Cubs at Cardinals: Preview, Form & Who to Watch
The oldest rivalry in the National League renews at Busch Stadium with the two clubs in very different places. The Cubs arrive as one of the best teams in the NL and a lock, for now, on a Wild Card spot; the Cardinals are hovering on the edge of the race, needing series like this one to stay in it. Here's the form guide.
The 2026 standings picture
Chicago comes in at 59–46, second in the NL Central behind a runaway Milwaukee side and holding the top NL Wild Card spot as of late July. St. Louis sits at 53–52, fourth in the division and a game or two outside the Wild Card cut line — very much alive, but with no margin. (Records as of July 26, 2026, per StatMuse and the clubs' season pages; they move daily.)
| Cubs | 59–46 · 2nd NL Central · holding NL Wild Card #1 |
| Cardinals | 53–52 · 4th NL Central · ~1½ games off the Wild Card |
The season series so far
The Cardinals have had the Cubs' number in 2026, leading the season series 4–2 — including a lopsided July 3 win (17–1) at one point. That head-to-head edge is exactly why this set matters more to St. Louis, which can ill afford to hand a division rival more wins in a tight Wild Card chase.
Who's carrying each side
For the Cubs, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has been the engine — hitting around .290 with 23 home runs and 26 stolen bases, a genuine five-tool season. Offseason signing Alex Bregman (a five-year, $175M deal, a club record for average annual value) added a proven bat to the middle of the order, and lefty Shota Imanaga leads the staff in strikeouts. The Cubs have managed without Seiya Suzuki, who opened the year on the injured list, and without pitcher Cade Horton, shut down early in the season.
St. Louis leans on Jordan Walker, the team leader in home runs (22) and RBI (77), and Alec Burleson, its hits leader. Closer Riley O'Brien has been a bright spot with 26 saves, near the top of the NL, and Andre Pallante anchors the rotation at 11–6. Under manager Oliver Marmol and baseball-ops chief Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals have hung around the race longer than many expected.
A rivalry older than almost any
Cubs–Cardinals is one of the oldest rivalries in the sport, sometimes called the "Route 66" or "I-55" rivalry for the highway that connects the two cities, with roots tracing back to an 1885 postseason meeting between the clubs' forerunners. What it has rarely been is a playoff rivalry: the two have met in the postseason only once, the 2015 NLDS, which the Cubs won 3–1 on their way to ending a century-long drought a year later. The all-time regular-season series is essentially even across more than 2,500 games.
Ones to Watch
Our picks below are informed opinion based on the form above — not a crystal ball.
The most electric player on either roster. His power-speed combination changes games on the bases and in center field — the one Cub the Cardinals most need to keep off the paths.
Brought in precisely for games like this. A disciplined, big-moment hitter in the middle of the Chicago order; how he handles the St. Louis staff is a series-swinger.
St. Louis's most dangerous bat and the man most likely to keep the Cardinals in the Wild Card race. If the home side is going to take this set, it likely runs through Walker.
The Cardinals have leaned on their bullpen all year, and O'Brien slamming the door in the late innings is how St. Louis steals tight rivalry games.
How to watch: the series airs on the clubs' regional broadcasts; check the fact box above for this game's exact carrier and first pitch, and see our How to Watch MLB in 2026 guide for the full national and regional picture.
Full game details & how to watch →
Form and standings verified as of publication (Tuesday, July 28, 2026) with sources cited in-line where relevant. "Ones to watch" are our opinion — see our Editorial Policy. First pitch shown in US Eastern; on the schedule it converts to your local zone.