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At some point this weekend, during the final home series of the regular season, manager Oliver Marmol intends to find a spot for Matt Carpenter to get his bow at Busch Stadium similar to the moments orchestrated in recent seasons for Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols and Adam Wainwright.

鈥淚 will,鈥� the manager said Thursday. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to.鈥�

But that does not mean it will be a farewell.

Carpenter, now 38, would like to play in 2025 and told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday that he enjoyed the part-time player and full-time mentor role the Cardinals cast him in for his return to the organization this season.

鈥淚鈥檓 certainly open to play,鈥� Carpenter said. 鈥淚 like this role. I think considering the role, I feel like I鈥檝e done well in it, and I also think, more importantly, I understand the bigger picture of it. I鈥檇 be open to doing it again.鈥�

In 146 at-bats, Carpenter has four home runs to go with a .236 average, a .317 on-base percentage and a .695 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). Most of the at-bats came during 38 games at designated hitter. His 12th season with the Cardinals gave him 159 homers entering the weekend to go with a .261 average, a .366 on-base percentage and production that was 21% better than league average.

Carpenter was a three-time All-Star as the Cardinals鈥� leadoff hitter, and he ignited the top offense in the National League in 2013 with a record 55 doubles and a National League-best 126 runs. That season, he also had 199 hits for the NL pennant winners.

Carpenter finished twice in the top 10 for the NL MVP while a member of the Cardinals, and the fans will get a chance to vote him into the club鈥檚 Hall of Fame and a red jacket three years after he retires.

He said he鈥檚 just not thinking about that yet, or this possibly being his final weekend as a home player at Busch Stadium. He and once and current teammate Lance Lynn showed this season it鈥檚 always possible to go home again.

It just took an unexpected series of events that began with his trade to Atlanta for Carpenter to re-sign with the Cardinals. In order to cut salary ahead of 2024, the San Diego Padres traded Carpenter and $1.5 million to Atlanta along with the $5.5 million salary he triggered with a player option. The Braves notified Carpenter that they did not plan to keep him and decided to release him so he could choose where next to play.

The Cardinals signed him for the major league minimum ($740,000), leaving Atlanta and San Diego to cover the rest of his salary.

A free agent this winter, his next deal will be more direct and without the subsidy from two other clubs.

鈥淕oing to cross that bridge when we get there,鈥� Carpenter said. 鈥淚鈥檓 open to playing. We鈥檒l see what that looks like. I鈥檓 open to doing this role again. I鈥檓 open to just a lot of things. We鈥檒l see.鈥�

Gray grinding as he hits 200 K's

On his way to becoming the ninth pitcher in Cardinals history to strike out at least 200 batters in a single season, Sonny Gray pitched through some 鈥渓ingering鈥� discomfort Wednesday night that limited how deep he was expected to pitch into the game.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 feel great in general, physically,鈥� Gray said after his eight strikeouts in 5鈪� innings. 鈥淪o it was trying to make pitches and have a game plan and adjust on the fly with what you鈥檝e got that day. ... I had some lingering things just kind of going on through the week.鈥�

Gray will throw a bullpen session this weekend to help determine if he鈥檒l make one more start during the regular season or if Wednesday was his 2024 finale.

His next possible start would be at Coors Field against the Rockies, one of only two clubs he does not have a win against in his career.

Gray finished Wednesday with 203 strikeouts this season in 166鈪� innings. He authored the 20th 200-strikeout season in Cardinals history and got there in fewer innings than any other Cardinals pitcher to surpass 200. Heading toward the regular season鈥檚 final week, there are nine MLB pitchers with 200 strikeouts or within seven strikeouts of getting there.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a neat feat,鈥� Gray said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not easy to do. There will probably be less than 10 guys in the league to do that. Strikeouts play in situations like that (two on, one out), right? Being able to strike someone out is important.鈥�

1st-round pick, Palm Beach win FSL title

JJ Wetherholt, the Cardinals鈥� pick at seventh overall in July鈥檚 draft, had an RBI triple Wednesday night to help Class A Palm Beach to the Florida State League championship. Wetherholt, in his first months as a pro, joined nine other newly signed Cardinals to drive their Low-A affiliate to its third league championship in 20 years.

