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Athletics vs Cardinals: Blackburn and Liberatore Battle

The St. Louis Cardinals will face off against the Oakland Athletics in an intriguing matchup at Busch Stadium. Both teams have had lackluster seasons, with the Cardinals standing at 54-66 and the Athletics at 33-87. However, this game presents an opportunity for redemption as both teams look to turn their fortunes around.

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Athletics vs Cardinals: Blackburn and Liberatore Battle

The Cardinals will send Matthew Liberatore to the mound as their starting pitcher. Despite a 2-4 record and a 5.72 ERA, Liberatore has shown flashes of potential and will look to showcase his skills in this game. On the offensive side, the Cardinals are led by Nolan Arenado and Lars Nootbaar, who boast batting averages of .289 and .282, respectively. Arenado also leads the team in home runs with 25, closely followed by Nolan Gorman with 24.

The Athletics will counter with Paul Blackburn as their starting pitcher. Blackburn holds a 2-3 record with a 4.52 ERA, and he will aim to stifle the Cardinals’ offense. With both teams struggling, it will be an interesting battle to see who can come out on top.

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The game is scheduled to take place at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. It will be broadcasted on BSMW, with first pitch at 5:45 PM Central Time.

Injuries

St. Louis Cardinals: Ryan Helsley (RP, Forearm, D60), Nolan Gorman (2B, Back, Day-to-Day), Packy Naughton (RP, Forearm, D60), Brendan Donovan (2B, Elbow, D10), Willson Contreras (C, Hip, Day-to-Day), Jake Woodford (SP, Shoulder, D15), Steven Matz (SP, Lat, D15), Wilking Rodríguez (RP, Shoulder, D60), Dylan Carlson (CF, Oblique, D10)

Oakland Athletics: Angel Felipe (RP, Elbow, D15), Richard Lovelady (RP, Arm, D15), James Kaprielian (SP, Shoulder, D15), Ryan Noda (1B, Jaw, D10), Mason Miller (SP, Elbow, D60), JJ Bleday (CF, Knee, D10), Drew Rucinski (SP, Illness, D60), Zach Jackson (RP, Elbow, D60), Yacksel Ríos (RP, Finger, D60), Freddy Tarnok (SP, Calf, D15)

Main photo credits:

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

About Troy Brock

Troy Brock has been a fan of baseball for 15+ years. At the age of 29, he has made his way from writing blog posts on Medium to listicles for LWOSports, to managing the baseball department of Last Word on Sports. After a brief hiatus from sports journalism, Troy has returned, covering the New York Mets for Mets On SI, and the Alabama Crimson Tide for Last Word on College Football. A loving husband and a father of one, he spends his downtime with eyes firmly on the stock market, taking in every bit of information he can about finance and how to build a better future for his family.