Venue: American Family Field, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Scheduled first pitch: 7:40 p.m. ET.
TV: Brewers.TV / Cardinals.TV (and related regional/streaming options).
This is the opener of a three-game NL Central series (the 11th meeting of the 2026 season; Brewers lead the season series 8-2).
Records: St. Louis Cardinals 77-82 (4th in NL Central); Milwaukee Brewers 100-59 (1st in NL Central, top seed secured with franchise-record 100 wins and a first-round bye). Brewers are elite at home (52-26); Cardinals are even on the road (39-39).
Probable starting pitchers:
St. Louis: Michael McGreevy (RHP, 7-9, 3.84 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 113 K in 164.0 IP across ~30 starts). Solid mid-rotation arm with recent September form (2-0, 3.74 ERA in four starts) and no losses in his last nine outings.
Milwaukee: Robert Gasser (LHP, 5-5, 4.01 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 94 K in 103.1 IP across ~19 starts). Stronger of late after a midseason recall (2.97 ERA in last seven appearances; 1.71 ERA in four September starts with limited hard contact).
Current Weather Forecast (American Family Field)
Cloudy skies with temperatures around 60°F at first pitch. Light east winds (~5 mph). Precipitation chance near 0%. Cool, dry conditions favorable for pitching with minimal weather disruption expected.
Injury Reports
Cardinals: Everson Pereira (OF, hand, 10-day IL, rehabbing); Blaze Jordan (3B, ankle, 10-day IL, out for season); Joshua Báez (OF, oblique/side, 10-day IL, out for season); Hunter Dobbins (SP, forearm/elbow, 15-day IL, season-ending surgery); Max Rajcic (RP, elbow, 60-day IL). Lineup depth affected in the outfield and corners.
Brewers: Bryse Wilson (RP, back, 15-day IL, potential activation); Grant Anderson (RP, biceps, 15-day IL, rehabbing); Brandon Woodruff (SP, shoulder, 60-day IL); Quinn Priester (SP, wrist, 60-day IL); Angel Zerpa (RP, forearm, 60-day IL); Brian Fitzpatrick (RP, elbow, 60-day IL). Rotation and bullpen depth tested but core remains strong for the stretch run.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups & Notes
Gasser (LHP with improving command) faces a Cardinals lineup led by Jordan Walker (power/steals with MVP-caliber production: ~28 HR, 100 RBI range), Alec Burleson (doubles, HR, RBI leader), Ivan Herrera (strong OBP), JJ Wetherholt, and Masyn Winn. Cardinals rank mid-pack in OBP but lower in power/SLG. McGreevy faces Brewers standouts including Jake Bauers (team HR leader ~26 with .491 SLG), Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang (RBI production), Joey Ortiz (hot recently with multi-hit games), and William Contreras. Brewers rank near the top in AVG, OBP, runs, and steals with strong overall offense. American Family Field is generally pitcher-friendly; Gasser’s recent form should help limit St. Louis.
Recent Team Forms
Cardinals: Mixed-to-poor (4-6 last 10 in reports; recent 2-1 loss at Pittsburgh). Season has been middling with occasional bright spots. Brewers: Strong (7-3 last 10); recent win at Philadelphia clinched the No. 1 seed. Dominant home form and pitching staff (team ERA ~3.52–3.54, among the best).
Series History
Brewers lead the 2026 season series 8-2 entering this set. Recent meetings have heavily favored Milwaukee (multiple wins in July and May series). Division rivalry remains competitive historically, but current form tilts strongly toward the Brewers.
Betting Trends
Brewers excellent as favorites and at home; strong when hitting multiple HRs. Cardinals have been competitive as underdogs in spots but trail significantly in head-to-head and overall quality. Gasser’s recent surge and Milwaukee’s depth support the favorite lean.
Game Odds
St. Louis Cardinals 8
Milwaukee Brewers – 177
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, September 24, 2026
