MLB Thursday viewing guide: Cardinals, Brewers meet in NL Central showdown

The Cardinals might have leapfrogged the Brewers for first place in the NL Central, but a four-game series between the two squads beginning Thursday at Miller Park will give the Brew Crew a chance to regain control of the divisional lead.

The Cardinals did receive some good news, though: Michael Wacha is back after missing nearly three months with a stress fracture in his shoulder, and the right-hander could give St. Louis a boost over the final few weeks of the season. Prior to the injury, Wacha made 15 starts, posting a 2.79 ERA and 3.04 FIP with 83 strikeouts and 26 walks in 90⅓ innings.

Milwaukee will send Wily Peralta to the mound, and although the right-hander has had a solid season on the whole, he has been lit up in his last two outings. Peralta allowed seven hits and eight runs in five innings to the Pirates on August 23 before lasting just three frames against the Giants last time out, surrendering three hits and six runs.

With the Brewers three games behind the Cardinals and just a half-game up on the Braves for the NL's second Wild Card spot, Milwaukee will need some immediate improvement from Peralta.

Reigning Cy Young winner Max Scherzer will toe the rubber for the Tigers against the Indians, who need a big run in the month of September to nab a Wild Card spot. Cleveland currently sits five games behind Detroit in the Wild Card race, with righty Trevor Bauer set to start. Bauer has been hit-or-miss this season, occasionally flashing the stuff that made him a top prospect, though he hasn't given up a run over his last 11⅔ innings pitched. Scherzer has had a bumpy August, but he has been pretty much the same pitcher this year who dominated the American League in 2013.