St. Louis @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 26, 2016 ) St. Louis 1, NY Mets 3

The New York Mets and the St. Louis Cardinals are both battling for postseason spots in the National League while trying to decide where they stand in the days before the Aug. 1 trade deadline. The teams did not show much separation while splitting a doubleheader on Tuesday, and the Mets will host the rubber match of the three-game series on Wednesday.

New York totaled five runs in the doubleheader, including a 3-1 win in the nightcap, and is still trying to coax more offense out of the team with David Wright not in the lineup and Neil Walker slumping. The Mets made one of the biggest moves of the 2015 deadline to improve their offense by bringing in Yoenis Cespedes from Detroit but are not expected to make a similar move over the next few days. The Cardinals have also been quiet on the trade rumor front, though a spare arm or two for the bullpen could find a way into the clubhouse soon. St. Louis and New York are trailing the Miami Marlins for the second wild card and would both miss the playoffs if the season ended today, though the Cardinals travel to Miami for a four-game series starting Thursday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.09 ERA) vs. Mets RH Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.14)

Wainwright is looking like an ace again with four straight strong performances. The Georgia native surrendered a total of three runs while striking out 27 in 29 innings in that span and earned three wins, with the lone no decision coming last time out against San Diego. Wainwright has not seen the Mets since April 22, 2014, when he scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings.

Verrett is making his fourth start since rejoining the rotation and seeking his first win since April 26. The 26-year-old surrendered two runs in each of his last two starts but could not get out of the sixth inning at Miami on Friday and was held out of the decision. Verrett is seeing St. Louis for the first time in his career and is 2-3 with a 3.16 ERA in 15 home games – two starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Cardinals placed RHP Trevor Rosenthal (shoulder) on the 15-day disabled list.

2. Walker is 2-for-39 with 10 strikeouts in his last 11 games.

3. St. Louis 2B Jedd Gyorko homered in both ends of the doubleheader on Tuesday and has seven blasts in his last nine contests.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Mets 3