Sandy Alcantara isn't the monster he was last season when he won the National League Cy Young Award. But lately he's been pitching much better.
He's given up two earned runs or fewer in three of his last four starts. He has a 16-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in three July starts.

Alcantara has a 1.24 career ERA versus the Cardinals in five starts. 

This sets up as a potential bullpen game for the Cardinals with Dakota Hudson expected to open. Hudson has pitched just 10 innings this season. He had a 4.45 ERA in 26 starts last year. The Cardinals rank 24th in bullpen ERA at 4.46. 

The Marlins are nine games above .500. The Cardinals are 11 games below .500. 

The price is right to back the Marlins here.