4/17 GDT: Cardinals(Leahy) @ Astros(Lambert) 7:10 PM CT

[CardsofSTL]

Cardinals vs Astros
7:10 PM CT - April 17, 2026
Daikin Park - Houston, TX
Watch: Cardinals - Cardinals.TV/Astros - Space City Home Network
Listen: Cardinals - KMOX 1120/104.1 FM/Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM

[CardsofSTL]

Cardinals have not seen Lambert, who is a member of the Astros' Taxi Squad

[CardsofSTL]

[CardsofSTL]

[CardsofSTL]

St. Louis

RHP Matt Pushard
Injury: Right knee patellar tendinitis
IL date: March 30 (15-day IL)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Began rehab assignment on April 14; expected to pitch in a Minor League game on April 15. (Updated: April 14)

RHP Hunter Dobbins
Injury: Torn right ACL
IL date: March 25 (15-day IL, retroactive to March 2)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Made his second rehab start for Triple-A Memphis on April 7, striking out seven batters over 5 1/3 innings of one-run baseball at Charlotte. (Updated: April 10)

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)

Houston

LHP Bennett Sousa
Injury: Left oblique strain
IL date: March 25 (15-day)
Expected return: April
Status: Threw eight pitches (seven strikes) in one scoreless inning April 14 at Double-A Corpus Christi. He will pitch again April 17. (updated April 15).

RHP Nate Pearson
Injury: Right elbow surgery recovery
IL date: March 25 (15-day)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Threw two innings in an extended Spring Training game in West Palm Beach, Fla., on April 11 and will throw again April 17. (updated April 15)

RHP Cody Bolton
Injury: Mid-back inflammation
IL date: April 15 (15-day, retroactive to April 13)
Expected return: Early May
Status: Was struck in the back by a line drive during his April 6 start, an injury that forced him to leave his April 12 start in Seattle after one inning. (updated April 15)

IF/OF Zach Dezenzo
Injury: Right elbow sprain
IL date: March 25 (10-day)
Expected return: April
Status: While rehabbing in Florida he's progressed to a positive specific throwing program while continuing normal hitting. (updated April 15)

LHP Josh Hader
Injury: Left biceps tendinitis
IL date: March 25 (15-day)
Expected return: May
Status: Threw 20 pitches off the main mound at Daikin Park to hitters in what essentially resembled his first live BP session of the spring. (updated April 14)

RHP Tatsuya Imai
Injury: Right arm fatigue
IL date: April 13 (15-day, retroactive to April 12)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Imaging and tests on Imai's shoulder and arm came back clean, so the Astros will try to focus on building up his arm strength. (updated April 14)

RHP Cristian Javier
Injury: Grade 2 right shoulder strain
IL date: April 10, retroactive to April 9 (15-day)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Exited April 8 start against Rockies prior to the second inning with right shoulder tightness and will be evaluated in two weeks. (updated April 10)

SS Jeremy Peña
Injury: Grade 1 right hamstring strain
IL date: April 13 (15-day, retroactive to April 12)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Was removed from the April 11 game against the Mariners for a pinch-runner after his knee tightened up running the bases. Was scheduled to undergo imaging April 12 to determine the extent of the injury. (updated April 13)

OF Jake Meyers
Injury: Grade 2 right oblique strain
IL date: April 10, retroactive to April 9 (15-day)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Exited game against Rockies on April 8 mid-plate appearance after a swing. (updated April 10)

RHP Hunter Brown
Injury: Grade 2 right shoulder strain
IL date: April 5, retroactive to April 2 (15-day)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Will “refrain from throwing for a few weeks,” according to the club, and will be reevaluated in two weeks. Manager Joe Espada said that the issue is muscular, with no evidence of damage to ligaments. (updated April 7)

RHP Ronel Blanco
Injury: Torn ulnar collateral ligament in right elbow
IL date: March 25 (transferred to 60-day IL on April 10)
Expected return: 2026
Status: Has progressed to throwing in the bullpen in West Palm Beach after undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament with an internal brace as well as a repair of the flexor tendon in his forearm on June 6, 2025. (updated March 31)

RHP Hayden Wesneski
Injury: Torn ulnar collateral ligament in right elbow
IL date: March 25 (60-day)
Expected return: 2026
Status: Has progressed to throwing in the bullpen in West Palm Beach after undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on May 23, 2025. (updated March 31)

LHP Brandon Walter
Injury: Torn ulnar collateral ligament in left elbow
IL date: March 25 (60-day)
Expected return: 2027
Status: Underwent Tommy John surgery on Sept. 23, 2025

[CardsofSTL]

This will be the 721st meeting of the Cardinals and Astros; the Cardinals lead the all time series with a record of 384-336.

[Fat_Bulldog]

I wish we had some legitimate starting pitchers.

[AdmiralKird]

I thought they were playing at Lambert's Throwed Rolls and I got really excited for a moment.

[dmarx114]

More AL baseball. Weird early schedule.