A pair of starting pitchers trending in the right direction will meet under unusual circumstance on Thursday afternoon when the St. Louis Cardinals host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a standalone game.

Previously an off day for both clubs, the meeting on Thursday will serve as a make-up for a game that was postponed due to weather on June 25. Arizona and St. Louis also met last week in Phoenix, with the Diamondbacks taking two of three games from the Cardinals.

Arizona will begin its road trip a day early before it departs for a three-city stretch in Washington, Pittsburgh and Cleveland. The Diamondbacks are coming off a home series win against the Athletics, clinching the three-game set with a 15-5 victory on Wednesday.

On the mound, right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (4-1, 4.58 ERA) will be in search of his fifth win in as many starts and his second against St. Louis in less than a week. Last time out, Pfaadt continued his impressive return to the starting rotation, throwing 5 1/3 innings of two-run, six-hit ball, striking out three in a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals on Saturday.

After an uninspiring first three outings of the year led to a demotion to the bullpen, Pfaadt is 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA in four starts since rejoining the starters on June 30.

“Just being aggressive, going out there and pitching to my strengths,” Pfaadt said of his recent improvement. “Commanding the ball, pounding the zone. I think that’s paid off for me.”

Pfaadt is 2-0 with a 3.99 ERA in five career starts against the Cardinals.

Former St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado, now in his first season with the Diamondbacks, is glad to see Pfaadt’s turnaround — and even happier that he no longer has to face the 27-year-old.

“He’s been phenomenal. Just a totally different pitcher,” Arenado said of Pfaadt. “The times I used to face him, it was never a comfortable at bat because he’s got so many pitches and he throws all of them to everybody. It’s just great to see him be competitive out there.”

The Cardinals mustered just four total runs in their most recent series, salvaging the three-game road set with the Los Angeles Angels with a 1-0 win on Wednesday.

St. Louis on Thursday will turn to right-hander Michael McGreevy (4-7, 2.92 ERA), who enters the game nearly as hot as his counterpart.

McGreevy has posted a 1.46 ERA in his past four starts, and has completed six innings in each of those outings. He faced Arizona on Friday, allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits across 6 1/3 frames, striking out five batters and walking one in a no-decision. The Cardinals won 5-4.

“It was good to see; (McGreevy) did a really nice job,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “He made good pitches when he needed to. He consistently made the pitches and he’s done a good job for us.”

Making the 39th start of his major league career, the 26-year-old McGreevy will face the Diamondbacks for the second time.

–Field Level Media

Salvador Perez hit his first home run for the Kansas City Royals nearly 15 years ago, and that milestone occurred against the American League Central rival Detroit Tigers.

The 36-year-old catcher still is with the Royals, and he’ll aim for the franchise home run record when he returns to Detroit for the opener of a four-game series on Thursday evening.

Perez blasted career home run No. 317 on Wednesday to spark a five-run rally in the seventh inning against the visiting San Francisco Giants. Kansas City held on for a 5-4 win to complete a three-game sweep before embarking on a 10-game trip.

The two-run blast cleared the center-field fence and landed in the fountain, prompting a fan to leap into the water in an attempt to retrieve the ball — only to be arrested and escorted out empty-handed.

“If I was him, I’d maybe jump too and try to get that ball,” Perez joked. “Thank you for the hard work trying to get that ball.”

Perez hit his first MLB home run in Detroit off young right-hander Max Scherzer on Aug. 29, 2011, helping the Royals to a 9-5 win.

Scherzer went on to become an eight-time All Star, while Perez was selected nine times.

“What he does, the way he goes about it, the passion with the way he plays the game, it’s unrivaled,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said of Perez in an emotional news conference following the win on Wednesday. “The guy’s a Hall of Famer, and you’re getting to witness it.”

The Royals were trailing 3-0 on Wednesday when Perez came up with no outs in the seventh and Vinnie Pasquantino on second base. He waited on an 0-1 curve from Landen Roupp and launched it out of the park to tie George Brett’s franchise record.

Brett was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999.

“I’ve said it before,” Quatraro said. “My age (52), knowing of George as a fan, and anytime you’re in that breath, it’s awesome.”

Perez will be up against a young right-hander who hasn’t allowed a home run in his past three starts.

Troy Melton (5-1, 1.80 ERA) also has combined to allow just one earned run in those outings, which cover 17 1/3 innings.

Melton, 25, said he felt strong and rested coming out of the All-Star break. He then limited the Los Angeles Angels to one run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 2-1 win last Friday in Anaheim, Calif.

He was one out from taking the loss, but the Tigers scored two runs with two outs in the ninth.

“The time off, I felt a little bit better than normal,” said Melton, who grew up a few miles from Anaheim. “The adrenaline of being home definitely plays into the factor as well.”

Melton made two relief appearances against Kansas City last season and allowed one run and five hits in a combined three innings.

The Tigers return home after winning four of six on the road coming out of the All-Star break, most recently 5-1 in the decisive contest of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday evening.

The Royals plan to start right-hander Randy Dobnak in the series opener on Thursday.

Dobnak (0-0, 1.93) is coming off his first MLB start in five years and he earned another opportunity after holding the visiting San Diego Padres to one run and four hits over 4 1/3 innings of a 6-1 win last Saturday.

Dobnak, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners last month for cash considerations., made 21 starts for the Minnesota Twins from 2019-21, but since then his MLB experience is limited to nine appearances over the past three seasons.

The 31-year-old has made five appearances against the Tigers in his career, including three starts, and is 2-1 with a 5.12 ERA.

–Field Level Media

The New England Revolution are finalizing a deal to sign Leeds United winger Jack Harrison, The Athletic reported on Thursday.

The 29-year-old Englishman, who previously played in MLS for New York City FC (2016-17) will join the Revs as a designated player, per the report.

Harrison spent the second half of the 2025-26 season on loan with Serie A side Fiorentina, recording one goal and three assists in 15 matches.

Harrison recorded 14 goals and 13 assists in 55 regular-season matches with NYCFC before returning to England for stints with Middlesbrough (2017-18), Leeds United (2018-23, 2025-26) and Everton (2023-25). He has 50 goals and 42 assists in 338 career games.

New England (8-5-2, 26 points) is in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Revolution returned from the FIFA World Cup break with a scoreless draw against visiting Toronto FC on Wednesday night.

–Field Level Media