The PB-Cards set a franchise record with 83 wins and had the best record in their division for the first and the second half of the season. Wetherholt joined the team for its final 29 regular-season games and slashed .295/.405/.400 as its shortstop. His triple paced the PB-Cards to a 6-4 victory after a lengthy rain delay Wednesday at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.

鈥淭hey believed in one another, and they thought they were the best team,鈥� PB-Cards manager Gary Kendall told Post-Dispatch baseball writer Daniel Guerrero after the championship game. 鈥淲e had to beat a really, really good ball club in (Detroit鈥檚 Class A affiliate) Lakeland. They pitched and played defense and could swing the bat, so it was quite an accomplishment. I know they鈥檙e proud of each other because they hung in there.鈥�

The Cardinals鈥� Class AA affiliate in Springfield, Missouri, played Thursday night to advance to the Texas League championship series.

For years, the Cardinals sought postseason success as part of player development.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of value in that, and we talk about it often in the minor leagues: You don鈥檛 want to win at the expense of development, but you want to develop winners,鈥� Marmol said. 鈥淭hat was important. You want guys to understand what it feels like to play nine innings and be on the right side of it when it鈥檚 over.鈥�

Extra bases

With two wins in two major league appearances this season, Michael McGreevy is the first Cardinal in at least 125 years to do so as a starter in one game and a reliever in the other. The most recent big leaguer to win both of his first two games as a starter and reliever was Houston鈥檚 Framber Valdez in 2018.

• The Pirates designated pitcher and former Cardinal Jake Woodford for assignment Thursday before the series finale. The team had promoted him to the majors just to start Wednesday鈥檚 game against his former club. Pittsburgh promoted right-hander Isaac Mattson to take Woodford鈥檚 spot on the active roster.
• The Cardinals won the season series against the Pirates for the 21st time in the past 25 years. The 2023 season was the first time in a decade they did not win the season series from Pittsburgh.

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Erick Fedde joined the Cardinals at the trade deadline, knowing that he鈥檇 be counted on to help their late-season playoff push. Even though the postseason pursuit fizzled, Fedde hasn鈥檛 stopped looking at himself as a pitcher the club acquired with the expectation that he could be a difference-maker.

There was a perceived level of expectation when the Cardinals acquired Fedde, and he鈥檚 not willing to let himself slide as far as meeting that expectation. At this point in the season with just nine games remaining, the right-hander鈥檚 efforts may be as much about establishing a baseline for next season as the impression he leaves this season.

Fedde turned in one of his best starts in his brief tenure as a Cardinal, a quality start on fewer than 90 pitches and with just one run allowed. He left the game with a slim lead that had more to do with the offense than with his performance.

Ultimately, Fedde got a no decision, and the Cardinals fell 3-2 in the finale of a four-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in front of an announced crowd of 32,194 at Busch Stadium on Thursday night.

鈥淥bviously when they give up players and invest in me, I want to be as high-quality as possible,鈥� Fedde said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 as sharp in this second half as I wanted to be, so of course there鈥檚 disappointment. I hold myself to high standards and expect more, and I鈥檓 hoping to build off of this start and keep going.鈥�

Fedde allowed one run on four hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out three and threw an efficient 85 pitches (56 strikes). He recorded 11 of his 18 outs either via groundball or strikeout.

Asked about the pressure he puts on himself to meet expectation potentially cutting both ways, as a benefit or as a detriment, Fedde replied, 鈥淚t just depends on how you look at it, but pressure in a privilege and I鈥檝e got to make the most of it.鈥�

The Cardinals (77-76) lost the game late after Fedde turned things over to the bullpen. He came into the night trying to snap a string of four consecutive losses, the longest such streak of his career. While he didn鈥檛 get the loss, he hasn鈥檛 gotten into the win column since August 7.

