St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Diego Padres (Aug. 1, 2025): Pivetta vs. Liberatore Game Preview

Friday, August 1st, 2025

St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres: Game Preview (August 1, 2025)

The San Diego Padres (60-49, second in the NL West) are set to host the St. Louis Cardinals (55-55, fourth in the NL Central) in the opener of a three-game series on Friday, August 1, 2025, with first pitch scheduled for 8:40 PM MLB in San Diego.

Season Series Tied

The teams play Friday for the fifth time this season. The season series is tied 2-2.

Pitching Matchup

For the St. Louis Cardinals, Matthew Liberatore is the probable pitcher (6-8, 4.04 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 83 strikeouts).

For the San Diego Padres, Nick Pivetta is the probable pitcher (10-3, 2.81 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 131 strikeouts).

Team Outlook

San Diego has a 34-18 record at home and a 60-49 record overall. The Padres have gone 41-19 in games when they record at least eight hits.

St. Louis has a 55-55 record overall and a 23-31 record on the road. The Cardinals have the eighth-ranked team slugging percentage in the NL at .389.

Key Performers

Manny Machado leads the Padres with a .302 batting average, and has 27 doubles, 20 home runs, 39 walks and 71 RBI. Luis Arraez is 16 for 40 with a home run and five RBI over the last 10 games.

Alec Burleson is second on the Cardinals with 33 extra base hits (19 doubles and 14 home runs). Willson Contreras is 11 for 36 with five doubles, two home runs and six RBI over the last 10 games.

Recent Form

Padres: 6-4, .283 batting average, 2.93 ERA, outscored opponents by 15 runs.

Cardinals: 4-6, .231 batting average, 3.99 ERA, outscored by 11 runs.

Injury Report

Padres: Nestor Cortes: 60-Day IL (elbow), Michael King: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jhony Brito: 60-Day IL (forearm), Joe Musgrove: 60-Day IL (elbow).

Cardinals: John King: 15-Day IL (oblique), Nolan Gorman: 10-Day IL (back), Lars Nootbaar: 10-Day IL (ribs), Zack Thompson: 60-Day IL (lat).

Betting Information

Padres -162, Cardinals +137; over/under is 7 1/2 runs.

In summary

The San Diego Padres (60-49) will host the St. Louis Cardinals (55-55) on August 1, 2025, in the opening game of a three-game series, with the season series currently tied at 2-2. The Padres will send Nick Pivetta (10-3, 2.81 ERA) to the mound against the Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore (6-8, 4.04 ERA). San Diego holds a strong home record and recent form, while St. Louis looks to improve its road performance. Key players to watch include Manny Machado for the Padres and Alec Burleson for the Cardinals. The Padres are favored in this matchup with an over/under of 7 1/2 runs.

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