Cardinals Announce Starters vs. Must-Win Giants Series

Aug 26, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cardinals Announce Starters vs. Must-Win Giants Series

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 7, 2026 4:08 PM ET

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The St. Louis Cardinals somehow aren't out of it in the race for a National League playoff spot with just 18 games left in the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season.

Because of that, each series from here on out is even more important than it would've been if the Cardinals were out of the mix, especially against teams that St. Louis should beat. For example, the Cardinals will kick off a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants on Monday night on the road. The Giants are 59-85 on the season. St. Louis is 72-72 on the season and should have a good chance to come out on top.

The Cardinals are four games out of a playoff spot right now. With so few games remaining in the regular season, St. Louis can't afford to drop much below that.

Here are the Cardinals' probable starters for the must-win Giants series.

Monday — Michael McGreevy

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Michael McGreevy is scheduled to take the hill on Monday night to kick off the three-game series. The Cardinals are going to need McGreevy to turn it around because he hasn't quite looked like himself since the end of July. McGreevy was the Cardinals' most consistent starter for most of the season, but he has struggled in his last seven starts to the tune of a 7.09 ERA. The Cardinals need more from McGreevy down the stretch if they want to have a chance to make a run at a playoff spot.

Tuesday — Quinn Mathews

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Mathews has five starts under his belt in the majors and four of them have been great, including his last time out on Sep. 3 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The lefty tossed five innings and allowed just one run. Overall, Mathews has looked the part since being promoted from Triple-A. In his five starts, he's allowed more than two runs just one time. The Cardinals are going need him to keep it up down the stretch. He has quickly gone from Triple-A to integral to the big league club.

Wednesday — TBD

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The Cardinals' starter for Wednesday is still up in the air. Andre Pallante made his last start on Sep. 4. So, he appears to be the most likely option for the series finale, unless the Cardinals want to give extra time between starts. If Pallante isn't the guy here, it wouldn't be shocking to see another bullpen day for St. Louis.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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