Arizona Diamondbacks at St. Louis Cardinals (2026-06-23). Eduardo Rodriguez vs Kyle Leahy at Busch Stadium.

Eduardo Rodriguez enters this contest with a strong season ERA of 2.45 and a WHIP of 1.23 across 88.1 innings pitched, indicating consistent effectiveness. His K/9 stands at 6.62, with a BB/9 of 3.57, suggesting a pitcher who relies more on inducing contact than overpowering hitters, yet maintains control. Rodriguez's recent trend shows a stable ERA, and his quality start percentage is 33.3 percent, with no blow-up starts in his last five outings, although his last two starts saw four earned runs each. Conversely, Kyle Leahy has struggled more this season, posting a 4.63 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP over 70 innings. His K/9 is slightly higher at 7.59, but his BB/9 is 3.34, and his ERA trend is upward, indicating recent difficulties. Leahy has not recorded a quality start this season, and his last five starts show a fluctuating performance with multiple outings allowing four earned runs.

Offensively, the St. Louis Cardinals hold a slight edge with a team OPS of 0.728 and 352 runs scored, compared to the Diamondbacks' 0.693 OPS and 333 runs. The Cardinals also boast more home runs with 87 against Arizona's 69. On the pitching side, both teams exhibit comparable overall statistics, with the Diamondbacks holding a team ERA of 4.29 and a WHIP of 1.30, while the Cardinals have a 4.26 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Recent form for the Diamondbacks shows a mixed bag, with three wins in their last five games, while the Cardinals have also gone 3-2 over their last five, suggesting neither team is entering this matchup on a dominant streak.

Looking at recent head-to-head matchups from 2025, the series was split evenly, with each team winning three games. The Diamondbacks swept a three-game series in July, while the Cardinals swept a three-game series in May, indicating a competitive rivalry. The total line for this game is set at 8.5, which aligns with the moderate offensive outputs of both teams and the disparity in starting pitching quality, particularly given Leahy's higher ERA and the potential for Rodriguez to limit runs.