The Chicago Cubs were once baseball’s buzziest and highest-scoring team. After an underwhelming trade deadline and a middling summer, they’re now in need of a second heat wave to get back atop their division. This weekend’s three-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals is a prime opportunity to spark something, or at least preheat the clubhouse for a stretch run. St. Louis can play spoiler to its archrival and get above .500 with a home series win.

How to watch Chicago Cubs at St. Louis CardinalsViewing guide
Time (ET)TVStreamProbables

8:15 p.m. Friday

MLB Network, MLB.TV
(national); Marquee,
FDSN Midwest
(local)

Matthew Boyd
Michael McGreevy

7:15 p.m. Saturday

Fox

Colin Rea
Andre Pallante

7:10 p.m. Sunday

ESPN

Shota Imanaga
Sonny Gray

Fox is also available over the air. “Sunday Night Baseball” is also available with an ESPN+ subscription.

Chicago scored just three runs across Monday and Tuesday losses to Cincinnati, but got right by plating six and winning Wednesday. That was similar to how things played out against Milwaukee the week before: seven runs in Monday-Tuesday losses, then a 10-run eruption to avoid the sweep. The offense struggled against Baltimore in last weekend’s games, too, though Justin Turner’s walk-off lifted the Cubs to a series W:

St. Louis made its intentions clear with a controlled selloff at the deadline, but it still took two of three from the defending champion Dodgers in Chavez Ravine. It was the Cardinals’ first series win since July 8-10 versus Washington. All things considered, bringing a 58-58 record into Friday’s action is kind of wild.

The visitors are set to throw two lefties this weekend: Matthew Boyd (11–4, 2.34 ERA) starts things off, and Shota Imanaga (8–4, 3.12 ERA) is the finale’s probable. Friday’s showdown is on MLB Network for viewers outside the Cubs’ and Cardinals’ markets. It’s also one of St. Louis’ free over-the-air Fridays, so locals can just hit channel 4. Most of the country can watch Saturday’s game on Fox — Washington state, Texas and the Northeast get Phillies at Rangers. The series wraps up on the main stage of ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.”

Cardinals right-handed ace Sonny Gray (10–5, 4.21 ERA) is scheduled to match Imanaga in that one. His fastball comes in below league averages, but he’s in the 99 percentile for walk rate, and gets batters to chase at his seven-pitch stock.

Cubs-Cardinals throughout the NYT archives

“For months now, McGwire and Sosa had pushed each other toward the old limits, had recognized each other as comrades. The whole baseball world recognized something good in the way they saluted each other. Some people thought Sosa was playing mind games when he deferred to McGwire, but he was merely reflecting the gut knowledge of the arena, the way baseball players always knew Mickey Mantle was ‘the man’ in his league and Willie Mays was ‘the man’ in his league, way back when. McGwire was almost expected to challenge 60, 61, 62 this season, and he did it first. Then Sosa roared right along with him.” — George Vecsey

“Hrabosky had recently adopted an elaborate pre-pitch ritual. He called it the ‘psych-up,’ and over the years it became the signature of his carefully crafted on-field persona. The routine helped with focus. It also enraged opponents. Most countered by stepping out of the box. But believing this to be an insufficient up-yours, Madlock retreated all the way to the on-deck circle, even doing so more than once until the umpire decided he’d had enough. Crawford followed Madlock and ordered him to hit. Marshall protested and the umpire humored him, though this détente proved fleeting. The short fuse had already been lit …” — Marc Carig’s excellent retrospective on the brawl that beat back time.

Most home runs in both jerseys
Jim Edmonds, 260 (241 STL, 19 CHC)
Rogers Hornsby, 251 (193 STL, 58 CHC)
Hank Sauer, 203 (198 CHC, 5 STL)
Updated odds

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(Photo of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Masyn Winn: Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)