Cardinals Turn to Pallante to Avoid Sweep in San Francisco
Game Day Preview: Cardinals Turn to Pallante to Avoid Sweep in San Francisco
The St. Louis Cardinals close their three-game series against the San Francisco Giants Wednesday afternoon at Oracle Park, hoping to salvage the finale and keep their fading postseason hopes alive.
San Francisco has taken the first two games of the series, beating St. Louis 5–4 on Monday before holding on for a 2–1 victory Tuesday night. The Cardinals enter the finale at 72–74, six games behind Arizona for the final National League Wild Card spot with only 16 games remaining.
The math has not eliminated them, but the margin for error has nearly disappeared.
Game Information
St. Louis Cardinals (72–74) at San Francisco Giants (61–85)
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
First pitch: 2:45 p.m. CT
Location: Oracle Park, San Francisco
Television: Cardinals.TV
Cardinals starter: RHP Andre Pallante
Giants starter: RHP Blade Tidwell
Conditions should be warm and partly sunny for the afternoon game, with temperatures climbing into the 80s.
Probable Pitchers
Cardinals: Andre Pallante, RHP
12–6, 3.51 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 98 strikeouts
Pallante returns to the mound after working five innings out of the bullpen Saturday in Colorado. He allowed one earned run on two hits in that appearance, which also marked his return from the injured list following a bout of right elbow inflammation.
The right-hander has been one of the Cardinals’ most dependable starters this season, posting a 3.51 ERA across 141⅔ innings. His strikeout totals will not jump off the page, but Pallante generates ground balls, limits damaging contact and gives his defense opportunities to make plays behind him.
That formula is well suited for Oracle Park, where the deep outfield can suppress home runs but also turn balls in the gaps into extra-base hits. Pallante must keep the Giants on the ground and avoid allowing their young hitters to extend innings.
St. Louis will also have to monitor his workload. He threw five innings and 73 pitches Saturday, giving him only three full days of rest before Wednesday’s start.
Giants: Blade Tidwell, RHP
0–2, 4.43 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 36 strikeouts
Tidwell will make another start for San Francisco after allowing two earned runs over five innings against Pittsburgh last Thursday. He surrendered only two hits and struck out five, but five walks drove his pitch count to 95 and kept him from working deeper into the game.
The 25-year-old right-hander brings a deep pitch mix featuring a mid-90s fastball, slider, sweeper and changeup. His breaking pitches can miss bats, but his command remains inconsistent.
That should be the Cardinals’ path to creating offense. Tidwell has the stuff to put hitters away when he gets ahead, but he can also create his own trouble by falling behind and issuing walks. St. Louis cannot help him escape by chasing pitches outside the strike zone.
Cardinals’ Offense Running Out of Time
The Cardinals had opportunities Tuesday night but went just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranded 10 runners and failed to produce an extra-base hit.
Alec Burleson reached base four times, including three walks, but the lineup could not bring him around. St. Louis finally scored with two outs in the ninth when Nathan Church singled and Bryan Torres drove him home, but the rally ended with the tying run at second base.
That performance continued a frustrating pattern. The Cardinals have received competitive starting pitching throughout much of the road trip, but their inability to deliver with runners in scoring position has turned several winnable games into losses.
Against Tidwell, patience will matter. The Cardinals must make him work, accept the walks he offers and then produce when he is forced back over the plate.
Pallante Must Control the Giants’ Young Power
Bryce Eldridge remains the most dangerous bat in San Francisco’s changing lineup. The rookie first baseman hit his 16th home run Tuesday, giving the Giants an early lead for the second straight night.
Christian Koss followed with his fourth homer of the season, accounting for all the offense San Francisco required.
The Giants are far outside the postseason race, but their young roster is playing with energy and something to prove. San Francisco has already secured the series and will be trying to complete its first home sweep of the season.
Pallante cannot afford the early mistakes that hurt Quinn Mathews Tuesday. Keeping Eldridge and Rafael Devers from changing the game with one swing will be central to his assignment.
Keys to the Game
Make Tidwell Throw Strikes
Tidwell walked five batters in his last start. The Cardinals must resist expanding the strike zone and force him to prove he can command his entire arsenal.
Produce With Runners in Scoring Position
St. Louis put enough runners on base Tuesday to win. Ten were left stranded. At this stage of the season, opportunities cannot continue to pass without consequence.
Keep the Ball on the Ground
Pallante is most effective when his sinker produces early-count ground balls. That will help him control his pitch count and protect a bullpen that has carried a substantial workload during the trip.
Contain Bryce Eldridge
Eldridge has homered in both games of the series. The Cardinals cannot continue giving San Francisco’s most dangerous young hitter pitches he can drive.
The Bottom Line
The Cardinals have dropped two straight games to a Giants club that entered the series 26 games below .500. Now they are six games out of a postseason position with only 16 games left.
Pallante gives St. Louis a favorable matchup, but starting pitching has not been the primary problem in San Francisco. The offense has scored five runs across the first two games, wasted repeated opportunities and left itself chasing late rallies.
The Cardinals are not mathematically finished, but another loss would send them home below .500 after being swept by one of the National League’s weakest teams. If there is any meaningful September baseball left in this season, the Cardinals must begin playing like it Wednesday afternoon.