The St. Louis Cardinals return home to Busch Stadium on June 20 to begin a key NL Central matchup against the Cincinnati Reds, looking to maintain their upward momentum and build upon their respectable 37–34 record. St. Louis has steadied itself in the standings by leaning on consistency, depth, and a return to form from several core players, particularly in the pitching department. Andre Pallante is slated to take the mound Friday and brings with him a repertoire built around ground ball induction and efficient pitch counts, though his average start typically stretches only four to five innings. That makes the Cardinals’ bullpen a critical piece of the puzzle—thankfully, this is a group that’s been performing solidly in late innings, particularly in close home games, where the unit thrives under pressure with defined roles and dependable arms like Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos anchoring the backend. Defensively, St. Louis has long been among the most fundamentally sound teams in the league, and this season has been no different, with a low error rate and effective double-play execution giving them an edge in tight games where one missed grounder can change the outcome. Offensively, the Cardinals aren’t overpowering, but they’re methodical and efficient. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado continue to be cornerstones in the middle of the lineup, while Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar contribute with timely hits and strong on-base skills.

While power numbers have been modest, the team excels at stringing together base hits and situational production—sacrifice flies, hit-and-run plays, and well-placed contact that pressures opposing infields. At Busch Stadium, the Cardinals have gone 6–4 ATS over their last 10 games and have won nearly two-thirds of their games when favored by moneylines similar to Friday’s –137 line, reflecting their ability to protect home turf in winnable spots. They’ll be facing Reds starter Brady Singer, a pitcher who can be vulnerable early if hitters show patience and discipline, something St. Louis’s lineup has been trending toward over the past two weeks. The Cardinals will aim to force Singer into high pitch counts early, setting the table for their deeper, more dependable bullpen to control the middle and late innings. Offensively, this game could be determined by how well Goldschmidt and Arenado handle Singer’s off-speed stuff and whether the bottom half of the order can chip in enough to push the Reds’ relievers into action before the seventh. In games like this—closely lined, with a total set at 9—St. Louis has often succeeded by avoiding big mistakes, playing station-to-station baseball, and letting their bullpen slam the door late. If Pallante can limit the Reds to two or three runs through five innings and the Cardinals avoid stranding runners in scoring position, they’re well-positioned to grind out a 4–3 or 5–4 home win. With the division still up for grabs and every series mattering more in late June, the Cardinals know the formula for success: pitch to contact, play clean defense, capitalize with runners on, and trust their relievers to carry them the rest of the way.