Cooper Albers previews Monday’s MLB matchup between the New York Mets and the St. Louis Cardinals.

National League clubs kick off a three-game set Monday night, as the St. Louis Cardinals host the New York Mets at Busch Stadium.

Both teams are coming off opening-weekend series victories. The Mets nearly swept the Pirates in Queens, while the Cardinals took two of three from the Rays in the Gateway to the West. 

Here’s a look at Monday’s starting lineups:

New York Mets

Francisco Lindor, SS

Juan Soto, LF

Bo Bichette, 3B

Jorge Polanco, DH

Brett Baty, RF

Jared Young, 1B

Marcus Semien, 1B

Carson Benge, CF

Francisco Alvarez, C

RHP Clay Holmes

St. Louis Cardinals

JJ Wetherholt, 2B

Ivan Herrera, DH

Alex Burleson, 1B

Masyn Winn, SS

Nolan Gorman, 3B

Jordan Walker, RF

Nathan Church, LF

Pedro Pages, C

Victor Scott II, CF

RHP Kyle Leahy

First pitch is set for 7:45 p.m. ET. New York enters as a 1.5-run road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while St. Louis sits as a +129 underdog. The game total is set at O/U nine runs.

Mets vs. Cardinals Preview

New York Mets

The Mets could not have gotten off to a better start to 2026, chasing NL Cy Young Paul Skenes in the first inning en route to an Opening Day victory. They next prevailed in extra innings behind a three-run, walkoff homer from the comeback-hopeful Luis Robert Jr. New York nearly cinched a sweep on Sunday, but a faltering offense and questionable baserunning decisions forced it to settle for two.

The Amazin’s boast one of MLB’s most formidable lineups, headlined by perennial All-Stars Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto. But they’ve so far struggled to fill the Pete Alonso-sized hole in the order, with out-of-position free-agent signings Jorge Polanco and Bo Bichette going a combined 2-for-24 with 10 strikeouts — eight from Bichette — against the Pirates.

New York looks to rebound Monday with Clay Holmes on the bump. The veteran right-hander experienced some growing pains in 2025, his first season as a starter, but managed a 3.53 ERA (4.33 xERA) with 129 strikeouts (7.01 K/9) across 33 outings (165.2 innings). The former All-Star closer boasts a nasty sinker-sweeper combination, and he ranked in MLB’s top 94th percentile for ground-ball rate. 

Despite losing flamethrowing closer Edwin Diaz in free agency, New York patched up its bullpen with former Yankees one-two punch Luke Weaver and Devin Williams.

St. Louis Cardinals

One of baseball’s youngest, most promising lineups emanates from St. Louis. And over the weekend, the kids delivered a sign of what’s to come. 

The Cardinals put up 22 runs in a 2–1 series victory over the Rays, flashing elite bat-to-ball skills and serious pop. Leading the charge was rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt, MLB’s No. 5 prospect, who went 4-for-13 with a no-doubt homer in his big-league debut — and a walkoff single in the following game.

Despite squandering Sunday’s sweep opportunity, St. Louis looks to continue building momentum Monday with a newly converted starting pitcher. Right-hander Kyle Leahy is fresh off a strong campaign from the Cardinals bullpen, holding a 3.07 ERA (4.45 xERA) with 80 strikeouts (8.18 K/9) and one save across 62 appearances (88 innings). While his underlying metrics suggested some luck, the 28-year-old hurler wields dastardly stuff and ranked in MLB’s top 92nd percentile in breaking run value. 

The Cardinals’ bullpen is better than it showed over the weekend, allowing 15 earned runs on 24 hits over just 13 innings. Featuring the likes of JoJo Romero, Riley O’Brien, and Matt Svanson, along with recently signed former Mets reliever Ryne Stanek, the St. Louis arm barn remains an imposing unit. 

Mets vs. Cardinals Pick, Best Bet

Monday’s matchup between the Mets and the Cardinals has leaned in New York’s favor in recent years, with the Amazin’s winning five of their seven meetings in 2025. However, the Cardinals demonstrated strong contact hitting in their opening series — a potential challenge for a ground-ball pitcher with several defenders playing out of position. Expect St. Louis to make things difficult for New York, which remains in a transition phase, and secure another home win. 

Best Bet: St. Louis Cardinals Moneyline (+129)