The St. Louis Cardinals return to Busch Stadium on Tuesday, July 7 for a 2:15 PM ET matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee will send right-hander Jacob Misiorowski to the mound, while the Cardinals have yet to announce a probable starter. With the NL Central race always tight between these two clubs, every game in this division series carries real weight — and that's just as true on a Tuesday afternoon in July as it is in September.

Pitching Matchup: Misiorowski Starts for Milwaukee, Cardinals TBA

Jacob Misiorowski gets the ball for the Brewers. The young right-hander is a power arm who has shown the ability to miss bats at the big-league level, and any Cardinals lineup that takes him lightly will pay for it. St. Louis has not yet named a starter, which is worth watching as the day unfolds. How the Cardinals manage their pitching staff in this one could shape how the game plays out as much as anything happening in the lineup.

Cardinals Starting Lineup

• JJ Wetherholt — SS
• Iván Herrera — DH
• Alec Burleson — 1B
• Jordan Walker — RF
• Lars Nootbaar — LF
• Bryan Torres — 2B
• Nathan Church — CF
• José Fermín — 3B
• Jimmy Crooks — C

Brewers Starting Lineup

• Christian Yelich — DH
• Jackson Chourio — LF
• Brice Turang — 2B
• William Contreras — C
• Jake Bauers — 1B
• Garrett Mitchell — CF
• Sal Frelick — RF
• Cooper Pratt — SS
• Joey Ortiz — 3B

Keys to Watch

Jordan Walker in the Cleanup Spot

Walker sliding into the four hole is a statement of where the Cardinals stand with him right now. He's got the raw power to do damage against a pitcher like Misiorowski, and how he handles high-velocity stuff will be one of the more compelling individual matchups of the afternoon.

Yelich and Chourio at the Top of Milwaukee's Order

Christian Yelich leading off followed immediately by Jackson Chourio gives the Brewers a dangerous top-of-the-order combination. Chourio has emerged as one of the more exciting young outfielders in the National League, and those two back-to-back can put runs on the board in a hurry. Whatever Cardinals arm takes the mound needs to be sharp early.

The Bottom of the Cardinals Order

Church, Fermín, and Crooks — batting seventh through ninth — are going to face Misiorowski multiple times. Getting something out of the bottom third of the lineup would take real pressure off the top and give St. Louis a chance to string together innings rather than relying on isolated damage from the middle of the order.

Prediction

This is a division game at home, and those matter. With the Cardinals lineup intact and Milwaukee sending a starter the St. Louis hitters will need to adjust to, this one figures to be close. The unknown variable on the mound for St. Louis is real — pitching identity matters in a game like this. Cardinals take it 4-3 if they get a competent start. If the bullpen has to carry heavy innings early, the Brewers have enough lineup depth to make St. Louis pay.

Catch the game on Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365 or listen on KMOX 1120 AM / 104.1 FM. First pitch is set for 2:15 PM ET at Busch Stadium.