Astros Look to Upset Cardinals at Home

Houston hosts St. Louis in Saturday MLB matchup

Apr. 17, 2026 at 6:44pm

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting a baseball game between two teams, with sharp planes of color and overlapping shapes representing the action on the field.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes matchup between the Cardinals and Astros, capturing the dynamic energy of their Saturday night showdown.Houston Today

The Houston Astros (8-12) will host the St. Louis Cardinals (10-8) in a Saturday MLB matchup at Daikin Park. The Cardinals are favored at -210 on the moneyline, while the Astros are +172 underdogs. The expected starters are Andre Pallante for St. Louis and Lance McCullers Jr. for Houston.

Why it matters

This game features two teams heading in opposite directions early in the season. The Cardinals have gotten off to a solid start, while the Astros have struggled. A win for Houston could help them turn things around and get back into the playoff race in the AL West.

The details

The Cardinals have been led by their offense so far, averaging 4.4 runs per game. They've hit 22 doubles and 20 home runs as a team. On the mound, St. Louis has a 4.94 team ERA, which ranks 27th in MLB. The Astros have a powerful offense as well, averaging 5.35 runs per game (5th in MLB). However, their pitching staff has struggled to a 6.01 team ERA (29th in MLB).

  • The game is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2026.
  • First pitch is set for 7:10 PM local time in Houston.

The players

Andre Pallante

The Cardinals' expected starting pitcher, Pallante has a 4.34 ERA and 1.421 WHIP in his MLB career so far.

Lance McCullers Jr.

The Astros' expected starting pitcher, McCullers has a 3.74 ERA and 1.291 WHIP in his MLB career.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals are 10-8 on the season and looking to continue their solid start.

Houston Astros

The Astros are 8-12 on the year and hoping to turn things around at home against the Cardinals.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to get our pitching staff on track if we want to compete in this division.”

— Dusty Baker, Astros Manager

“Our offense has been carrying us so far, but we know we need to improve on the mound to make a deep playoff run.”

— Oliver Marmol, Cardinals Manager

What’s next

The Astros and Cardinals will play the second game of their three-game series on Sunday, April 19th at Daikin Park.

The takeaway

This matchup features two teams heading in opposite directions early in the season. The Cardinals' strong offense will be tested against the Astros' struggling pitching staff, while Houston will look to get their bats going against a Cardinals rotation that has been inconsistent so far.