Cubs vs Cardinals Preview: Week 62 Showdown at Busch

The Cubs came so close on Friday. They scraped and clawed their way back, but the Cardinals stole the game 6-5 in a wild pitcher's duel. You could feel the frustration in that ninth inning when Busch crossed home but couldn't quite push another run across. Chicago's bats stayed hot though—Happ launched a rocket to right-center in the first inning, and Busch kept hitting line drives. The Cubs sit at 31-27, climbing their way through a tough stretch. They need this game badly to flip their recent slide.

St. Louis isn't built around one superstar pitcher. The Cardinals are counting on young arms like Matthew Liberatore and Dustin May to keep coming through. Saturday, Kyle Leahy gets the ball for the home team, and this is his chance to prove he belongs in big moments like this. The Cardinals' bullpen features Riley O'Brien, who's tasked with closing out games. St. Louis sits at 30-25 and just snapped a short losing stretch with that Friday victory. Every start matters when you're trying to climb back into playoff conversation.

Ben Brown takes the mound for Chicago, trying to keep Cubs bats in the fight. The real story is whether stars like Happ and Busch can stay hot at the plate. Happ is swinging with serious power—that 407-foot shot Friday proved he can change games with one swing. Busch keeps finding gaps and driving in runs. The Cubs' offense showed teeth in Friday's loss. Can they push over those final runs in close moments? That's what separates winners from teams stuck in the middle.