Cardinals vs. Phillies: How to Watch, Start Time, Preview and Key Players for August 22, 2026

The Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals meet again Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, with both teams looking to build momentum after an entertaining series opener.

Philadelphia enters the matchup at 71-58 after defeating St. Louis 7-6 in extra innings Friday. The victory gave the Phillies their seventh consecutive win and moved them to within four games of the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, sit at 66-64 and will try to bounce back after Alec Bohm delivered a two-run walk-off triple in the 10th inning.

Cardinals vs. Phillies Date and Start Time

The Cardinals vs. Phillies game is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 6:05 p.m. ET.

The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, giving the Phillies another opportunity to continue their strong recent run in front of their home fans.

How to Watch Cardinals vs. Phillies

Fans looking to watch Saturday’s matchup can follow the game through NBCS-PH and Cardinals.TV.

The game is also available to stream online through Fubo, providing another option for viewers who want to watch the matchup live.

Phillies Look to Continue Seven-Game Winning Streak

Philadelphia has been one of the hottest teams in baseball recently. Friday’s 7-6 victory over St. Louis extended the Phillies’ winning streak to seven games, their longest streak of the 2026 season.

Alec Bohm was the hero in the opener, producing a two-run triple in the bottom of the 10th inning to complete the comeback.

Bohm has also been particularly productive during August. After hitting .226 in July, his average has climbed to .351 this month. He entered Friday’s game with 74 RBIs and continued his strong offensive stretch with the decisive hit.

Bryce Harper remains another major offensive threat for Philadelphia. Harper has recorded 116 hits and owns a .379 on-base percentage along with a .488 slugging percentage. He also extended his on-base streak to 24 games on Friday.

Luis Arraez leads the Phillies with a .322 batting average, while Bryson Stott has collected 112 hits and owns a .262/.340/.411 slash line.

Andrew Painter Gets the Start for Philadelphia

Right-hander Andrew Painter is scheduled to start for the Phillies.

Painter enters the game with a 2-8 record, a 6.43 ERA and 71 strikeouts across 85 1/3 innings. He has made 17 starts this season and will be looking for a stronger outing after his most recent appearance.

Against the Minnesota Twins on August 16, Painter worked five innings and allowed five earned runs on six hits while recording three strikeouts.

He previously faced the Cardinals on August 10, pitching 5 1/3 innings and allowing two earned runs on two hits while striking out six.

That earlier performance against St. Louis could provide Philadelphia with some confidence heading into Saturday’s game.

Cardinals Turn to Quinn Mathews

The Cardinals will counter with left-hander Quinn Mathews, who is scheduled to make his third start of the season.

Mathews has posted a 3.00 ERA in his two appearances this year and has struck out 10 batters per nine innings. Opposing hitters are batting .235 against him.

His latest outing came against the Cincinnati Reds on August 17. Mathews pitched four innings and surrendered one earned run while striking out seven.

St. Louis will need another efficient performance from Mathews if it wants to slow down a Philadelphia lineup that has been producing at important moments.

Cardinals’ Offense Has Plenty of Power

Although St. Louis ranks lower than Philadelphia in several offensive categories, the Cardinals have dangerous hitters capable of changing a game with one swing.

Alec Burleson is batting .289 and has produced 33 doubles, one triple and 21 home runs while drawing 46 walks.

Jordan Walker has been one of the Cardinals’ biggest power threats. He leads the club with 27 home runs and 96 RBIs while also carrying a team-best .291 batting average.

JJ Wetherholt has added 16 home runs, 14 doubles and 62 walks while hitting .241.

Walker was especially important in Friday’s game, hitting a two-run homer that briefly gave St. Louis a 4-3 lead.

Phillies vs. Cardinals Team Numbers

Philadelphia has hit 155 home runs this season, ranking 11th in MLB, while its .402 slugging percentage ranks 15th.

The Phillies’ pitching staff owns a 4.12 ERA and a 1.306 WHIP.

St. Louis has hit 135 home runs, which ranks 21st in MLB. The Cardinals’ .382 slugging percentage places them 26th in the league.

However, the Cardinals have a slightly better team ERA at 4.06, ranking 13th in MLB. Their pitching staff has posted a 1.330 WHIP.

What Happened in the Previous Cardinals vs. Phillies Game?

Friday’s series opener turned into one of the most dramatic games of the Phillies’ season.

Philadelphia eventually won 7-6 in the 10th inning after Bohm’s walk-off two-run triple.

Jesús Luzardo provided 5 2/3 innings for Philadelphia but encountered trouble after a strong stretch. He allowed three hits and two runs in the sixth inning, including Walker’s two-run homer.

Luzardo finished with 110 pitches before leaving the game.

The Phillies’ bullpen then helped keep the game within reach before the offense completed the comeback in extra innings.

The victory was particularly significant because Philadelphia had previously dropped two of three games against St. Louis from August 10-12.

Phillies vs. Cardinals: Key Storylines

Philadelphia’s winning streak: The Phillies have won seven straight and are gaining ground in the NL East.

Andrew Painter’s bounce-back opportunity: Painter will look to improve on his recent outing against Minnesota.

Quinn Mathews’ third start: The Cardinals hope Mathews can continue his promising early results.

Alec Bohm’s hot August: Bohm has dramatically improved his production this month and enters the game after delivering the winning hit Friday.

Jordan Walker’s power: With 27 home runs and 96 RBIs, Walker remains one of the biggest threats in the St. Louis lineup.

Bryce Harper’s consistency: Harper’s 24-game on-base streak highlights his continued importance to Philadelphia’s offense.

Cardinals vs. Phillies Outlook

The Phillies enter Saturday’s matchup with considerable momentum after their seven-game winning streak and Friday’s dramatic walk-off victory.

Philadelphia has more offensive production on the season and is playing with increased confidence as it attempts to close the gap in the National League East.

St. Louis, however, has already shown during this series that it can make the Phillies work. The Cardinals have reliable pitching numbers and dangerous power hitters such as Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson.

With Painter and Mathews taking the mound, the pitching matchup could play a major role. Philadelphia will look to its offense to provide early support, while St. Louis will try to take advantage of any mistakes and even the series.

The Cardinals vs. Phillies matchup begins at 6:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Citizens Bank Park.

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About Gurmeet 24724 Articles
Gurmeet Singh is a sports writer and editor at Sportsjone, covering major sports including NFL, NBA, MLB, soccer, UFC, boxing and other sporting events. He focuses on news, game updates, player profiles, statistics and sports explainers.

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