Chicago Cubs: Big series against rival Cardinals will test reigning champs

St. Louis struggling to find its way

After years of running the table in the division, the last few years have been a different story. Sure, they won another Central crown in 2015, but ran into the Cubs in the NLDS. Last season, St. Louis failed to even make the postseason – a first since 2010.

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This year, similar to Chicago, the Redbirds have failed to gain any real momentum. They enter Friday’s series opener at 46-49 on the year, 4 1/2 games back in the division and nine back in the Wild Card hunt.

The Cardinals are 3-3 since the All-Star Break, and, with the Cubs and Pirates playing white-hot ball, it’s a bad time to tread water. But, given the relative weakness of play so far in the Central, anything can happen in the final two-plus months of the season.

Mike Matheny‘s club ranks 11th in the NL in runs, eighth in batting average and sixth in on-base percentage.

On the pitching side of things, St. Louis is much stronger. They rank third in earned run average (3.88), fifth in WHIP (1.29) and fifth in batting average against (.255). Meanwhile in the same measures, Chicago comes in at fourth in ERA and WHIP and third in batting average against.

On paper, then, you’d expect a pitcher’s duel this weekend. With that in mind, let’s take a look at this weekend’s pitching matchups.