Diamondbacks Begin Rare 4-City Road Trip With Rainout Makeup Game

The Arizona Diamondbacks were supposed to get an off day on Thursday, July 23, but a rainout during their four-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals has turned their upcoming road trip into one that will now span four different cities over 10 days.

Arizona will head to Pittsburgh for three games against the Pirates, D.C. to take on the Nationals for three, then Cleveland for three more with the Guardians.

But first, they'll have to trudge back to St. Louis for a one-off Thursday-afternoon contest with the Cardinals.

Diamondbacks to play postponed game vs Cardinals

Jul 22, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) hits a single against the Athletics in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Diamondbacks are coming off a wild — but successful — 4-2 homestand to open the second half of the season. Ironically, it featured a series win and a historic comeback victory over the very same Cardinals at Chase Field.

Arizona had already won two out of three in St. Louis in late June. It was supposed to be a four-game series, but after the D-backs took two of the first three, the finale was rained out and postponed until July 23 — stripping both teams of an off day in the process.

As a result, the D-backs currently own the season series. They are 4-2 against the Cardinals, and Thursday's game will not be consequential in that regard beyond the number in the win-loss column.

But that doesn't mean the game won't carry playoff connotations. With St. Louis at 52-49, they now trail Arizona by a half game for the third and final Wild Card. The D-backs own the tiebreaker over the Cardinals, but could widen the gap between themselves and another National League playoff hopeful.

The Wild Card-influencing games won't stop there, either. How Arizona fares against the Pirates and Nationals will carry some weight in that race, as well. The D-backs need as many of these wins as possible to maintain a buyer's position at the deadline and stay in contention for a postseason berth.

Brandon Pfaadt takes on Michael McGreevy

Jun 30, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brandon Pfaadt has looked like a different pitcher since returning from the minor leagues and re-entering the starting rotation.

In four starts, Pfaadt has yet to allow more than two runs. He has a 2.30 ERA in the month of July and has won all four of those starts. He's working to soft contact and is pitching with slightly adjusted mechanics.

That said, he also hasn't gotten deep into any games. He's failed to complete the sixth inning in all of those starts. With a taxed bullpen, some added length would be quite welcome. He has a career 3.99 ERA against St. Louis.

Cardinals righty Michael McGreevy has had an excellent year. He's got a 2.92 ERA and just threw 6.1 innings of two-run baseball against Arizona on July 17.

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