The Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals meet on August 13, 2025, at Busch Stadium in the finale of a series that has so far underscored the massive gap between these two clubs in both execution and season trajectory, with the Rockies limping in at 30–88 and mired in one of the league’s worst overall performances, while the Cardinals, sitting at 61–60, are still clinging to postseason aspirations in a crowded NL Wild Card race. Colorado hands the ball to Michael McGreevy, whose 4–2 record and mid-4 ERA reflect a pitcher capable of delivering competitive outings when he commands his fastball and slider combination, but he enters this start needing to navigate a Cardinals lineup that blends veteran power with contact efficiency, led by Nolan Arenado, Alec Burleson, and Masyn Winn, who have all been key in manufacturing runs without depending solely on the home run ball. The Rockies’ offense, among the lowest in the league in runs scored, has relied on streaky performances from Hunter Goodman, Jordan Beck, and Mickey Moniak, but their inability to sustain rallies, especially on the road, has kept them from capitalizing on rare strong pitching performances. St. Louis counters with left-hander Austin Gomber, whose 0–6 record belies his ability to generate soft contact when his slider is sharp, but whose season has been hampered by inconsistent control and a tendency to fall behind in counts.

The Cardinals’ strength lies in their defense, which ranks among the best in the league in converting batted balls into outs, and in a bullpen that, while not flawless, has shown the ability to close games effectively when handed a lead after the sixth inning. Betting lines favor St. Louis moderately, with the moneyline hovering around –150 and the total set near eight runs, a number that suggests expectations of a controlled pace dominated by pitching and situational offense. Colorado’s dreadful 30–47 record against the run line this season highlights their struggles to keep games close, even when entering as large underdogs, while the Cardinals have been roughly break-even ATS, especially at home, where they often win but by narrow margins. For the Rockies to pull off an upset, McGreevy will need to deliver at least six strong innings, the offense will have to cash in on limited scoring chances, and the bullpen must avoid its all-too-frequent late collapses. For the Cardinals, the formula is straightforward: Gomber needs to keep the ball in the park, the offense must pressure McGreevy early to force bullpen involvement, and the defense should capitalize on Colorado’s high strikeout rate and defensive lapses to turn the game into a methodical, low-risk win. Given the disparity in roster depth, season momentum, and execution, this is a matchup that heavily tilts toward St. Louis unless Colorado can produce a near-perfect combination of pitching efficiency, timely hitting, and defensive discipline—three elements they have rarely aligned in what has been a historically difficult season.