The Baltimore Orioles head to Busch Stadium on Thursday, August 27 for a 2:15 PM ET regular-season afternoon matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals. Trevor Rogers gets the ball for Baltimore in a game that carries real weight in the dog days of a long season — every win on the road matters, and the O's need to take care of business in St. Louis. Catch the action on MASN, 98 Rock 97.9 FM, or WBAL 1090 AM if you can't make it to the ballpark.

Trevor Rogers Takes the Mound for Baltimore

Rogers is Baltimore's confirmed starter for this one. With the Cardinals yet to announce their probable starter, the pitching matchup on the St. Louis side remains unsettled heading into game day. That uncertainty works in Baltimore's favor in terms of game planning, but Rogers will need to go out and set the tone regardless of who lines up across from him. His job is simple: keep the Cardinals lineup quiet and give the Orioles a chance to win.

St. Louis Cardinals Lineup Baltimore Must Neutralize

St. Louis is running out a lineup that has some interesting pieces. Jordan Walker bats third and brings athleticism to right field, while first baseman Alec Burleson hits cleanup and figures to be a primary run-producing threat. Iván Herrera slots in at DH in the two-hole, giving the Cardinals lineup a patient presence early. Rogers will face a full nine that also includes young outfielder Joshua Báez in left and Blaze Jordan at third base, so there's no shortage of names to monitor.

• José Fermín (SS, leadoff): Sets the table at the top — keeping him off base is priority number one for Rogers.
• Jordan Walker (RF, 3rd): A dangerous middle-of-the-order bat with the ability to do damage against left-handed pitching.
• Alec Burleson (1B, cleanup): The Cardinals' run-production anchor — Rogers cannot afford to leave pitches in the zone against him.
• Blaze Jordan (3B, 6th): A young player worth watching as he develops in the St. Louis lineup.

Keys to the Game for Baltimore

• Rogers' command: Without detailed ERA or recent splits available, the focus has to be on execution. Rogers needs to work efficiently and limit free passes against a lineup that will make him pay for mistakes.
• Road offense: Baltimore is away from Camden Yards, which means manufacturing runs and staying disciplined at the plate become even more important. The Orioles cannot wait around for big innings.
• Bullpen management: With the Cardinals' starter unknown, Baltimore's bench and bullpen need to stay ready for any scenario, including an early hook on either side.
• Situational hitting: A 2:15 PM day game on the road in August is exactly the kind of game that gets away from teams that play sloppy baseball. Execution in the small moments — moving runners, getting big hits with two strikes — will decide this one.

Prediction

This is a winnable road game for Baltimore. Rogers getting the nod signals the organization trusts him to compete in this spot, and the Cardinals have yet to name a starter, which introduces some uncertainty into their preparation. The Orioles offense needs to stay aggressive early and set the tone. Look for Baltimore to grind out a close win, something in the range of 4-2 or 5-3, provided Rogers can navigate the middle of the St. Louis order and the bullpen slams the door late. Take the Orioles.