The St. Louis Cardinals host the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium on Saturday, July 25, 2026, with first pitch set for 7:15 PM ET. Andre Pallante takes the hill for St. Louis against Cincinnati right-hander Hunter Greene in what shapes up as a pitching-forward NL Central clash. With the division race grinding through the heart of summer, every game between these two rivals carries real weight. The game airs locally on Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365 and on KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM for radio listeners across Cardinals Nation.
Cardinals vs. Reds Pitching Matchup: Pallante vs. Greene
Andre Pallante gets the nod for St. Louis on Saturday. The right-hander has carved out a role in the Cardinals rotation through a combination of ground-ball efficiency and competitive fight. Pallante does not overpower hitters, but he works down in the zone and generates weak contact when he is on his game. His ability to eat innings and keep the Cardinals in ballgames is exactly what St. Louis needs in a mid-summer start.
On the other side, Hunter Greene brings his electric arm to Busch Stadium for Cincinnati. Greene is one of the harder throwers in the National League, capable of sitting in the upper 90s with a fastball that gives hitters genuine trouble. When Greene has his secondary stuff working — particularly his slider — he can dominate lineups. The Cardinals will need patience at the plate and a willingness to grind deep into counts to have success against him.
Keys to Watch for the Cardinals on Saturday
- Controlling Greene's fastball: Greene's velocity is a legitimate weapon. St. Louis hitters who try to match his energy and swing early in counts will struggle. Working counts and forcing Greene to throw secondary pitches is the path forward.
- Pallante's ground-ball rate: Cincinnati can do damage when opponents leave balls up. If Pallante keeps the ball down and generates his typical ground-ball contact, the Cardinals defense should be able to limit the Reds' run output.
- Middle-inning bullpen bridge: If Pallante works into the fifth or sixth, the Cardinals' bullpen management in the middle innings becomes critical. St. Louis needs clean transitions out of the starter before handing the game to late-inning options.
- Capitalizing on early traffic: Against a power arm like Greene, stringing together hits is harder than manufacturing runs through patience and situational hitting. Cardinals hitters who reach base early need to be aggressive on the bases.
Prediction
This is a low-scoring game on paper, and the pitching matchup backs that up. Greene is a tough draw at home, but Pallante has the profile to keep St. Louis competitive through five or six innings. The Cardinals' offense will need to be selective and smart. Expect a tight, back-and-forth game that comes down to a late-inning moment. The Cardinals find a way to scratch out a 3-2 win at Busch Stadium in front of the Saturday night crowd.
