If the St. Louis Cardinals are to turn their season around, now is the time to do it. At 7 1/2 games back of the Cardinals in the NL Central, the Cards are trying to claw their way back into the race. They open a five-game series against he Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday that will go throughout the weekend, including a doubleheader on Saturday, so there's a lot on the line.

For the Cubs, Kyle Hendricks will be on the mound against the likes of Jose Martinez and Matt Carpenter, as he tries to inch closer to .500 on the season. Hendricks is currently 6-8 with an ERA just under four, so he's hoping to kick off the second half of the season on a higher note.

The Cardinals haven't announced who will be on the mound yet, but he'll face a lineup anchored by All Star Javier Baez. This series could be a turning point in the Cardinals' season, so they need to do well in it and take at least three to start to gain ground in the NL Central. Of course, that starts on Thursday.

Here's how you can watch the Cardinals and Cubs on Thursday night

  • Date: Thursday, July 19
  • Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
  • Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois
  • Starting pitchers: Cardinals TBD vs. Cubs' Kyle Hendricks (6-8, 3.92 ERA)
  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Stream: WatchESPN
  • Live stats: GameTracker
  • Picks: Check Sportsline's MLB pick sheet for all your daily odds.