The St. Louis Cardinals open their doors at Busch Stadium on Monday, June 22, hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks for a 7:45 PM ET first pitch. Andre Pallante takes the hill for St. Louis against Arizona's veteran righty Merrill Kelly in what shapes up as a compelling pitching matchup. For a Cardinals club building toward October relevance, every home game matters — and a lineup featuring Jordan Walker, Lars Nootbaar, and Masyn Winn gives St. Louis real offensive firepower against a Diamondbacks squad that rolled into town with Corbin Carroll and a familiar face in Nolan Arenado at third.

Cardinals vs. Diamondbacks: Monday Night Pitching Matchup

Andre Pallante has carved out a legitimate role in the Cardinals rotation through a combination of ground balls, competitiveness, and the kind of durability St. Louis has needed. He's at his best when he's working down in the zone and inducing weak contact — a formula that will be tested against a Diamondbacks lineup that can put the ball in play with purpose. Merrill Kelly is exactly the kind of opponent that exposes a lineup's patience. He attacks the strike zone, mixes his arsenal well, and doesn't beat himself. The Cardinals will need to work counts and find lanes early.

St. Louis Cardinals Starting Lineup

• 1. JJ Wetherholt — 2B
• 2. Iván Herrera — C
• 3. Alec Burleson — 1B
• 4. Jordan Walker — RF
• 5. Lars Nootbaar — LF
• 6. Masyn Winn — SS
• 7. Jimmy Crooks — DH
• 8. Blaze Jordan — 3B
• 9. Nathan Church — CF

Arizona Diamondbacks Starting Lineup

• 1. Ketel Marte — 2B
• 2. Geraldo Perdomo — SS
• 3. Corbin Carroll — RF
• 4. Pavin Smith — 1B
• 5. Nolan Arenado — 3B
• 6. Adrian Del Castillo — C
• 7. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. — DH
• 8. Tommy Troy — LF
• 9. Tim Tawa — CF

Keys to Watch for the Cardinals

• Pallante's ground ball rate: Arizona has enough athleticism on the basepaths to hurt you if you put runners on. Pallante needs to keep the ball on the ground and out of the air against Carroll and Marte especially.
• Jordan Walker's power: Walker hitting cleanup is a statement. He has the bat speed to do damage against a right-hander like Kelly. If Walker is locked in, the Cardinals' middle of the order becomes genuinely dangerous.
• Masyn Winn's defense: Winn is one of the best shortstops in the game at this stage of his development. Against a lineup that can manufacture runs through contact, his range and arm in the six-hole on defense could be a difference-maker.
• Nolan Arenado factor: Yes, it's always a little complicated when the former Cardinal rolls into Busch Stadium. Arenado is still an elite third baseman and cleanup threat. Pallante cannot afford to leave anything elevated to him.

Prediction: Cardinals 4, Diamondbacks 2

Busch Stadium crowds have a way of lifting this team on Monday nights, and the Cardinals have the lineup depth to scratch across enough runs against Kelly if they stay disciplined. Pallante is capable of giving St. Louis six quality innings when his mechanics are right and he's getting the calls down in the zone. Give the edge to the home side in a tight, well-pitched ballgame. Cardinals win, 4-2. Catch the game on KMOX 1120 AM or Cardinals.TV.