Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals — May 31, 2026 | AI Prediction & Stats

This matchup presents a fascinating contrast between two struggling pitchers with vastly different recent performances. Jordan Wicks enters with an astronomical 16.61 ERA, having just been recalled from Iowa after struggling mightily in his previous MLB appearances. His recent start data shows concerning velocity drops and poor command. Meanwhile, Matthew Liberatore has been merely mediocre with a 4.76 ERA and 1.57 WHIP, but looks like Cy Young compared to his opponent. The Cubs' offense has been more productive overall, scoring 283 runs compared to St. Louis's 242, and they carry positive momentum from yesterday's 6-1 victory. The Cardinals are in desperate need of a turnaround, having gone 3-7 in their last 10 games and sitting with a negative run differential despite being above .500. Key injuries to Lars Nootbaar, Nathan Church, and Ramón Urías have depleted their lineup depth, though Jordan Walker continues to provide pop with 15 home runs. The Cubs have their own injury concerns with significant pitching losses including Justin Steele and several bullpen pieces, but their offensive core of Seiya Suzuki, Nico Hoerner, and Michael Conforto remains largely intact. The weather conditions favor hitters with 83-degree temperatures and overcast skies at Busch Stadium. Given Wicks' extreme struggles and the Cubs' superior offensive numbers, expect Chicago to jump on the Cardinals early and build a lead they can protect despite their own pitching limitations. Both bullpens figure to see significant work given the starting pitching uncertainty, creating opportunities for late-inning scoring. The Cubs' road struggles (14-16) are concerning, but Wicks' complete inability to miss bats or throw strikes consistently should override that trend tonight.