The St. Louis Cardinals welcome the Baltimore Orioles to Busch Stadium on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, with first pitch set for 7:45 PM ET. Michael McGreevy gets the ball for St. Louis against Baltimore's Kyle Bradish in what shapes up as an intriguing interleague matchup between two clubs with legitimate offensive firepower. The Orioles bring a dangerous lineup headlined by Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso into St. Louis, while the Cardinals counter with a lineup built around Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson. This one has the makings of a pitcher's duel — or a slugfest, depending on whose offense wakes up first.

Cardinals vs. Orioles Starting Pitchers: McGreevy vs. Bradish

Michael McGreevy draws the start for the Cardinals, continuing his development as one of the club's young rotation pieces. The right-hander will be tested against one of the more complete lineups the American League has to offer. McGreevy's ability to work efficiently through the Baltimore order — particularly the top of the lineup where Jackson Holliday and Henderson do damage — will be the central question on the mound for St. Louis.

Kyle Bradish takes the hill for Baltimore. When healthy, Bradish has shown the ability to miss bats and keep offenses off-balance. The Cardinals' lineup will need to work counts and find ways to get traffic on base against him, particularly early in the game before the Orioles bullpen can get involved.

Cardinals Starting Lineup for August 26

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

Orioles Starting Lineup for August 26

• Jackson Holliday, 2B
• Pete Alonso, DH
• Gunnar Henderson, SS
• Samuel Basallo, 1B
• Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B
• Dylan Beavers, LF
• Leody Taveras, RF
• Colton Cowser, CF
• Carlos Narváez, C

Keys to Watch in Cardinals vs. Orioles

• McGreevy vs. the Orioles' middle of the order: Alonso, Henderson, and Basallo represent a formidable three-four-five punch. How McGreevy navigates that stretch each time through the lineup will go a long way toward determining the outcome.
• Jordan Walker's impact at cleanup: Walker slotting fourth signals the Cardinals' trust in his run-producing ability. A big night from Walker against a righty in Bradish could swing momentum early.
• Nolan Gorman's power potential: Gorman batting seventh gives the Cardinals a legitimate threat deep in the lineup. If Baltimore's pitchers lose focus with two outs, Gorman can punish them in a hurry.
• JJ Wetherholt setting the table: The leadoff job belongs to Wetherholt, and his ability to get on base against Bradish will directly affect how many chances Burleson and Walker see with runners aboard.
• Bullpen management: In a regular season game with potential playoff implications down the stretch, both managers will be watching pitch counts closely. The team that gets the best out of its relief corps late could steal this one.

Prediction: Cardinals 4, Orioles 3

Busch Stadium gives St. Louis a home-field edge, and McGreevy has the stuff to keep Baltimore's lineup from putting up a big number. The Cardinals' lineup has enough pop — particularly from Walker and Gorman — to scratch out enough runs against Bradish. It figures to be a close one, but St. Louis takes a hard-fought win in front of the home crowd. Cardinals 4, Orioles 3.

Catch the game on Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365 or listen on KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM.