The St. Louis Cardinals return to Busch Stadium on Sunday, June 28 to host the Miami Marlins in a 2:15 PM ET afternoon affair. Kyle Leahy gets the ball for St. Louis against Miami's Tyler Phillips in what shapes up as a matchup between two arms looking to solidify their roles. With the regular season in full swing, every start and every lineup spot matters — and today's game is no exception for a Cardinals club that needs to build momentum at home.

Starting Pitching Matchup: Kyle Leahy vs. Tyler Phillips

Leahy draws the assignment for the Cardinals, and this is a prime opportunity for the right-hander to show the organization he belongs in the rotation mix. Leahy has the stuff to keep opposing lineups off-balance, but command and sequencing will be the story today. The Marlins don't carry the most fearsome lineup in the National League, but they are capable of making pitchers pay for mistakes in the zone.

On the other side, Tyler Phillips gets the call for Miami. Phillips is a pitch-to-contact type who relies on keeping hitters off his fastball with secondary offerings. If the Cardinals lineup can work counts early and force Phillips into hitter's counts, St. Louis has the personnel to do damage.

St. Louis Cardinals Starting Lineup

• JJ Wetherholt, 2B
• Iván Herrera, DH
• Alec Burleson, 1B
• Lars Nootbaar, RF
• Masyn Winn, SS
• Bryan Torres, LF
• Blaze Jordan, 3B
• Nathan Church, CF
• Pedro Pagés, C

Keys to Watch for the Cardinals

JJ Wetherholt Setting the Table

Wetherholt leads things off at second base, and his ability to get on base and create chaos at the top of the order is central to how this offense functions. If he can draw a walk or find a gap early, it puts Iván Herrera and Alec Burleson in position to drive in runs before Phillips settles in.

Lars Nootbaar in the Middle of the Order

Hitting cleanup, Nootbaar carries real run-production responsibility today. He has the plate discipline to work Phillips deep into counts and the power to make mistakes hurt. A big game from Nootbaar in the heart of the order could be the difference.

Blaze Jordan and Nathan Church Proving Their Value

The bottom third of this lineup — Jordan at third base, Church in center, and Pagés behind the plate — needs to contribute. If Phillips can cruise through the six, seven, eight, and nine spots, he stays comfortable. The Cardinals need those hitters to make him work.

Leahy's Command Early

How Leahy handles the Marlins in the first two innings will set the tone for his entire outing. If he can establish his fastball and throw his secondary pitches for strikes, he has the ability to go deep into this game and give the bullpen a breather.

Prediction

The Cardinals take this one at home. The Busch Stadium crowd on a Sunday afternoon gives St. Louis an edge, and this lineup — anchored by Nootbaar, Winn, and Burleson — has enough firepower to support Leahy. Cardinals win, 5-3.