St. Louis Cardinals vs Arizona Diamondbacks Picks and Predictions May 25th 2025

Game Preview: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

The St. Louis Cardinals aim to complete a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon, capitalizing on their strong home-field advantage this season. The Diamondbacks, currently on a four-game losing streak, will be looking to salvage a win in the series finale. Stay updated with all live baseball events through MLB Scores and Odds.

Cardinals’ Home Success

The St. Louis Cardinals have been formidable at home this season, boasting an impressive 18−8 record. They secured a 6−5 victory on Saturday and a 4−3 win in the series opener on Friday, demonstrating their ability to perform under pressure at Busch Stadium. Manager Oliver Marmol highlighted the impact of the crowd, stating, “The crowd, they were into it. That’s what it’s supposed to sound like and these guys feed off of that. They are loving every second of it. (Friday) night was no different. Just hearing the crowd get into it, playing at home under those conditions, is a hell of a lot of fun.” The Cardinals are currently 29−23 overall, sitting second in the NL Central.

Pitching Matchup: Gray vs. Pfaadt

The series finale features a pitching duel between Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (5−1, 4.02 ERA) and Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (7−3, 3.81 ERA).

Sonny Gray is coming off one of his best outings of the season, a six-inning, three-hit shutout performance against the Detroit Tigers last Monday, where he struck out 10 batters. This dominant display followed a tougher outing against the Philadelphia Phillies. Gray emphasized his approach, saying, “I think I used them more early and I tried to put them in good spots and get back to my strengths with those pitches. Getting back to my strengths with those [fastballs] allows me to get to the curveball, get to the sweeper and some of the other things I throw. Throwing my fastball in the right spots and with conviction — you do that enough and you can force the hitter’s hand to make a decision.” This will be Gray’s first start against the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2015.

Brandon Pfaadt will take the mound for Arizona, aiming to snap their four-game losing streak. Pfaadt has delivered six quality starts this season, including his most recent outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. In that game, he allowed three solo homers but only one other baserunner over six innings in a 9−5 victory. Pfaadt commented on his strategy: “Were able to just attack the zone. (Three) homers, but that’s OK, because we had the lead and we were just attacking guys.” Diamondbacks pitching coach Brian Kaplan praised Pfaadt’s performance against a tough Dodgers lineup, noting, “It’s no easy task to pitch against that lineup twice. I thought he competed really well. Obviously, ran out a little bit of steam there late, but threw the ball well, attacked the guys, mixed early, got some weak contact.” Pfaadt holds an 0−0 record with a 6.35 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals.

Team News and Trends

Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras has missed the last two games due to back spasms, but manager Oliver Marmol expressed hope for his return in the series finale. Contreras has been a key offensive contributor, slashing .321/.412/.509 with five home runs and 21 RBI in his last 31 games since April 18th. The Cardinals’ recent home success is a significant factor in their overall record of 29−23.

The Diamondbacks enter Sunday with a 26−26 record, tied for fourth in the NL West. Their recent four-game slide indicates a need for a strong performance to avoid a sweep. For more in-depth strategies and insights, check out our MLB Expert Betting Guide.

Match Outlook

The Cardinals’ strong home performance and Sonny Gray’s recent dominant outing make them the favorites to complete the sweep. However, the Diamondbacks, with Brandon Pfaadt on the mound who has shown resilience against strong offenses, will be desperate to avoid losing all three games. This promises to be an engaging battle as both teams fight for crucial early-season momentum. For more expert predictions and analysis, visit our MLB Betting Picks.