The St. Louis Cardinals host the Chicago White Sox at Busch Stadium on Saturday, September 12, with first pitch set for 7:15 PM ET. Kyle Leahy gets the ball for St. Louis against Chicago's Sean Newcomb in what figures to be a low-profile pitching matchup on paper — but with September baseball in full swing, every game on the schedule carries weight. The Cardinals are playing in front of their home crowd, and this is a chance to take care of business against a White Sox club that has been working with a roster full of young pieces.

Starting Pitchers: Kyle Leahy vs. Sean Newcomb

Leahy draws the start for the Cardinals. The right-hander has been part of St. Louis's pitching mix and gets a chance to deliver a quality outing against a White Sox lineup that leans heavily on youth. Newcomb, a veteran left-hander who has bounced around the league over the years, takes the hill for Chicago. Neither pitcher enters with confirmed ERA or win-loss data available, so this one is best evaluated as it unfolds — but both starters have something to prove in a late-season spot start setting.

Cardinals Lineup to Watch

• José Fermín (LF, leadoff): Fermín sets the table at the top of the order. His ability to get on base and put pressure on the defense early is key to how this offense operates.
• Alec Burleson (1B, No. 3): Burleson hitting third is a vote of confidence. He's shown power potential and needs to come through in run-producing situations.
• Joshua Báez (RF, cleanup): The Cardinals are leaning on Báez in the four-hole. How he handles Newcomb's offerings will go a long way toward determining the offensive output tonight.
• Masyn Winn (SS, No. 8): Winn continues to grow into his role at shortstop. Even hitting eighth, his defense alone makes him one of the most important players on the field.

White Sox Lineup to Watch

• Munetaka Murakami (1B, cleanup): The Japanese slugger is Chicago's most dangerous bat in the middle of the order. Leahy will need a plan against him from the jump.
• Miguel Vargas (3B, No. 3): Vargas has tools and hits in a pivotal spot in the order. He's a threat the Cardinals cannot overlook.
• Andrew Benintendi (DH, No. 5): The veteran brings experience to a relatively young Chicago lineup. He's capable of doing damage against left-handed and right-handed pitching alike.
• Colson Montgomery (SS, No. 8): One of Chicago's top prospects, Montgomery's development is worth tracking even in a late-September game.

Keys to the Game

• Leahy must establish his fastball early and keep Murakami from beating him with one swing. Chicago's lineup has enough young talent to do damage in bunches if he falls behind in counts.
• The Cardinals' middle of the order — Burleson and Báez specifically — needs to produce against a left-hander in Newcomb. Getting runners to scoring position and cashing them in is the formula.
• Bullpen depth matters in September. Both teams will have fresh arms available, and whoever's manager makes the better call out of the 'pen could easily decide this one.
• Masyn Winn's defense at shortstop could be a game-changer. He has the range and arm to take away hits and turn the momentum in St. Louis's favor.

Prediction

This is a game the Cardinals should win at home. The Busch Stadium crowd on a Saturday night in September is an advantage, and St. Louis has the lineup construction to push across enough runs against Newcomb. Leahy needs to give the club five or six innings of serviceable work — nothing fancy, just keep it close and let the offense do the rest. Look for the Cardinals to take this one, 5-3, with Báez delivering the key hit in the middle innings.

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