack: 69 PA, .377 / .435 / .508 / .943 OPS. The first pass is power-allowed (8 HR in 108 PA, .505 SLG) but contact-suppressed (35 K, .222 AVG); the second pass is the calmest (.692 OPS). If the Cardinals push him into innings 7+, that is the inning window to attack.

McGreevy's 2025 TTO line moves the opposite direction: .792 OPS first pass, .715 OPS second pass, .677 OPS third pass. The early innings are the swing window against McGreevy, not the late innings.

2F: INHERITED RUNNERS PROFILE

RelieverIRScoredStrand%
Kyle Leahy291162.1%
JoJo Romero26388.5%
Matt Svanson261350.0%
Gordon Graceffo11554.5%
Riley O'Brien10370.0%
Michael McGreevy30100.0%

Romero is the elite IR arm (88.5% strand over 26 inherited runners, 17 entries). Leahy carries the most volume (29 IR over 21 entries) at a 62.1% strand. The danger sleeves are Svanson (50.0% strand, 13 of 26 scored) and Graceffo (54.5%) -- both well below the league benchmark (~68.8%). Which reliever inherits traffic tonight matters disproportionately.

2G: BATTED BALL MATCHUP

Pitcher Batted Ball Profiles (Career)

PitcherBIPGB%FB%LD%
Michael McGreevy30749.2%25.7%24.4%
Max Meyer18352.5%24.6%21.9%

Hitter Batted Ball Results (Career) -- MIA

HitterGB AVGLD AVGFB AVG
Owen Caissie.000.500.250
Griffin Conine.192.750.100
Xavier Edwards.290.560.126
Heriberto Hernández.325.725.077
Leo Jiménez.100.000.000
Otto Lopez.227.542.079
Jakob Marsee.278.683.186
Brian Navarreto.286--.333
Esteury Ruiz.429.000.000
Javier Sanoja.287.443.045
Kyle Stowers.271.696.178

McGreevy's career profile is ground-heavy (49.2% GB); Meyer's career profile is even more so (52.5% GB). The Marlins career batted-ball table flags Hernández (.325 GB AVG), Edwards (.290 GB AVG), and Sanoja (.287 GB AVG) as hitters who do real damage on grounders -- a ground-ball pitcher facing a ground-ball-active lineup creates a high-traffic infield script.

The line-drive column is where the slug lives: Stowers (.696 LD AVG), Marsee (.683 LD AVG), Conine (.750 LD AVG -- only 16 LD AB) are the career line-drive bats. When McGreevy misses the worm-burner, those are the bats squaring it up.

2H: BATTERY PAIRING

CatcherGIPERAAVGOBPSLG
Pedro Pagés1480.24.24.266----
Jimmy Crooks28.29.35.385----
Yohel Pozo15.20.00.056----

McGreevy's season battery work is anchored by Pagés (14 G, 80.2 IP, 4.24 ERA, .266 AVG against). Tonight's projected lineup carries Jimmy Crooks behind the plate -- a much smaller sample (2 G, 8.2 IP, 9.35 ERA, .385 AVG against) and the secondary pairing of McGreevy's season. The Yohel Pozo line (1 G, 5.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, .056 AVG against) is too small to lean on, and Pozo is not on the active roster tonight.

A fresh-leaning McGreevy/Crooks battery against the most active running group in the Marlins pool (Edwards 27 SB, Lopez 15 SB, Marsee 14 SB in 2025) is its own scouting angle. Pop-time calibration, signal sequencing, and pitch-call rhythm in the first pass through the order are the early signals to track.

2I: BASERUNNING MATCHUP

Marlins running game leaders (2025):

- Xavier Edwards: 27 SB, 7 CS, 79.4% success

- Otto Lopez: 15 SB, 6 CS, 71.4% success

- Jakob Marsee: 14 SB, 6 CS, 70.0% success

- Javier Sanoja: 6 SB, 5 CS, 54.5% success

- Kyle Stowers: 5 SB, 1 CS, 83.3% success

- Esteury Ruiz: 4 SB, 0 CS, 100% success

- Heriberto Hernández: 1 SB, 1 CS, 50% success

The Marlins active pool carries three 70%+ base-stealers above 10 SB. Against a fresh-battery look and a ground-ball-heavy pitcher in McGreevy, the running game is a live story.

