Dustin May will return to the mound for St. Louis after missing a start with an injury as the Cardinals visit the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night in the decisive contest of their three-game series.
The Cardinals recorded a 5-3 victory in the series opener on Tuesday before the Braves ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-1 win on Wednesday.
The Cardinals skipped May’s last start, against Miami, because of lower back tightness. The veteran right-hander (5-6, 4.30 ERA) will oppose Atlanta’s Hurston Waldrep (0-0, 0.00), who will make his first start of the season.
May will try to rebound from his worst game of the year when he was knocked out after giving up six runs in two innings against Kansas City on June 21. That was a shocking turn of events, as he was coming off a complete-game, one-hit shutout vs. San Diego and had thrown 15 consecutive scoreless frames.
“He’s feeling good,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “He was able to touch the mound again and throw his side a couple days ago. Came out of that feeling really good, so he’s a full go (on Thursday).”
May has not fared well in his career vs. the Braves, going 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against them.
Waldrep, a right-hander, has been recovering from right elbow surgery to remove loose bodies that shut him down early in spring training. He made 10 appearances (nine starts) last season and went 6-1 with a 2.88 ERA. He was expected to be in Atlanta’s rotation this season.
Waldrep did pitch two scoreless innings of relief against San Francisco in his 2026 debut on Friday and is not expected to go deep into his first career outing vs. St. Louis.
He could be paired with Grant Holmes, who could be moved to long relief. The right-hander threw four scoreless innings and allowed only one hit in his last outing against the Giants on Saturday. The Braves lost 5-0.
“We’re not sure yet,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said after Wednesday’s game. “We’ve gotta figure that out. All we know is it’ll be Waldrep tomorrow. I’m not sure after that.”
Holmes has struggled against the Cardinals, pitching to an 11.25 ERA without a decision in three career appearances (one start). That start came last year, and he gave up five runs in three innings.
St. Louis right fielder Jordan Walker, who played at Decatur High School in the Atlanta area, had one of the team’s two hits on Wednesday. He doubled in a run and also threw out the fleet-footed Michael Harris II at the plate.
“He stayed on that ball really well for an RBI, and that throw was on the money, a real strong throw,” Marmol said. “He continues to just take really good steps on both sides.”
The Atlanta offense had some minor victories. Drake Baldwin, who ended an 0-for-36 streak on Tuesday, had a hit and scored two runs in Wednesday’s win. Austin Riley ended an 0-for-17 slump with an RBI single.
“It’s been kind of a Murphy’s Law here for a few weeks, but maybe it’s a sign of the tide turning a little bit,” Weiss said. “Things can snowball in this game one way or the other — and it’s certainly snowballed the wrong direction here recently — but some good signs tonight.”
–Field Level Media
