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September 30-October 2 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
If 2016 goes anything like the the past couple of seasons in the Central, I would bet that this three game set to close the regular season is going to have massive playoff implications.
I mean, the last three seasons, the Cardinals finished three, two and two games ahead of the Buccos in the final NL Central standings.
Considering there is the potential for a three-game swing in the final weekend of the regular season, games 160-162 could be the difference in an NL Central title for these two clubs.
It is very conceivable that games in the first and last series of the season (as the Pirates and Cardinals face off in both) will be the determining factor in the division race.
Of course, our old hero David Freese is now playing in Pittsburgh. That adds to the intrigue of an already awesome NL Central match up.
Over the past three seasons, the Cardinals are 30-27 against the Buccos. The run differential in those 57 games has actually been +8 in favor of Pittsburgh.
I don’t expect anything different in 2016.
Next: Late roster changes mean uncertainty ahead of 2016
With the spotlight squarely on Busch Stadium in St. Louis in the season’s final weekend, the winner of that three-game set very well could be your NL Central Champion.