Atlanta Braves vs St. Louis Cardinals

Atlanta Braves at St. Louis Cardinals (2026-07-11). Reynaldo López vs Matthew Liberatore at Busch Stadium.

Starters — López enters with a 3.18 ERA and 1.27 WHIP over 56.2 innings, with 8.1 K/9, 3.81 BB/9, and 1.11 HR/9. His last three starts were steady: 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 K, 2 BB; 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 K, 1 BB; and 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 K, 0 BB. The recent form points up. Liberatore has a 5.34 ERA and 1.53 WHIP across 87.2 innings, with 8.42 K/9, 3.59 BB/9, and 1.75 HR/9. His last three starts were mixed: 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 K, 2 BB; 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 9 K, 4 BB; and 5.1 IP, 6 ER, 3 K, 2 BB. The trend points down, and the home run rate is the clearest risk marker.

Teams — Atlanta brings a .724 OPS, 455 runs, and a .247 average, backed by a 3.60 team ERA and 1.23 WHIP. St. Louis has a .712 OPS, 422 runs, and a .243 average, with a 4.17 team ERA and 1.33 WHIP. Both clubs are 5-5 over their last 10, so the broader team profile matters more than short-term momentum here. Atlanta owns the better run production and the stronger run prevention baseline, while St. Louis is closer but still trails in both offensive efficiency and staff results.