Cardinals vs. Phillies: How to Watch Saturday's Big Game
The red-hot Philadelphia Phillies host the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night, looking to push their winning streak to eight games.
The Philadelphia Phillies are on a roll. They have won seven games in a row and will try to make it eight on Saturday, August 22, when they host the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. The game starts at 6:05 p.m. ET. You can watch it on NBCS-PH or Cardinals.TV, or stream it live on Fubo.
The Phillies are having a strong season overall. They hold a record of 71 wins and 58 losses, placing them second in the NL East division. Starting pitcher Andrew Painter takes the mound for Philadelphia. He has a 2-8 record with a 6.43 ERA, meaning he has given up more than six runs per nine innings on average.
The Cardinals come in at 66 wins and 64 losses, which puts them third in the NL Central division. Quinn Mathews is set to start for St. Louis. He has a 0-1 record but a solid 3.00 ERA so far, meaning he has been fairly tough to score against. It should be an interesting pitching matchup.
Betting odds show that the Phillies are the favorites to win this game. Their moneyline is listed at -154, while the Cardinals are the underdogs at +125. The total runs line is set at nine, so oddsmakers expect a moderate-scoring contest.
Both teams are missing some players due to injury. For the Phillies, Rafael Marchan has a knee injury and Johan Rojas is out with an elbow problem. The Cardinals are also shorthanded, with Andre Pallante on the injured list and Everson Pereira listed as day-to-day with a hand injury. Injuries can change how a team plays, so these absences matter.
Phillies star Bryce Harper is one of the best players to watch on Saturday. He has hit 25 home runs and driven in 72 runs this season. His on-base percentage is .379, which means he gets on base very often. Harper has also stolen seven bases, showing he can hurt teams in many different ways.
For the Cardinals, Jordan Walker has had a remarkable season. He leads all of Major League Baseball with 96 RBIs, meaning he has helped bring 96 runners home to score. Walker has also hit 27 home runs and stolen 17 bases, making him one of the most complete young players in the sport.
Alec Burleson is another Cardinal worth watching closely. He has hit 21 home runs and driven in 93 runs, which is third best in all of MLB. His batting average sits at .289 and he has scored 75 runs on the year. Burleson has been one of St. Louis's most dependable hitters all season long.
The Phillies also feature Luis Arraez, who is known for rarely striking out. His strikeout rate is just 4.5%, one of the lowest numbers in the entire league. He is batting .322 this season with 10 stolen bases on 10 attempts. Arraez is the kind of hitter who makes consistent contact and creates chances for his team to score.
Jordan Walker has hit 27 long balls, tallied 96 RBIs and scored 81 runs.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. Where is Saturday's game between the Cardinals and Phillies being played?
2. How many games in a row had the Phillies won going into Saturday's game?
3. Who leads all of Major League Baseball in RBIs this season?