The St. Louis Cardinals return to Busch Stadium on Monday, July 6, to open a home series against the Milwaukee Brewers with first pitch set for 7:45 PM ET. Dustin May gets the ball for St. Louis against Milwaukee left-hander Shane Drohan. These two NL Central rivals meeting at Busch Stadium always carries weight in the standings race, and with the heart of summer in full swing, every game between these clubs matters. Cardinals fans can catch the action on Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365 or listen on KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM.

Pitching Matchup: Dustin May vs. Shane Drohan

Dustin May draws the start for the Cardinals. May, the big right-hander acquired to bolster St. Louis's rotation, will look to give the Cardinals length and keep Milwaukee's lineup off balance. Specific 2026 ERA and record figures are not yet confirmed heading into this contest, so we'll let the performance speak for itself Monday night.

Drohan gets the nod for the Brewers. The left-hander will face a Cardinals lineup that is stacked predominantly with right-handed bats, which sets up an interesting dynamic early in the game. How St. Louis's righties handle Drohan's arsenal will be one of the central storylines of the evening.

St. Louis Cardinals Starting Lineup

• 1. JJ Wetherholt — 2B
• 2. Iván Herrera — DH
• 3. Jordan Walker — RF
• 4. Nelson Velázquez — LF
• 5. José Fermín — 3B
• 6. Masyn Winn — SS
• 7. Nathan Church — CF
• 8. Blaze Jordan — 1B
• 9. Pedro Pagés — C

Keys to Watch for the Cardinals

Jordan Walker in the Middle of the Order

Walker slots in at third in the lineup, giving St. Louis a right-handed bat with power potential in a prime run-producing spot against a left-handed starter. If Drohan lives in the zone early, Walker has the ability to make him pay. His production in the three-hole is critical to St. Louis getting on the board first.

Masyn Winn Setting the Tone Defensively

Winn at shortstop remains one of the Cardinals' most reliable defensive assets. Against a Brewers club that can manufacture runs, Winn's range and arm in the middle of the infield could be the difference in an inning or two where Milwaukee puts runners in motion.

Blaze Jordan Making His Case

Jordan holds down first base and bats eighth. Every at-bat for the young first baseman is a data point for the Cardinals' front office. Watch how he handles a left-handed starter — it's exactly the kind of matchup that reveals where a developing player stands.

May's Command Early

Dustin May's effectiveness typically hinges on his ability to establish his sinker down in the zone and generate weak contact. If he's commanding his fastball to both sides of the plate in the first two innings, the Cardinals should be in good shape to keep Milwaukee from piling up crooked numbers early.

Prediction

This is a matchup where the Cardinals' lineup — loaded with right-handed bats — has a structural advantage against a left-handed starter in Drohan. If May pitches to contact and keeps the Brewers off the bases, St. Louis has the pieces to grind out a win at home. Cardinals 4, Brewers 2.