Cardinals vs Brewers Preview: Young Arms Take the Spotlight

Let's start with the pitchers, because both teams are counting on their young starters. Matthew Liberatore takes the hill for St. Louis with major responsibility on his shoulders. The Cardinals' rotation needs him to step up and prove he can be trusted in big moments. Over in Milwaukee, Jacob Misiorowski will answer back. He's a hard-throwing right-hander with serious breakout potential. Both teams built their seasons around developing these young arms. Monday night, we get to see how ready they really are.

St. Louis is missing some important bats right now. Nathan Church is heading to the injured list with a lower body issue. Ramon Urias has been out with tennis elbow and won't be back for several weeks. These injuries matter because they take away hitting options when you need run production most. Bryan Torres is being called up to help fill the gap. The Cardinals sit at 29-22 and can't afford to lose momentum during these absences.

Milwaukee is stacked at the top of the division with a 30-20 record, but injuries are piling up. Brandon Woodruff is working his way back from shoulder trouble. Rob Zastryzny and Jared Koenig are both rehabbing. Brandon Lockridge crashed into the wall and suffered a bone bruise. These absences hurt, but Trevor Megill remains a reliable closer with 30 saves last season. The Brewers have World Series expectations and need their pitching staff to stay healthy down the stretch.