Chicago @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2019 ) Chi. Cubs 8, St. Louis 6

The St. Louis Cardinals somehow control their own destiny and will be National League Central champions if they defeat the visiting Chicago Cubs on Sunday in their regular-season finale. It appeared St. Louis and Milwaukee would enter the final day tied for the division lead after the Cardinals dropped their fourth straight game 8-6 on Saturday, but Colorado defeated the Brewers 3-2 minutes later with home runs in the ninth and 10th innings.

St. Louis adjusted its rotation and decided to pitch Adam Wainwright on regular rest Saturday, but the move backfired as the veteran right-hander was torched for six runs and a career-high 12 hits in 4 1/3 innings while serving up four homers for the first time in the majors. So the Cardinals on Sunday turn to ace Jack Flaherty, who has gone 0-1 with a no-decision against the Cubs in his last three turns but lowered his ERA during that span. Chicago, meanwhile, puts the finishing touches on a disappointing campaign that went off the rails with a season-high nine-game losing streak, including four straight by one run to St. Louis from Sept. 19-22. Sunday's game could be the last in a Cubs uniform for manager Joe Maddon, who was to meet with club president Theo Epstein after Saturday's contest to discuss his future with early indications that he will not be offered a new contract.

TV: 3:15 p.m. ET, ABC 7 (Chicago), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Derek Holland (2-4, 5.47 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Jack Flaherty (10-8, 2.85)

Holland makes his seventh start of the season and first since May 7 while with San Francisco. The 32-year-old native of Ohio has been used strictly out of the bullpen since being acquired prior to the trade deadline. Holland has allowed one run and three hits over 3 1/3 innings in three relief appearance against St. Louis this season.

Flaherty allowed one hit and two walks while registering a season-high 11 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings of St. Louis' 3-2 loss at Arizona on Tuesday. The 23-year-old Californian has fanned 39 batters in his last four starts, including eight while yielding one run and three hits in eight innings of the Cardinals' 5-4 victory at Wrigley Field on Sept. 19. Flaherty is 2-2 with a 3.14 ERA in nine career games (eight starts) versus Chicago and 1-1 with a 3.07 mark in five turns this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis 2B Tommy Edman, who is hitting .366 at Busch Stadium this season, has recorded 16 extra-base hits this month after delivering a two-run triple on Saturday - passing Hall-of-Famer Joe Medwick (1932) for most by a rookie in franchise history.

2. Cubs RF Nicholas Castellanos has missed the last four games because of groin tightness and is unlikely to play on Sunday. Castellanos has hit 58 doubles - the most since Colorado's Todd Helton recorded 59 in 2000 - and is one of 10 players since 1871 to collect at least 58.

3. If the Cardinals and Brewers wind up tied, they will play a one-game playoff for the NL Central title Monday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

PREDICTION: Cubs 3, Cardinals 2