The Texas Rangers will try to end a run of three consecutive losing series when they face the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday afternoon in Arlington, Texas. The final game of the three-match interleague series will feature ace Jacob deGrom starting for the Rangers, who need a win to regain momentum against St. Louis.
Starting Pitchers: deGrom vs. Fedde
The Rangers plan to counter Cardinals’ right-hander Erick Fedde, who holds a 3-4 record with a 3.90 ERA this season. Jacob deGrom, boasting a 4-2 record and a 2.42 ERA, will make his 12th start. This pitching matchup carries significance as both teams look to secure the final game of their series.
Cardinals Even Series After Strong Day Two Showing
On Saturday, St. Louis evened the series with a 2-0 victory, backed by solid pitching from Sonny Gray and two relievers. Willson Contreras was instrumental, driving in a run and scoring another. Despite managing only five hits, the Cardinals’ pitching suppressed the Rangers, who tallied just four hits and allowed only one player to reach third base.
The Cardinals gained a chance to win the series following their heavy 11-1 loss to Texas on Friday. Meanwhile, the Rangers suffered their eighth shutout of the 2025 season after scoring their second-highest run total just a day earlier.
deGrom’s Recent Performance and Career Record Against Cardinals
Jacob deGrom enters this start after two outings without a win, including a recent 2-1 home loss to Toronto on Monday. In that game, he pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on two hits, walking two batters, and striking out none for the first time in his 228 career starts. Reflecting on his last appearance, deGrom admitted difficulties in command and execution.
“I was fighting myself a bit, started yanking the ball, walked a couple guys — I just wasn’t very efficient,”
deGrom said about his outing against the Blue Jays.
“I kind of took a step in the wrong direction. I wasn’t able to really locate down and I was never able to throw a fastball, really, where I wanted to. That part was frustrating.”
—Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers pitcher
Over seven career starts against St. Louis—all with the New York Mets—deGrom has a 4-2 record and a 3.95 ERA. In 43 1/3 innings, he has given up 19 runs on 50 hits and six walks while recording 39 strikeouts. However, he has not faced the Cardinals since 2019 and has not secured a win against them since 2018.
Erick Fedde’s Struggles and Background
The Cardinals’ Erick Fedde has struggled recently, failing to earn a win in his last three starts. These outings include two no-decisions against Philadelphia and Detroit, and a loss at Baltimore where he allowed five runs (three earned) over five innings while striking out five. Fedde has not matched the form he showed on May 9, when he threw a 10-0 shutout against Washington for his last victory.
Fedde’s journey is notable, having spent a year in the Korean Baseball Organization before signing with the Chicago White Sox in 2024 and later being traded to St. Louis at the deadline last year.
“Erick is a guy with a calmness to him,”
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol commented.
“He’s quiet with not a ton of words, and you can easily mistake that as a lack of competitiveness. He (went to Korea) and then he was one of the most sought-after arms at the trade deadline, all by betting on himself. You only do that if there’s a lot of belief, and there’s a lot of competitiveness inside of you.”
—Oliver Marmol, St. Louis Cardinals manager
Fedde’s only career appearance against the Rangers came last season with the White Sox, where he took a no-decision over 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks, with five strikeouts.
Lineup Changes and Injuries for the Cardinals
The Cardinals announced on Saturday that outfielder Jordan Walker has been placed on the 10-day injured list because of left wrist inflammation. This move is retroactive to May 29, which could influence the club’s lineup in the short term.
Significance and Outlook for the Series Finale
This Sunday’s game is crucial for the Texas Rangers as Jacob deGrom starts to snap Rangers losing streak and turn around their fortunes in the series. A victory would end their run of three straight series losses and provide a morale boost as the team continues the 2025 season. For the Cardinals, maintaining momentum with another win would demonstrate resilience after a tough opening game and solidify their hold in the interleague matchup.
Both ace pitchers, deGrom and Fedde, will play a pivotal role in deciding the outcome, with each looking to set a positive tone for their teams heading forward in the year.