Cardinals host Orioles in Busch Stadium series opener with Liberatore vs. Bassitt
The St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles meet Tuesday at Busch Stadium at 7:45 p.m. ET. Matthew Liberatore (5-11, 5.04 ERA) starts for the Cardinals, while Chris Bassitt (4-4, 5.08 ERA) is the expected starter for the Orioles. The game airs on Cardinals.TV and MASN, with streaming on Fubo.
Both teams enter this interleague matchup with identical sub-.500 records, though the Cardinals hold a slight edge in the standings. St. Louis sits third in the NL Central while Baltimore trails in fifth place in the AL East, making this a meaningful series for two clubs still mathematically alive in their respective playoff races. The Cardinals' Alec Burleson carries a 10-game hitting streak into the contest, and his 96 RBIs rank second in Major League Baseball.
The Orioles' injury list is notably deep, with seven players on the 60-day IL including closer Felix Bautista and former Cardinal Ryan Helsley. Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson has struggled to a .220 average despite solid power numbers, while Pete Alonso provides the team's primary offensive threat with 30 home runs. The Cardinals counter with Jordan Walker, who has matched Burleson's RBI total while adding 27 homers and 18 stolen bases.
This late-season interleague series could carry meaningful implications for both fan bases, as each team still holds a slim path toward postseason contention. For Cardinals supporters, Burleson's hot streak offers a bright spot in an otherwise middling season, potentially shaping offseason decisions about the team's core. Orioles fans may view this as a measuring stick for a roster that has underperformed expectations, with the extensive injury report raising questions about organizational depth and future roster construction.