The St. Louis Cardinals open the door at Busch Stadium on Friday, August 7, welcoming the Colorado Rockies for a 8:15 PM ET first pitch. Kyle Leahy gets the ball for St. Louis against Colorado right-hander Ryan Feltner. With a lineup that runs young talent from top to bottom, this is a game worth watching closely — the Cardinals are leaning on a next-generation core, and how that group performs against a Rockies club that has its own pieces to evaluate makes for a genuinely interesting late-summer matchup.

Cardinals vs. Rockies: Starting Pitchers

Kyle Leahy draws the start for St. Louis. The right-hander has been working his way into the Cardinals' pitching picture, and Friday night gives him an opportunity to build on that role with a full Busch Stadium crowd behind him. His command and ability to pitch deep into games will be the primary things to track.

Ryan Feltner takes the hill for Colorado. The Rockies right-hander has the unenviable task of pitching in front of a St. Louis home crowd, and the Cardinals' lineup — as constructed tonight — is built to put the ball in play and work counts. Feltner will need to be sharp early to keep this offense from getting loose.

Cardinals Starting Lineup

• 1. JJ Wetherholt, 2B
• 2. Jordan Walker, RF
• 3. Alec Burleson, 1B
• 4. Iván Herrera, DH
• 5. Jimmy Crooks, C
• 6. Masyn Winn, SS
• 7. Nathan Church, CF
• 8. Bryan Torres, LF
• 9. César Prieto, 3B

Rockies Starting Lineup

• 1. Jake McCarthy, DH
• 2. Cole Carrigg, CF
• 3. Mickey Moniak, LF
• 4. Hunter Goodman, C
• 5. TJ Rumfield, 1B
• 6. Willi Castro, 3B
• 7. Ezequiel Tovar, SS
• 8. Troy Johnston, RF
• 9. Edouard Julien, 2B

Keys to Watch Friday Night

JJ Wetherholt Leading Off

The Cardinals have Wetherholt at the top of the order at second base. Getting on base and setting the table for Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson immediately behind him is the job. How Wetherholt handles Feltner's early offerings will set the tone for St. Louis offensively.

Masyn Winn Hitting Sixth

Winn slotting sixth is worth noting. A talented young shortstop with the athleticism to impact a game in multiple ways, his placement in the middle of the order's lower half gives the Cardinals a threat they can build rallies around even after the top of the lineup cycles through.

Iván Herrera as Cleanup DH

Herrera hitting fourth as the designated hitter puts the spotlight squarely on his bat. The Cardinals are clearly looking to him to provide protection in the heart of the order, and his performance against Feltner could define the offensive output for St. Louis tonight.

Ezequiel Tovar for Colorado

The Rockies shortstop is the Colorado hitter to watch. Tovar has the tools to hurt a pitcher who leaves anything over the plate, and Leahy will need to be disciplined when facing him in the order.

Prediction

This is a winnable game for St. Louis at home. Busch Stadium provides an edge, and the Cardinals lineup has enough young, athletic pieces to do damage against Feltner if he is not precise. Leahy will need to limit the Rockies' middle of the order — Moniak, Goodman, and Rumfield are capable of producing runs — but the home-field advantage and the Cardinals' lineup depth give St. Louis the edge tonight. Cardinals 5, Rockies 3.

Catch the game on KMOV-4 locally, or tune in on KMOX 1120 AM and 104.1 FM for radio coverage. Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365 has the streaming option for those outside the market.