Cubs vs Cardinals Pick: Historic Rivals Have 1st 2025 Meeting (Jun 23)

• Our Cubs vs Cardinals pick looks at the historic MLB rivalry being renewed for the 1st time in 2025
• Chicago is in 1st place in the NL Central with a 46-31 record; St. Louis is within striking distance, 4.5 games behind them
• The Cubs send Ben Brown to the hill against the Cardinals’ Matthew Liberatore

Which Ben Brown Will Show Up?

Cubs righty Ben Brown clearly has ability, but his consistency is a lingering issue. His overall ERA is 5.57. In 74.1 innings, he’s allowed 85 hits and 46 earned runs, walking 25, and striking out 88.

But those numbers don’t tell the whole story. He tends to alternate excellent starts with terrible starts. On June 11, he was knocked around by the Phillies for 6 earned runs and 8 hits in 5.2 innings. Then, in his subsequent start against the Brewers, he threw 5 innings, allowing 2 runs.

When he’s on, he’s nearly unhittable. When he’s off, he gets pummelled.

Brown has never faced the Cardinals.

Emerging superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong continues his upward rise with an .866 OPS, 21 homers, and 23 stolen bases. He’s also an acrobat in center field. As Chicago approaches the trade deadline, they will likely search for a stronger bench bat than what Justin Turner (.204/.296/.255 with 1 home run) is providing.

Streaky Cardinals Try to Gain Positive Consistency

Before Sunday’s loss to the Reds, the Cardinals had won five in a row. From June 8 to June 13, they lost six in a row. If they want to make a run at the playoffs, they cannot continue this trend.

For the first game of their home series against the hated Cubs, they send lefty Matthew Liberatore to the mound. This season, he has a 4.08 ERA in 14 starts. He’s thrown 79.1 innings, given up 81 hits, and 36 earned runs, striking out 66, and walking 11. This is in line with his career numbers.

After three consecutive poor starts, Liberatore pitched well against the White Sox in his last outing tossing 6 innings, allowing 5 hits, and giving up 2 earned runs.

Against Liberatore, the Cubs’ Ian Happ is 1 for 2 with a home run. Nico Hoerner is 1 for 4 with a double. Dansby Swanson is 1 for 4 with a single.

As the trade deadline approaches, the Cardinals have some decisions to make. Nolan Arenado is a shadow of what he was, though he’s still serviceable. But 10 home runs and a .714 OPS with declining defense suggests they might be better of entertaining trades if there are interested teams.

Alec Burleson is still hitting .308 with an .810 OPS, but has slowed down considerably after a blazing start.

St. Louis’ bullpen has been shaky.

Cubs vs Cardinals Pick: The Good Version of Brown Shows Up

This is a battle of “which will show up” for both the Cubs’ Brown and the Cardinals as a team. Since Brown pitched well in his last start and the Cards’ win streak was snapped against the Reds, expect Chicago to score enough against Liberatore to support Brown. The Cubs will take the opener against their rivals.