The St. Louis Cardinals head into Target Field on June 13 2026 still feeling the adrenaline from Friday night’s wild 8-9 loss. One night after Minnesota staged a seven-run eighth-inning rally capped by three home runs, the two clubs meet again in the middle game of their three-game set.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CDT / 11:40 p.m. IST, giving fans in India a late-night treat on a Saturday.
Date, Time & Venue
- Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026
- Time: 1:10 p.m. CDT (11:40 p.m. IST)
- Venue: Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Weather: Pleasant and sunny, highs near 70°F (21°C) with light northwest winds. Excellent baseball weather — no rain delays expected and the roof will stay open.
Team News & Injury Updates
Both clubs are dealing with key absences, but the Cardinals added some fresh energy with a debut.
St. Louis Cardinals
- Blaze Jordan called up from Triple-A and delivered an RBI single in his MLB debut on Friday.
- Ryan Fernandez (lower back) on 15-day IL.
- Several pitchers remain on the 60-day IL (Ixan Henderson, Sem Robberse, Victor Santos, Zack Thompson).
- Nolan Gorman was optioned to make room for Jordan.
Minnesota Twins
- Ryan Jeffers (fractured left hamate) on 10-day IL.
- Bailey Ober (elbow) and Cole Sands (forearm) on 15-day IL.
- Mick Abel and Kendry Rojas also sidelined with elbow issues.
- Julian Merryweather on 7-day IL.
The Twins still have enough depth to field a dangerous lineup, especially after Friday’s offensive outburst.
Probable Pitchers
Matthew Liberatore (STL, LHP) enters with a 3-3 record and 4.48 ERA over 66.1 innings. He has shown flashes of dominance but has been prone to the long ball at times.
Connor Prielipp (MIN, LHP) carries a 2-4 mark and 5.15 ERA in limited big-league action. The young lefty has swing-and-miss stuff but needs to limit hard contact.
| Pitcher | Team | W-L | ERA | WHIP | IP | K | HR Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Liberatore | STL | 3-3 | 4.48 | 1.51 | 66.1 | 61 | 11 |
| Connor Prielipp | MIN | 2-4 | 5.15 | 1.33 | 43.2 | 49 | 4 |
Expected Lineups & Key Player Battles
Exact lineups will be released closer to first pitch, but here are the projected batting orders based on recent trends:
Cardinals (projected):
- Lars Nootbaar (or leadoff adjustment)
- Alec Burleson (riding a homer streak)
- Jordan Walker
- Paul Goldschmidt / Nolan Arenado
- Willson Contreras
- Masyn Winn
- Blaze Jordan (batting 8th after debut impact)
- Remaining order spots filled by recent call-ups and regulars
Twins (projected): Heavy on right-handed bats against Liberatore. Expect Brooks Lee, who homered late Friday, to stay hot. Carlos Correa and the middle of the order will look to exploit any left-on-left matchups.
Key Battles to Watch:
- Liberatore’s ability to keep the ball in the yard against a Twins lineup that just mashed three homers in one inning.
- Blaze Jordan vs. Prielipp — can the rookie keep the momentum going?
- Alec Burleson’s power surge against left-handed pitching.
- Twins bullpen depth after a heavy Friday workload.
Head-to-Head & Recent Form
The Twins took the opener 9-8 in dramatic fashion on Pride Night. Minnesota has now won the last two meetings in this young series. Historically the clubs split time, but the 2026 version has been high-scoring and unpredictable.
Standings Context (as of June 13, 2026)
NL Central
- Milwaukee Brewers: ~41-25
- St. Louis Cardinals: 37-30 (4 GB)
- Chicago Cubs: ~35-34
AL Central
- Chicago White Sox: ~36-31
- Cleveland Guardians: ~37-33
- Minnesota Twins: 32-39 (several games back)
The Cardinals remain very much alive in the NL Central and wild-card hunt. The Twins are playing for pride and development but showed Friday they can still bite.
Fantasy Team Tips (DFS & Season-Long)
Strong Plays:
- Alec Burleson — four straight games with a homer entering Friday; keep riding the hot hand.
- Blaze Jordan — cheap salary in DFS after a productive debut; upside is real.
- Jordan Walker — power threat who benefits from the friendly Target Field dimensions.
- Twins stack — Brooks Lee and the heart of the order looked locked in Friday.
Pitching: Liberatore is a solid SP2 option if you believe the Cardinals offense provides enough run support. Prielipp is riskier but carries strikeout upside.
Grand League vs Small League approach: In large tournaments, leverage the contrarian Cardinals stack with Jordan and Burleson. In cash games, the safer Twins stack from Friday’s momentum may be the play.
Live Streaming & Telecast
- United States: Twins.TV (primary), Cardinals.TV, MLB.TV (out-of-market)
- National/Highlights: MLB Network or quick recaps on ESPN/MLB.com
- India & International: MLB.TV subscription is the most reliable option. Game starts at 11:40 p.m. IST — perfect for late-night viewing. Check local sports apps for any delayed telecast or highlights.
Match Prediction & Odds
This one feels like another slugfest. Both starters have shown vulnerability, and both lineups have proven they can score in bunches.
Lean: Over on the total runs. The Cardinals have the slight edge in the pitching matchup, but home-field energy and Friday’s momentum give Minnesota a real shot.
Final Score Prediction: Cardinals 6, Twins 5 (close, high-scoring affair with late drama again).
The series is far from over. Friday delivered fireworks — Saturday has all the ingredients for another memorable Target Field night (or very late night for fans in India).
