Venue: Busch Stadium
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
First Pitch: 1:15 PM CT / 11:15 AM PT
Broadcast: Bally Sports South / Bally Sports Midwest / MLB.TV
Weather Update — St. Louis, MO
Temperature: 87–91°F at first pitch
Humidity: 60–70%
Wind: 7–12 mph (blowing out to left‑center)
Rain Chance: 15%
Impact:
Warm, breezy conditions → ball carries well
Boost for right‑handed power hitters
Pitchers must keep the ball down to avoid early HR damage
Team Records & Standings
Atlanta Braves — 54–40 (2nd in NL East)
Elite lineup depth
Rotation stabilizing
Bullpen top‑tier
Road record: 27–21
St. Louis Cardinals — 50–44 (2nd in NL Central)
Offense improving
Rotation inconsistent but trending upward
Bullpen middle‑tier
Home record: 26–20
Injury Report
Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuña Jr. — Probable (knee)
Austin Riley — Out (hamstring)
Max Fried — Out (shoulder)
Michael Harris II — Questionable (illness)
St. Louis Cardinals
Paul Goldschmidt — Probable (wrist)
Willson Contreras — Out (foot)
Sonny Gray — Out (elbow)
Jordan Walker — Questionable (back)
Impact:
Braves missing Riley reduces right‑handed power.
Cardinals missing Contreras weakens middle‑order slugging and catching depth.
Pitching Matchup — Spencer Ritchie (ATL) vs. Dustin May (STL)
Atlanta Braves — Spencer Ritchie (RHP)
Record: 6–4 ERA: 3.88 WHIP: 1.26 K/BB: Strong strikeout ability
Pitch Mix: Four‑seam, slider, sinker, changeup
Scouting Notes:
Slider is his best swing‑and‑miss pitch
Can struggle vs. left‑handed power
Cardinals’ lineup has several left‑handed threats
Must avoid elevated fastballs in warm conditions
St. Louis Cardinals — Dustin May (RHP)
Record: 7–5 ERA: 3.61 WHIP: 1.19 K/BB: Excellent command
Pitch Mix: Sinker, four‑seam, curveball, cutter
Scouting Notes:
Sinker generates elite ground‑ball rates
Braves’ lineup struggles at times vs. elite movement
Busch Stadium suits his contact‑management style
Can dominate right‑handed hitters
Recent Team Form
Atlanta Braves — Last 10 Games
6–4
Offense averaging 4.9 runs per game
Bullpen ERA: 3.32
Trending upward; strong late‑inning performance
St. Louis Cardinals — Last 10 Games
5–5
Offense averaging 4.4 runs per game
Rotation ERA: 4.11
Competitive but inconsistent
Series History
All‑Time: Braves lead 1,280–1,210
Last 10 Meetings: Braves lead 6–4
2026 Season Series: First meeting
At Busch Stadium: Braves have won 4 of last 6
Key Note: Braves have scored 5+ runs in 7 of their last 10 games vs. St. Louis.
Key Player Matchups
Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL) vs. Dustin May (STL)
Acuña: .281 AVG, 18 HR
May’s sinker can jam aggressive hitters Edge: Slight to Acuña
Matt Olson (ATL) vs. Cardinals Bullpen
Olson: .254 AVG, 22 HR
Cardinals bullpen ranks middle‑tier Edge: Olson
Paul Goldschmidt (STL) vs. Spencer Ritchie (ATL)
Goldschmidt: .268 AVG, 17 HR
Ritchie struggles vs. disciplined right‑handed hitters Edge: Goldschmidt
Nolan Arenado (STL) vs. Braves Pitching
Arenado: .262 AVG, 15 HR
Braves pitching struggles at times vs. right‑handed power Edge: Arenado
Statistical Comparison (2026 Season)
| Category | Braves | Cardinals |
| Runs per Game | 4.82 | 4.41 |
| Team ERA | 3.89 | 4.18 |
| Bullpen ERA | 3.45 | 4.02 |
| OPS | .748 | .721 |
| Home Runs | 118 | 104 |
| Defensive Runs Saved | +10 | +6 |
Key Insight: Braves hold advantages in offense, pitching depth, and bullpen reliability.
Betting Trends
Atlanta Braves
7–3 in last 10 road games
6–2 in last 8 vs. NL Central
Overs hit in 5 of last 7 Ritchie starts
Braves 5–1 in last six Sunday games
St. Louis Cardinals
5–5 in last 10 home games
3–7 in last 10 vs. teams above .500
Unders hit in 6 of last 9 May starts
Cardinals 2–5 in last seven day games
Head‑to‑Head Trends
Braves have covered run line in 6 of last 9
Braves average 5.0 runs per game vs. STL since 2022
Cardinals have scored 3 or fewer in 6 of last 10 vs. ATL
Game Odds
Atlanta Braves 8
St. Louis Cardinals – 121
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, July 11, 2026
