The Arizona Diamondbacks head to Busch Stadium on Thursday, June 25 for a 5:15 PM ET first pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals. Brandon Pfaadt gets the ball for Arizona against Cardinals right-hander Michael McGreevy in what shapes up as a battle of two young starters with something to prove. This is a regular season game that carries real divisional-race weight — every win or loss in late June matters when the NL West standings are tight. Arizona fans can catch the action on DBACKS.TV or listen on ESPN 620 AM and La Campesina 101.9 FM.
Pitching Matchup: Brandon Pfaadt vs. Michael McGreevy
Pfaadt has been one of the more compelling arms in the Arizona rotation since breaking through in 2023. The right-hander from Grand Canyon University brings a deep arsenal — his fastball-sweeper combination can miss bats when he's commanding his secondary pitches. The challenge at Busch Stadium is staying sharp in what can be a vocal, energized atmosphere when the Cardinals get rolling at home.
McGreevy is a product of the Cardinals' pipeline and represents a new wave of St. Louis pitching. He works with a pitcher's mentality — generating soft contact and leaning on his defense. Neither starter comes into this game with overwhelming surface-level numbers provided, so this one will be decided by execution on the day rather than any clear paper advantage.
Keys to Watch for the Diamondbacks
- Pfaadt's first-inning command: When Pfaadt gets ahead early in counts, he can control a lineup for deep into a game. If he's behind hitters from the jump, the Cardinals will make him work. This is the single biggest storyline on Arizona's side of the ledger.
- Arizona's lineup approach vs. McGreevy: McGreevy is at his best when hitters are passive. The D-backs need to be aggressive early in counts, attack his fastball when it's in the zone, and not let him dictate the at-bat. Patient but opportunistic — that's the balance.
- Bullpen depth: A road game in June means the Arizona bullpen will almost certainly factor in. How Pfaadt is managed through the middle innings — and which arms are available out of the 'pen — will shape whether Arizona can close this one out.
- Defensive execution: Busch Stadium's natural grass demands clean footwork and sharp reads. McGreevy induces ground balls, which means Arizona's infield defense will be tested if St. Louis gets into an early groove.
Prediction
This is the kind of game that gets decided by margins — a two-out hit here, a strikeout with runners on there. Pfaadt is capable of delivering a quality start, and if he keeps the Cardinals' lineup off-balance through six innings, Arizona's offense should have enough opportunities to put runs on the board against a relatively inexperienced pitcher in McGreevy. Road wins are never easy, especially in St. Louis, but the D-backs have the pitching to steal this one. Arizona wins, 4-2.
