Struggling Cardinals Take on Cubs as Trade Deadline Beckons

Friday, July 4, 1:20 p.m. CT

How to watch/listen: Apple TV+, KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM

Probable starters:

Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (4-5, 4.76 ERA)

Cubs: Colin Rea (5-3, 4.37 ERA)

Saturday, July 5, 1:20 p.m. CT

How to watch/listen: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM

Probable starters:

Cardinals: Matthew Liberatore (6-6, 3.70 ERA)

Cubs: Jameson Taillon (7-6, 4.44 ERA)

Sunday, July 6, 5:10 p.m. CT

How to watch/listen: ESPN, KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM

Probable starters:

Cardinals: Erick Fedde (3-8, 4.56 ERA)

Cubs: Matthew Boyd (8-3, 2.65 ERA)

What to watch for:

1. Willson Contreras returns to Wrigley after being hit by pitch 

Willson Contreras sat out Wednesday's series finale against the Pirates after being hit in the hand by a Paul Skenes pitch on Tuesday. A week prior, Contreras was hit by a pitch in the knuckles by Cubs reliever Daniel Palencia. The Cardinals star has been hit by a pitch 14 times this season - the most in the National League - and is getting frustrated.  

“I know they’re not trying to hit me in the hand. I’m a human being. It gets old. I want to play. I want to stay in the game. I don’t know what to say about it." he told the St. Louis Post Dispatch after Tuesday's game. “Protect myself, and hopefully somebody protects me.”

2. Can Matthew Liberatore continue hot streak? 

Despite the Cardinals offensive struggles, starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore has been very impressive in his last three starts. He's 3-0, has allowed 2 or fewer runs in each of those starts, and dropped his ERA to 3.70 on the season. This includes pitching seven strong innings in an 8-2 win over the Cubs on June 23. He'll square up against Jameson Taillon on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals tend to hit Taillon well. Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan are a career .400 or better against him; and Alec Burleson, Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar have each taken him deep twice.  

3. Series could impact how the Cardinals approach the Trade deadline 

How the Cardinals fare against the Cubs this weekend could have a major impact on how the team approaches the impending trade deadline. Win two or more games, they chip into the Cubs NL Central lead and may lean towards adding a player or two for a postseason push. Lose, and they may start selling off players like Nolan Arenado, who is being discussed as a top trade target for teams desperate for a third baseman like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers. 

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