The Cardinals fall 3-0 to the Cubs on June 26 as Shota Imanaga dominates. St. Louis' bats go silent, and tempers flare in a heated rivalry loss at home.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a night of frustration at Busch Stadium, where the only fireworks came after the final out. The St. Louis Cardinals' offense went dormant, managing just three singles in a 3-0 shutout loss to the rival Chicago Cubs. The defeat not only stalled the team's momentum but ended with both benches clearing, adding another chapter of bad blood to one of baseball's most storied rivalries.
The Cardinals finished the night 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, failing to generate a single extra-base hit.
The story on the field was all about Shota Imanaga. Returning from the injured list, the Cubs' starter looked like he hadn't missed a beat, carving up the Cardinals' lineup for five shutout innings. He allowed only one hit—a first-inning single by Masyn Winn—and completely neutralized a St. Louis offense that had been finding its groove. The Cards mustered only two more singles all night, from Alec Burleson and one other, failing to string anything together. A key seventh-inning threat was erased by a spectacular sliding catch from Pete Crow-Armstrong, summing up a night where nothing went right for the home team.
On the other side, Andre Pallante did his job to keep the Cardinals in the game. Over five innings, he allowed just two runs, one coming on a solo shot by Michael Busch in the second and the other on a bases-loaded walk to Ian Happ. While not a perfect outing, Pallante gave his team a chance to win, scattering six hits and striking out three. Unfortunately, with the offense providing zero support, his solid effort was destined for a tough-luck loss, dropping the team's record to 44-37.
As if the shutout wasn't frustrating enough, tensions boiled over immediately following the game's conclusion. A ninth-inning hit-by-pitch on former Cardinal Willson Contreras served as the catalyst, and as the teams left their dugouts, words were exchanged and both benches cleared onto the field. Thankfully, no punches were thrown and order was quickly restored, but the incident was a stark reminder of the simmering intensity between these two clubs. It was a fiery end to an otherwise lifeless performance by the Cardinals.
A game like this inevitably leads to questions about potential reinforcements. While no roster moves were announced Thursday, the offensive no-show highlights the value of the organization's top prospects. Arms like Quinn Mathews and Tink Hence continue to develop, while bats like Thomas Saggese and 2024 first-rounder JJ Wetherholt are getting closer to being MLB-ready. While an immediate call-up isn't expected, another offensive dud could accelerate the timeline for bringing fresh energy to the big-league club later this summer.
Ultimately, Thursday was a night to forget for the Cardinals. It was a classic case of good pitching being wasted by anemic offense, with a dash of rivalry drama for good measure. The key now is to flush it. At 44-37, the team is still in a strong position. They'll need to rediscover their offensive approach quickly and carry the fire from the post-game scrum—channeling it into runs, not just words—as they head into their next series.
