Milwaukee Brewers defeat St. Louis Cardinals 6-4

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 in a matchup featuring home runs from Leonardo Bernal and Sánchez for St. Louis. Misiorowski earned the win for Milwaukee, while Pallante took the loss for the Cardinals.

Following a disappointing 9-15 record in September, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom noted that catcher Ivan Herrera showed significant growth this season. Despite a decline in offensive OPS, Herrera's WAR increased to 2.9 over the last two seasons, and Bloom praised his mental and physical preparation while catching over 50 games.

However, the Cardinals face a surplus of catching talent. Leonardo Bernal, a minor league Gold Glove winner, emerged as a top candidate for the Opening Day starting role after hitting .284 with five home runs in his first 24 big-league games. This depth, which includes Pedro Pages, Jimmy Crooks, and Rainel Rodriguez, leaves Herrera's future role uncertain, potentially relegating him to an emergency third catcher.