Cardinals Lineup vs. Cubs: The Jimmy Crooks Era Has Arrived

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to have Jimmy Crooks in the lineup on Saturday.

Feb 17, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks (8). Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals got back in the win column on Friday and will look to keep the good times rolling on Saturday night against the floundering Chicago Cubs.

St. Louis took Game 1 on Friday, 6-5. The star of the day was Nelson Velázquez. He made his first big league appearance since 2024 and went 2-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs, and two runs scored. It was a triumphant return for him to the big leagues and a long time coming. St. Louis got a spark it desperately needed.

He's not going to be in the lineup on Saturday night, though. Iván Herrera is getting the start as the team's designated hitter and Bryan Torres is in left field. The club is still getting a spark, though. Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks is set to make his season debut and will bat seventh.

Cardinals Starting Lineup vs. Chicago (May 30, 2026)

Sep 6, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks (8) signals to the pitcher in a game against the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

1. JJ Wetherholt, 2B
2. Iván Herrera, DH
3. Alec Burleson, 1B
4. Jordan Walker, RF
5. Nolan Gorman, 3B
6. Masyn Winn, SS
7. Jimmy Crooks, C
8. Bryan Torres, LF
9. Victor Scott II, CF

Cardinals vs. Cubs Matchup on Saturday

Sep 6, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks (8) walks back to home plate in a game against the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

The biggest story of the day, of course, will be Crooks' long-awaited season debut. Fans have been waiting all season for Crooks and the time is finally coming. Crooks launched 13 homers and drove in 29 runs in 39 games down in Triple-A. Now, we'll see if that power is going to translate over to the big leagues.

Kyle Leahy will take the mound for St. Louis. He has made 10 starts and has a 4.44 ERA and a 42-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 50 2/3 innings pitched. Over his last four starts, he has logged a 2.95 ERA and a 20-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21 1/2 innings pitched. The righty struggled out of the gate to begin the 2026 season in his first season as a full-time starter, but he has turned things around.

The Cardinals are now 30-25 on the season entering the matchup on Saturday. The Cubs aren't far behind at 31-27. St. Louis is 4 1/2 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the National League Central. The Cubs are five games behind the Brewers. Any matchup between the Cubs and Cardinals is fun, but that's especially the case if St. Louis is good. So far, that has been the case this season. The club should get even better with Crooks in the mix.