2J: DEFENSIVE CONTEXT

PlayerPOSGDPEFld%
Masyn WinnSS1296430.994
Jordan WalkerRF108240.981
Lars NootbaarLF107001.000
Alec Burleson1B502740.990
Alec BurlesonLF41001.000
Alec BurlesonRF34110.983
Lars NootbaarRF23001.000
Nathan ChurchCF18001.000
Jimmy CrooksC14001.000
Iván HerreraC14010.989
Lars NootbaarCF12010.967
Nathan ChurchRF7010.833
Nathan ChurchLF5001.000
Iván HerreraLF4001.000
Alec BurlesonP100--

Tonight's lineup writes the alignment, not the season-sample columns. Winn at SS is the anchor (129 G, 64 DP, 0.994 Fld%). Walker carries the most outfield error volume (4 E in 108 RF games, 0.981 Fld%); against a ground-ball-heavy starter in McGreevy, RF is a lower-touch spot. Nootbaar's LF line is clean (107 G, 0 E, 1.000 Fld%). Crooks, the projected starter behind the plate, has logged a clean Fld% across 14 catching games this season.

The season fielding table lists multi-position rows for Burleson (1B, LF, RF), Nootbaar (LF, RF, CF), and Church (CF, RF, LF) -- the projected lineup pegs each at a single spot for tonight.

2K: BALLPARK CONTEXT & HEAD-TO-HEAD

Recent head-to-head is dead even: 2025 split 3-3, 2024 split 3-3, 2023 went 4-3 to the Cardinals, 2022 went 4-2 to the Cardinals. The Marlins have not taken the season series in the available career sample. Tonight kicks off the first of three at Busch.

Busch Stadium plays as a neutral-to-pitcher-leaning venue historically. The available 2K reference does not carry a numeric park factor for tonight's matchup -- treat this as a neutral venue context.

2L: BATTER K%/BB% PROFILE

Cardinals

PlayerPAKK%BBBB%
Lars Nootbaar58311920.4%6411.0%
Alec Burleson5447914.5%397.2%
Masyn Winn53710219.0%346.3%
Iván Herrera4508418.7%439.6%
Jordan Walker39612631.8%297.3%
Nathan Church651827.7%34.6%
Jimmy Crooks461737.0%00.0%

In 2025 K%: Walker (31.8%) and Crooks (37.0%) are the swing-and-miss outliers; Burleson (14.5%) is the contact anchor. In 2025 BB%: Nootbaar (11.0%) is the discipline lead; Crooks (0.0% in 46 PA) is the smallest patience floor.

Marlins

PlayerPAKK%BBBB%
Xavier Edwards6198814.2%497.9%
Otto Lopez5948213.8%447.4%
Kyle Stowers45712527.4%4810.5%
Javier Sanoja3424112.0%195.6%
Heriberto Hernández2947726.2%3110.5%
Jakob Marsee2344820.5%229.4%
Griffin Conine862529.1%78.1%
Leo Jiménez32825.0%26.3%
Owen Caissie271140.7%13.7%
Esteury Ruiz23834.8%28.7%
Brian Navarreto15320.0%00.0%

Contact-versus-swing-and-miss profiles in 2025 K%: Sanoja (12.0%) and Lopez (13.8%) are the contact anchors of the Marlins pool, with Edwards (14.2%) close behind. Stowers (27.4%), Hernández (26.2%), Conine (29.1%), Caissie (40.7% in 27 PA), and Ruiz (34.8% in 23 PA) are the swing-and-miss profiles. The Cardinals' best K-bait targets sit in the bottom of the order; the contact bats start at the top.

2M: BATTER BATTED BALL PROFILE

Cardinals

PlayerBIPGB%FB%LD%
Alec Burleson39842.0%33.4%24.6%
Masyn Winn37639.6%34.0%26.3%
Lars Nootbaar37639.1%35.4%25.5%
Iván Herrera28552.6%21.8%25.6%
Jordan Walker23148.9%29.4%21.6%
Nathan Church3767.6%21.6%10.8%
Jimmy Crooks2737.0%44.4%18.5%

In 2025 batted-ball profiles: Herrera (52.6% GB) and Walker (48.9% GB) are the ground-heavy bats; Crooks (44.4% FB) is the fly-ball outlier. Burleson, Winn, and Nootbaar each carry a balanced LD profile around 25%.

