Lineup, how to watch Atlanta's series opener versus the St. Louis Cardinals

The Atlanta Braves, fresh off of a series win versus the rebuilding Washington Nationals, face a much tougher test as they open a three-game series against the reigning NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals tonight at 7:45 ET.

Here's how the Braves will line up for the contest:

Here's how the #Braves will line up tonight in St. Louis!#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/S81iys9sUW
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 3, 2023

Atlanta's going back to their preferred "righty" lineup against Cardinals starter Jake Woodford, with Eddie Rosario in left field, Marcell Ozuna at DH, and they've moved catcher Travis d'Arnaud to the cleanup spot, dropping Ozzie Albies to sixth.

Atlanta's sending veteran righthander Charlie Morton to the mound versus this potent Cardinals lineup, hoping for the veteran's exceptional curveball to keep the ball out of the air (and the Busch Stadium seats). Morton is 1-0 in two appearances against the Cardinals since he returned to the Braves as a free agent in November 2020.

The first outing was 7.2 innings of three hit, scoreless baseball with seven strikeouts, no walks, and two hit batsman, with Morton getting the win in a 4-0 victory in Truist Park in June of 2021. The second outing, coming late last season, was a bit rockier for Morton, as he went only five innings with five hits, four runs (all earned) and three walks to four strikeouts as the Braves battled back but were ultimately walked off in the 9th, 6-5.

St. Louis counters with RHP Jake Woodford. The 26 year-old debuted in 2020 after being a 2015 1st round pick by the Cardinals out of high school. He worked mostly in relief last year, appearing in 27 games with only one start, and put up a more than respectable 2.23 ERA in 48.1 innings pitched. Primarily a sinker/sweepy slider/fastball guy who aims to induce groundballs, he's prone to bouts of poor command and his fringy four-seam fastball, with low spin, little movement and below-average velocity (92mph, 29th percentile), can be crushed if not located well. Atlanta's hitters will need to be patient and wait for Woodford to leave a pitch up that they can elevate and (hopefully) deposit in the stands as a souvenir.

Woodford enters the rotation to replace Adam Wainwright, on the IL after a groin injury suffered at the World Baseball Classic while representing Team USA. Woodford's only start last year, coming on August 23rd against the Cubs in game two of a doubleheader, was 5.1 innings of four hit, one run ball with one walk and one strikeout.

The game broadcast, with Voice of the Braves Brandon Gaudin, is available inside Braves Country on Bally Sports Southeast, and is available on MLB.TV outside of the broadcast area. The radio call, with Ben Ingram, is available locally on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan or outside the Atlanta market on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network or MLB.com.