The St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies are set to face off in the first game of their three-game series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM ET.
Team Overview & Recent Form
St. Louis Cardinals (22-19, 2nd in NL Central)
- Last Five Games: Win, Win, Win, Win, Win
- Road Record: 10-9
- Batting Average: .261 (3rd in MLB)
- Key Players:
- Lars Nootbaar – Leads the team with six home runs, batting .286 over his last five games.
- Brendan Donovan – Batting .318, providing consistent contact hitting.
- Nolan Arenado – 10 doubles, four home runs, hitting .270.
Philadelphia Phillies (24-16, 1st in NL East)
- Last Five Games: Win, Win, Loss, Win, Win
- Home Record: 12-6
- Batting Average: .257 (5th in MLB)
- Key Players:
- Kyle Schwarber – Leads the team with 12 home runs, ranking second in MLB.
- Bryce Harper – Batting .242 with eight doubles and seven home runs.
- Trea Turner – Batting .318, riding a nine-game hitting streak.
Pitching Matchup
- Cardinals: Matthew Liberatore (LHP, 3-3, 1.88 ERA) – Has been dominant over his last five starts, recording 27 strikeouts.
- Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (LHP, 4-1, 2.89 ERA) – A standout in the Phillies’ rotation, known for his exceptional ground ball rate (57.4%).
Game Analysis & Predictions
- Cardinals’ Strategy: St. Louis needs Liberatore to continue his strong form while their offense capitalizes on Sánchez’s sinker-heavy approach.
- Phillies’ Strategy: Philadelphia has been dominant at home, and their power-hitting lineup matches up well against left-handed pitching.
Game Odds
St. Louis Cardinals 8
Philadelphia Phillies – 175
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, May 11, 2025
