Brewers and Cardinals Clash in Key NL Central Series

Milwaukee, WI — The Milwaukee Brewers will face the St. Louis Cardinals in a crucial four-game series starting Thursday evening at American Family Field. Both teams are vying for a stronger position in the National League Central and Wild Card races, with the Brewers sitting at 36-33 and the Cardinals at 36-32 after both facing recent struggles.

The Brewers have had a rocky start in June, dropping their last two series against the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves. They hope to change their luck as they continue a 10-game homestand. In contrast, the Cardinals recently won two of three against the Los Angeles Dodgers yet were swept by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Injuries are affecting both teams. The Brewers are monitoring outfielder Christian Yelich, who is day-to-day with wrist swelling. Yelich has been a critical player for the Brewers, leading the team with 13 home runs this season. Returning pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Nestor Cortes are also expected back later this month.

For the Cardinals, Brendan Donovan is dealing with toe discomfort, and rookie outfielder Jordan Walker is on a rehab assignment following wrist inflammation. While pitcher Zack Thompson has been sidelined all season due to a left lat strain, they still boast solid offensive stats, including Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras, both contributing eight home runs this year.

The series opener on Thursday features rookie pitcher Jacob Misiorowski making his MLB debut for the Brewers against veteran Sonny Gray for the Cardinals. Misiorowski has impressed in Triple-A Nashville, compiling a 2.13 ERA this season. Gray is coming off consecutive scoreless outings, with a 3.35 ERA in his last seven starts.

Friday will bring Freddy Peralta against Erick Fedde, Saturday showcases José Quintana versus Andre Pallante, and Sunday will see Quinn Priester pitched against Miles Mikolas. The matchups promise to be critical as both teams fight for position in the standings.

Fans can catch the action on the Brewers Radio Network and via MLB.TV. Expect an exciting series as both teams look to build momentum for the second half of the season.