Marlins

PlayerBIPGB%FB%LD%
Xavier Edwards45347.9%24.5%27.6%
Otto Lopez44650.4%25.6%24.0%
Javier Sanoja25847.3%25.6%27.1%
Kyle Stowers24943.0%29.3%27.7%
Heriberto Hernández16945.6%30.8%23.7%
Jakob Marsee15646.2%27.6%26.3%
Griffin Conine5250.0%19.2%30.8%
Leo Jiménez2050.0%30.0%20.0%
Owen Caissie1428.6%28.6%42.9%
Esteury Ruiz1163.6%27.3%9.1%
Brian Navarreto1070.0%30.0%0.0%

In 2025 batted-ball profiles: Lopez (50.4% GB), Sanoja (47.3% GB), and Hernández (45.6% GB) carry the ground-leaning profiles that meet McGreevy's 49.2% GB rate -- a heavy infield script. Stowers (43.0% GB / 27.7% LD), Conine (50.0% GB / 30.8% LD), and Marsee (46.2% GB / 26.3% LD) are the line-drive contributors. Caissie's 14-BIP sample (28.6% GB, 42.9% LD) is too small to lean on.

2N: PITCHER K%/BB% PROFILE

PitcherIPKK%BBBB%K/BB
Michael McGreevy95.25814.5%205.0%2.90
Max Meyer64.26823.9%207.0%3.40

Meyer's 2025 K/BB ratio is 3.40 (23.9% K, 7.0% BB) -- a quality strikeout starter who walks more than McGreevy. McGreevy's 2025 K/BB ratio is 2.90 (14.5% K, 5.0% BB) -- a pitch-to-contact profile that depends on the defense behind him. Meyer's miss-bat advantage is one inning shaper; McGreevy's command and ground-ball rate are his.

KEY MATCHUPS & WATCHLIST

1. Kyle Stowers vs McGreevy. Stowers' 2025 vs RHP line is .297 / .377 / .597 with 24 HR in 356 PA; McGreevy's 2025 vs LHB exposure is .318 / .368 / .543 / .911 OPS with 9 HR allowed in 190 PA. Highest-leverage single matchup in the lineup pool.

2. Jordan Walker vs Meyer. Walker is the cleanest RHB power bat in the projected lineup. Meyer's 2025 vs RHB line is .315 / .373 / .531 / .904 OPS with 7 HR in 142 PA. Walker's career 2 PA vs Meyer is 1-for-2 with extra bases (.500 / .500 / 1.000) -- meaningless sample, tilted matchup class.

3. Alec Burleson vs Meyer. Burleson is the Cardinals' top 2025 vs RHP bat (.296 / .353 / .478 in 419 PA), but he is a LHB and Meyer's vs-LHB profile is his strength (.237 / .287 / .389 / .676 OPS in 143 PA). The 1B's at-bats are the discipline test for the LHB-heavy lineup.

Watchlist:

-- Meyer's third pass through the order: 2025 TTO3 line .377 / .435 / .508 / .943 OPS over 69 PA. Innings 7+ are the window to push.

-- Fresh McGreevy/Crooks battery: Pagés has caught McGreevy in 14 of his starts (80.2 IP, 4.24 ERA). Crooks: 2 G, 8.2 IP, 9.35 ERA, .385 AVG against. Marlins running game: Edwards 27 SB, Lopez 15, Marsee 14.

-- Bullpen strand fork: Romero 88.5%, Svanson 50.0%, Graceffo 54.5%. Which arm inherits traffic decides middle innings.

-- McGreevy home/road gap: 5.22 ERA at Busch versus 3.55 on the road. Tonight is the home context.

QUICK REFERENCE -- IN-GAME QUERIES

1. How has Kyle Stowers performed against Michael McGreevy in their career?

2. How has Michael McGreevy fared against Jakob Marsee in their career?

3. How has JoJo Romero performed against Owen Caissie in their career?

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

5. What are Jordan Walker'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 Busch Stadium in 2025?

700 CLARK -- POWERED BY BASES.CHAT | HISTORICAL DATA THROUGH 2025