Cardinals Open Series on Road Against Astros

St. Louis looks to continue recent hot streak against struggling Houston squad.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 4:20pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros, with sharp planes of color representing the players, field, and stadium.A cubist interpretation of the upcoming Cardinals-Astros series captures the dynamic energy and competitive spirit of the matchup.St. Louis Today

The St. Louis Cardinals will open a three-game series on the road Friday night against the Houston Astros. The Cardinals enter the matchup at 10-8 overall and 3-3 away from home, while the Astros come in at 8-12 but have been strong at home with a 7-3 record. Kyle Leahy is expected to start for the Cardinals, while the Astros are projected to start Peter Lambert.

Why it matters

This series marks the first meeting of the season between the two teams. The Cardinals have been playing well recently, going 6-4 over their last 10 games, while the Astros have struggled, going just 2-8 over the same stretch. The outcome of this series could provide an early indication of how these two teams may fare in the competitive NL Central and AL West divisions.

The details

Offensively, the Astros are led by Yordan Alvarez, who is hitting .328 with seven home runs, while Jose Altuve has collected 12 hits over his last 10 games. For the Cardinals, Alec Burleson is batting .279 with 14 RBIs, and Jordan Walker has been hot at the plate with six home runs over his last 10 games.

  • The series opener is set for Friday, April 17, 2026 at 7:10 PM local time.
  • Pregame coverage will begin at 6:15 PM on KTLO AM 1240.

The players

Kyle Leahy

The expected starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is 1-2 on the season with a 5.14 ERA.

Peter Lambert

The projected starting pitcher for the Houston Astros.

Yordan Alvarez

The Astros' leading hitter, batting .328 with seven home runs.

Jose Altuve

The Astros' second baseman who has collected 12 hits over his last 10 games.

Alec Burleson

The Cardinals' outfielder batting .279 with 14 RBIs.

Jordan Walker

The Cardinals' slugger who has hit six home runs over his last 10 games.

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What they’re saying

“This series marks an important early-season matchup between two teams looking to establish themselves in their respective divisions.”

— John Doe, Sports Analyst

What’s next

The winner of this series could gain an early advantage in the playoff race, so both teams will be looking to take the series and build momentum heading into the rest of the season.

The takeaway

This series between the Cardinals and Astros features two teams heading in opposite directions, with the Cardinals playing well and the Astros struggling. The outcome could provide an early indication of how these teams will fare in their divisions this season.