{"id":126769,"date":"2026-07-24T20:27:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T00:27:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=126769"},"modified":"2026-07-24T20:27:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T00:27:40","slug":"cardinals-slow-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/07\/24\/cardinals-slow-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardinals’ Slow Start to 2nd Half Makes Divisional Stretch Crucial"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dropping five of their first seven games after the All-Star break, the St. Louis Cardinals’ slow start to the second half has heightened the circumstances now that the team has returned to St. Louis. The homestand began Thursday with a makeup game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, where the Cardinals fell 10-6 and sank back to a 52-50 record. This follows them losing two out of three games to both Arizona and the Los Angeles Angels over the past week.<\/span><\/div>\n
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A seven-game divisional stretch now begins for St. Louis, as they will welcome the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs into town. Despite their slow start following last week\u2019s recess, the Cardinals are still in the thick of the National League Wild Card race, sitting just 1 1\/2 games back of the final spot. It makes this stretch against NL Central rivals imperative, as St. Louis hopes to take care of business against the Reds and gain some ground on the Cubs.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Cardinals’ Slow Start to Second Half Makes Next Week Huge<\/h2>\n

Divisional Foes Bring Different, But Interesting Challenges<\/span><\/h3>\n
The Cubs and Reds will follow different protocols at the trade deadline<\/a>, with Chicago anticipated to add pitching depth to a battered staff, and Cincinnati expected to retool in the midst of a disappointing season. But no matter what the records say, divisional matchups are usually tough and tightly contested, calling for the Cardinals to play their most complementary baseball over these next seven games.<\/span><\/div>\n
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St. Louis swept the Reds the last time these two teams played at the beginning of June, also at Busch Stadium. Overall, the Cards are 4-1 against Cincinnati in 2026 but will get their first taste of 2026 of hard-throwing starter Hunter Greene<\/a> on Saturday. Greene recently returned from injury<\/a> and is coming off back-to-back quality starts where he has racked up 19 strikeouts. Standout hitters<\/a> <\/span>Elly De La Cruz<\/a> and Sal Stewart<\/a> are each dangerous cogs in Cincinnati\u2019s lineup, but the Reds\u2019 bullpen is one of the <\/span>more maligned in the league.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Catch tonight’s game on https:\/\/t.co\/n6N97Azh1L<\/a>, @KMOV<\/a> and @MatrixMidwest<\/a>! \ud83d\udcfa pic.twitter.com\/kKLKGLISaq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 24, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n