If the Cardinals can make a stand over the next eight games, president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom might look to add to the roster before the MLB Trade Deadline. However, if the Cards falter, Bloom could explore trades for Dustin May, Riley O'Brien and Lars Nootbaar.
The added game, which will be played on Tuesday at 1:45 p.m. CT, is a makeup game from May 5 when the game was washed out by rain. Tuesday will feature a split doubleheader with the night game beginning at 6:45 pm CT.
Milwaukee (55-33) has a comfortable six-game lead over the Cubs in the NL Central, while the Cards (47-40) come in 7 1/2 games back. The Cardinals are locked into a virtual tie for the No. 3 Wild Card slot with the Marlins (49-42). While the Brewers have compiled a somewhat staggering 127 run differential -- second only to the Dodgers' plus-163 run differential -- the Cardinals have had to win on the edges and thrive in close games and have just a plus-13 run differential for the season.
The Cards and Brewers split two games at Busch Stadium in early May, but Milwaukee rolled to a three-game sweep at American Family Field from May 25-27.
How the Cards perform against the Brewers and Braves before the break for the MLB All-Star Game could shape how president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom approaches the late-July MLB Trade Deadline. If the Cardinals can stand up to the Brewers and Braves and stay in the race, could the Cardinals pursue a pitcher such as Sonny Gray, Casey Mize or Robby Ray to supplement their staff and try to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2022?
If the Cards wobble -- as they did in 2025 when they went through their worst stretch and dropped 17 of 25 games -- could that lead Bloom to shopping Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Riley O'Brien and Lars Nootbaar for prospects?
May day for the Cards in Game 1
May (5-6, 4.80 ERA) was moved up in the rotation to face the Brewers and lefty Shane Drohan (3-2, 3.12) on Monday night. May took a 91.6 mph line drive off the ankle in Atlanta on Thursday, but he was able to avoid serious injury. He actually stayed in the game, but he was pulled after facing three more hitters and throwing 34 pitches in the first inning.
Back on May 27, May took a perfect game into the seventh inning against the Brewers, but he lost after surrendering two hits, two runs and one earned. He struck out nine and walked none that day.
Michael McGreevy is scheduled to pitch one of the two games on Tuesday, while Andre Pallante and Kyle Leahy will likely start the final two games of the series. Brycen Mautz, who made his MLB debut against the Brewers in relief on May 25, is a candidate to be the 27th player added for the doubleheader.
Milwaukee All-Star and Missouri native Jacob Misiorowski (9-4, 1.47) is scheduled to pitch Tuesday's first game, while the Brewers have yet to name a starter for Tuesday's nightcap. Kyle Harrison (8-1, 2.82) is slated to pitch Wednesday, while Milwaukee has yet to name a starter for Thursday.
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