Venue: Wrigley Field — Chicago, Illinois
First Pitch: 6:05 PM CDT (4:05 PM PDT)
Probable Pitchers:
STL: Gordon Leahy (RHP)
CHC: Shōta Imanaga (LHP)
Venue Breakdown — Wrigley Field
One of baseball’s most iconic parks, with weather playing a major role in run scoring.
Capacity: ~41,000
Park Factor: Highly weather‑dependent
Impact:
If wind blows out, HRs spike
If wind blows in, pitchers dominate
Daytime humidity can affect ball carry
Weather Conditions — Chicago, IL
Classic early‑July Midwest baseball conditions.
Temperature at First Pitch: 82–86°F
Humidity: 60–70%
Wind: 10–14 mph blowing in from center field
Conditions: Clear skies
Impact:
Run suppression due to wind
Advantage: Imanaga’s fly‑ball profile
Cardinals’ power may be muted
Injury Report & Player Availability
St. Louis Cardinals
OUT:
Nolan Gorman — oblique strain
QUESTIONABLE:
Willson Contreras — thumb soreness (expected to catch)
Available:
Paul Goldschmidt
Jordan Walker
Masyn Winn
Brendan Donovan
Chicago Cubs
OUT:
Seiya Suzuki — calf strain
QUESTIONABLE:
Ian Happ — shoulder tightness (game‑time decision)
Available:
Cody Bellinger
Christopher Morel
Nico Hoerner
Dansby Swanson
Pitching Matchup Breakdown
Gordon Leahy — RHP, Cardinals
Record: 6–6
ERA: 4.02
WHIP: 1.27
Profile:
Sinker/slider mix
Generates ground balls (49%)
Struggles vs. left‑handed power
Matchup Impact:
Cubs’ lefties (Bellinger, Morel) pose threats
Wind blowing in helps mitigate HR risk
Shōta Imanaga — LHP, Cubs
Record: 8–4
ERA: 3.18
WHIP: 1.11
Profile:
Elite command
High‑spin fastball up in the zone
Fly‑ball pitcher (41% FB rate)
Matchup Impact:
Wind blowing in strongly favors his style
Cardinals’ right‑handed bats (Goldschmidt, Walker) must adjust
Team Records & Statistical Profile
St. Louis Cardinals (46–39)
Road Record: 21–22
Runs/Game: 4.41
Runs Allowed/Game: 4.36
Strengths:
Strong infield defense
Good bullpen late
Balanced lineup
Weaknesses:
Inconsistent road offense
Limited left‑handed power
Chicago Cubs (49–39)
Home Record: 27–18
Runs/Game: 4.72
Runs Allowed/Game: 4.51
Strengths:
Deep lineup
Strong rotation
Good plate discipline
Weaknesses:
Bullpen volatility
Occasional defensive miscues
Recent Team Form
Cardinals — Last 10 Games
Record: 6–4
Trend: Pitching stabilizing; offense modest
Key Note: Goldschmidt slugging .540 over last 10
Cubs — Last 10 Games
Record: 7–3
Trend: Offense heating up; rotation strong
Key Note: Morel with 5 HR in last 10
Series History
Season Series: Cubs lead 3–2
Last 10 Meetings: Cubs lead 6–4
At Wrigley Field: Cubs have won 5 of last 7
Trend: Cubs’ pitching has controlled recent matchups
Betting Trends
Cardinals Trends
4–2 in last six road games
Unders hit in 7 of last 10
Leahy’s starts: STL 5–5 in his last 10
Cubs Trends
6–2 in last eight home games
Unders hit in 6 of last 9
Imanaga’s starts: CHC 7–3 in his last 10
Matchup Trends
Wind‑in games at Wrigley: unders hit 68% of the time
Cardinals have scored 3 or fewer in 5 of last 7 vs. CHC
Game Odds
St. Louis Cardinals 8
Chicago Cubs – 161
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, July 3, 2026
