3/26 Home Opener GDT: Rays(Rasmussen) vs Cardinals(Liberatore) 3:15 PM CT

[CardsofSTL]

Rays vs Cardinals
3:15 PM CT - March 26, 2026
Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO
Watch: Rays - Rays.TV /Cardinals - Cardinals.TV
Listen: Rays - WDAE 95.7 FM, WQBN/1300AM/Cardinals - KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM, WIJR AM 880 (En Espanol)

[CardsofSTL]

[GeddyWrox]

Spring has sprung!!!

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Rays

RHP Ryan Pepiot
Injury: Right hip inflammation
IL date: March 22 (15-day IL)
Expected return: Early April
Status: Threw a bullpen on March 23 and received an injection on March 25. Will be shut down for only two days before resuming throwing. "Expected to be a short absence," per baseball operations president Erik Neander. (Last updated March 25)

RHP Edwin Uceta
Injury: Right shoulder soreness
IL date: March 22 (15-day IL)
Expected return: Early April
Status: “Didn’t feel great” when playing catch Feb. 19. Received a cortisone injection on Feb. 20. After bullpens, scheduled for live BPs on March 27 and 31. Triple-A rehab assignment should begin soon after. (Last updated March 25)

2B Gavin Lux
Injury: Right shoulder impingement
IL date: March 23 (10-day IL)
Expected return: Possibly mid-April
Status: Dealt with soreness throughout camp, first "general" and in his oblique, then in his shoulder. Felt "OK" after playing March 22. Visited Dr. Koco Eaton on March 23. Traveled with team to St. Louis. (Last updated March 25)

SS Taylor Walls
Injury: Rib tip syndrome, right oblique strain
IL date: March 22 (10-day IL)
Expected return: Possibly late April
Status: Felt something in his ribs/ab/oblique after hitting on March 17. Underwent imaging on March 18. Was told he'll miss a minimum of 3-4 weeks. (Last updated March 25)

RHP Steven Wilson
Injury: Back soreness
IL date: March 25 (60-day IL)
Expected return: Late May/early June
Status: Did not pitch all spring while dealing with a back issue that required an injection. Will resume throwing around April 6, but will need a while to build up after being shut down so long. (Last updated Feb. 25)

RHP Manuel Rodríguez
Injury: Right flexor strain, elbow surgery
IL date: Feb. 10 (60-day IL)
Expected return: Midseason 2026
Status: Underwent surgery to repair a right elbow flexor strain on Aug. 8. Hopes to return in June or July. Placed on 60-day IL on Feb. 10. (Last updated Feb. 10)

Cardinals

OF Lars Nootbaar
Injury: Surgery on both heels
IL date: March 25 (60-day IL)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Underwent surgery last October to address Haglund’s deformities in both heels. Started his running progression on March 20, but no date has been set for a return to the lineup. (Updated: March 21)

RHP Hunter Dobbins
Injury: Torn right ACL
IL date: March 25 (15-day IL, retroactive to March 2)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Dobbins will start the season on the injured list. He is able to pitch but is being held out of agility drills. The team is still mapping out the next steps of Dobbins' rehab. (Updated: March 25)

LHP Zack Thompson
Injury: Left shoulder surgery
Expected return: TBD
Status: Thompson underwent surgery in August to clean up his left shoulder. He is on a throwing program, but he won't be cleared to pitch in games until some point in the regular season. (Updated: Feb. 13)

[CardsofSTL]

With temperatures potentially reaching 90 degrees in St. Louis today, this may be the warmest home opener in franchise history.

Busch Stadium III turns 20. The inaugural game at Busch Stadium III was April 10, 2006 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Albert Pujols hit the stadium's first home run in the third inning of that game.

[dmarx114]

Would prefer to start 1-0. Lets get this.

[heyzeus]