The St. Louis Cardinals welcome the Cincinnati Reds to Busch Stadium on Saturday, July 25 for a 7:15 PM ET first pitch in what shapes up as one of the more intriguing NL Central matchups of the summer. Andre Pallante gets the ball for St. Louis against Cincinnati ace Hunter Greene, a power-arm matchup that should make for a compelling evening on Clark and Stadium Plaza. Division games in late July carry real weight, and this one is no exception — every game against a rival has postseason implications baked in.

Starting Pitchers: Andre Pallante vs. Hunter Greene

Pallante draws a tough assignment going up against Greene, one of the hardest throwers in the National League. Greene generates elite swing-and-miss with his fastball and has developed into a legitimate top-of-the-rotation arm for Cincinnati. Pallante, for his part, has carved out his role with the Cardinals by attacking the zone and generating soft contact — he is not going to overpower anyone, but he keeps his team in games by limiting walks and working efficiently.

The stylistic contrast here is sharp. Greene challenges hitters with velocity and can pile up strikeouts in bunches. Pallante works the other way — keeping the ball on the ground, letting his defense do the work. If Pallante can neutralize the top of Cincinnati's order early, the Cardinals' lineup has a chance to grind Greene deeper into counts.

Cardinals Lineup: Keys to Watch

• JJ Wetherholt (2B, leadoff): The Cardinals are running their young second baseman at the top of the order. His ability to work counts and get on base will set the tone against Greene's power stuff.
• Jordan Walker (RF): Slotted second, Walker has the bat speed to handle high-velocity pitching. He's a player who could do real damage if he gets a Greene fastball in a hitter's count.
• Alec Burleson (1B): Hitting third and anchoring the middle of the order alongside Iván Herrera at cleanup. Burleson's contact-first approach could be valuable against a pitcher who sometimes elevates his pitch count.
• Iván Herrera (C): The Cardinals are trusting their catcher in the four-hole. Herrera's development as an offensive contributor has been one of the storylines worth monitoring in St. Louis this season.
• Masyn Winn (SS): Batting sixth, Winn is one of the most athletic players on this roster and a genuine defensive standout at shortstop.

Reds Lineup: Threats to Know

Elly De La Cruz leads off for Cincinnati, and he remains one of the most dynamic players in the division — a legitimate speed-and-power combination that can change a game in a single at-bat. JJ Bleday hits third, Eugenio Suárez slots in at cleanup as the DH, and Tyler Stephenson provides a professional presence behind the plate. Pallante will need to be sharp against De La Cruz in particular; the Cardinals cannot afford to let the Reds shortstop reach base and create havoc on the bases.

Broadcast Information

Saturday's game is available on Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365 for Cardinals fans and Reds.TV for Cincinnati viewers. Local radio coverage airs on KMOX 1120 AM and 104.1 FM in St. Louis, with WLW 700 carrying the call for Reds territory. Spanish-language coverage is available on WIJR AM 880.

Prediction

This one hinges on how long Pallante can keep Cincinnati's lineup off the board. Greene is going to give the Reds a quality start — that's the expectation. The Cardinals need to manufacture enough offense to make things uncomfortable, and they need their bullpen ready if Pallante runs into trouble against De La Cruz and the top of the Cincinnati order. It figures to be a low-scoring game, close into the late innings. Edge to the home team: Cardinals 3, Reds 2.