Marlins vs Cardinals Preview: Battle of the Pitching Arms

The Marlins rolled into St. Louis with serious momentum. They're riding a four-game winning streak and sitting 44-39 after crushing the Cardinals two games in a row. Those victories showed what Miami can do when their bats stay hot. Stowers and Edwards keep finding the gaps. The Marlins' lineup is waking up. Sunday brings Tyler Phillips to the mound for Miami. The Cardinals stumbled hard, losing four straight. St. Louis needs to bounce back fast.

Kyle Leahy takes the ball for St. Louis on Sunday. The Cardinals are built on young pitchers stepping up big. Matthew Liberatore and Dustin May carry heavy loads in the rotation. May just skipped a start with back tightness after a rough outing against Kansas City. The team needs its younger arms to prove they belong in big moments. The bullpen, led by Riley O'Brien, has to shut doors late. St. Louis is fighting to stay in the race. That means no more losing games at home.

Miami is chasing playoff dreams with their strong record and hot bats. They've got Sandy Alcántara waiting to return as a potential game-changer. Pete Fairbanks closes games with serious velocity. The rotation could become a strength if Alcántara finds his form. St. Louis can't afford another loss at home. The Cardinals sit 22-21 at Busch Stadium this season. Both teams know: one win keeps you alive, one loss stings. Every game counts in June heading toward July.

Tyler Phillips brings the Marlins' rotation to Sunday. He'll face Kyle Leahy on the mound for St. Louis. The Cardinals need Leahy to settle down after recent struggles. St. Louis has Dustin May sidelined with back issues. That removes a key arm from their mix. Miami's bullpen has Pete Fairbanks waiting in the wings to lock things down late. When closers get their chances, they either shine or struggle. That moment could decide everything on Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium.