Series Preview: Red Sox at Cardinals

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MARCH 26: Manager Oliver Marmol #37 of the St. Louis Cardinals chats with St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom prior to a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day at Busch Stadium on March 26, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Red Sox doubled their win total in 2026 by taking two-out-of-three against the Milwaukee Brewers and, realistically, came within a play or two Monday night from sweeping one of the best teams in the National League. They split the first homestand of the year 3-3 and head off to the midwest for a six-game road trip against the St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins.

Connelly Early won a rotation spot out of Spring Training and has shown no indication that the Red Sox were asking too much for a young pitcher who has six major league starts to his name. He’s lasted 5.1 and 4. 0 innings which hasn’t been the greatest for the bullpen so far, but is mostly what you’d expect from him at this point. He has 10 strikeouts against 4 walks, 8 hits, and 3 runs in his 9.1 innings this season. His cup of coffee in 2025 certainly helped prepare Early to make the rotation this season. And the pitcher he’s facing is a big part of that. Yes, Dustin May, the reinforcement who wasn’t, is a Cardinal. In his two starts May has given up 6 runs in 4.0 innings and 7 runs in 3.1. He’s struck out 7, walked 3, and given up a whopping 17 hits.

Saturday is a national Game of the Week on FOX and features Ranger Suárez making his third start for Boston. The first two have been mostly forgettable. At 4.1 and 4.0 innings and 4 runs allowed in each, he hasn’t shown the talent he did in Philadelphia. Granted the WBC altered his spring and seems to have slowed down his progress so hopefully things will start clicking into place. Kyle Leahy pitched mostly out of the ‘pen before this season with 62 appearances in 2025 and just a single start. In two starts this year he’s totaled 10.0 innings, 6 runs allowed, 5 Ks and 5 BBs. Like May, he’s right-handed, which for the lefty-heavy Sox is always nice to see. Let those bats heat up!

Sunday afternoon the Red Sox send the frustrating Brayan Bello to the mound. Bello needed to pitch more than 3.1 innings in his last appearance. He never quite got into any type of groove and forced Alex Cora to run out a sub-optimal bullpen. Combined with a shaky defense and Boston has lost both of his starts. There were more strikeouts, 5, than you’d expect from Bello but also 4 walks. In, again, just 3.1 innings. Not even a quality start, but simply 5 innings, hopefully no more 2 runs. He figured it out last year in June, maybe he can get into gear a little earlier. Andre Pallante made 31 starts last season but prior to that split his time with the bullpen, peaking at 62 relief appearances back in 2023. In 2025 he posted a 5.31 ERA/4.68 FIP. This season he’s off to a 1.80 ERA but 4.29 FIP start. His two starts this year have gone OK at 5.0 innings apiece with 0 and 2 runs. However, a 5:7 K:BB ratio is something the Sox can exploit with patience. Even Rafaela took a walk last week. Starting, relieving, Pallante has never posted a K:BB greater than 1.96. And in his career he has allowed over a hit per inning.

Despite being in a rebuild – and also the season being so young – the Cardinals have had one of the most successful offenses in 2026. Their 59 runs scored ties them with the Miami Marlins for 6th in the majors. The Red Sox have scored just 44, 7th from the bottom. That’s largely small sample size – the Reds are last in MLB with 38 runs scored and have an 8-5 record. Jordan Walker has 5 home runs on the year with a big start to his age-24 season but that’s their big offensive star so far. Alec Burelson has 10 walks, Ivan Gerrera 12. JJ Wetherholt has 3 stolen bases.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday, April 10: Connelly Early (2.89 ERA / 2.97 FIP) vs. Dustin May (15.95 ERA / 6.46 FIP)

Saturday, April 11: Ranger Suárez (8.64 ERA / 6.19 FIP) vs. Kyle Leahy (3.27 ERA / 2.73 FIP)

Sunday, April 12: Brayan Bello (9.00 ERA / 5.69 FIP) vs. Andre Pallante (1.80 ERA / 4.29 FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Friday, April 10 at 8:15 PM ET on NESN

Saturday, April 11: 7:15 PM ET on FOX

Sunday, April 12: 1:35 PM ET on NESN

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