Fedde hit the ground running against the Pirates. He allowed a leadoff double to start the game on a ball that deflected off the glove of diving second baseman Brendan Donovan and into left field. Fedde still got through the first inning on eight pitches (seven strikes) thank to a pair of grounders to third base and a pup up. He retired the next seven consecutive batters after the double.

Fedde faced a potential tight jam in the third inning when he allowed a one-out single, a fielder鈥檚 choice and a walk to put two men on and two outs. Fedde struck out Pirates young phenom Oneil Cruz on a check-swing third strike to end the inning.

Had third base umpire D.J. Reyburn not called Cruz out on the appeal of the swing, Fedde would have walked a second consecutive batter and faced a bases-loaded situation.

The Pirates (72-81) only run against Fedde came in the top of the fourth thanks to a one-out triple smacked into right field by Nick Gonzales. That line drive up the right field line hit the ground and rolled into the right field corner.

By the time Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker chased the ball along the warning track, Gonzales had alertly dashed all the way to third base. Then with just one, Bryan De La Cruz lofted a fly ball to center field that allowed Gonzales to tag up and score.

Fedde allowed just one hit in his final two innings. He stranded a runner on third base in the sixth after a wild pitch allowed the runner to advance.

鈥淢y last couple outings haven鈥檛 felt super sharp, and I鈥檝e been putting in a lot of work,鈥� Fedde said. 鈥淚 felt much better today. Credit to the rest of the staff, they鈥檝e been working hard with me. (Pitching coach) Dusty (Blake) has been working hard, and today the ball felt really good in my hand. It felt like it was coming out well, and I felt like my old self a little bit today.鈥�

Fedde, who began the season with the Chicago White Sox after he spent last season in the Korean Baseball Organization, said he focused recently on 鈥渟taying behind the baseball鈥� to help his fastball command and velocity. He also said he felt like his pitches had the late movement he desires, and that also elicited some 鈥渄efensive鈥� swings from opposing hitters.

Thursday marked Fedde鈥檚 30th start of the season, and he has now pitched 170 1/3 innings聽鈥� both new single-season highs for Fedde in the majors leagues.

In his nine starts with the Cardinals, Fedde has received two runs or fewer of run support eight times. That鈥檚 contributed to his 1-5 record in his Cardinals tenure. Fedde remains under contract for next season.

Fedde referenced 鈥減reparing for what we hope to be deep season runs in the future鈥� when asked about reaching new highs for innings and starts.

鈥淗e's had a heavy workload,鈥� Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. 鈥淗e's taken the ball every time. I thought he navigated that lineup well. I thought he didn't give in. Didn't fall into any patterns. Used as pitches appropriately. Used to changeup when needed. I thought (catcher Pedro) Pages worked with him really well too. Just the back and forth and the conversations in the dugout in between innings were good. I felt like I enjoyed watching what they did today. That was really good.鈥�

The Cardinals put Fedde in position for a potential win when they took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Brendan Donovan, who collected a season-high four hits and drove in both of his team鈥檚 runs, gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead with his two-out RBI double in the sixth inning.

However, the Pirates tied the score in the top of the seventh against reliever Andrew Kittredge. Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal smashed a two-out solo home run into the right field stands against Kittredge, who took over for Fedde to start the seventh.

The Pirates (72-81) scored the winning run in the eighth inning after Ryan Fernandez, the Rule 5 Draft pick turned high-leverage mainstay, entered the game in relief of JoJo Romero with a runner on base.

Romero, a left-hander, gave up a single to start the eighth, but then got a double play to wipe away the runner. Romero then walked left-handed hitting Oneil Cruz. The Pirates then sent pinch hitter and right-handed batter Connor Joe to the plate, which prompted Marmol to counter by bringing in Fernandez.

Joe singled to put runners on first and third, then Gonzales lined a single to center field that scored Cruz and gave the Pirates a 3-2 advantage.

The Cardinals got the tying run on base in the ninth against left-handed flame-throwing relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman. Donovan singled to start the frame, but he was stranded on base to end the game.

Donovan went 4 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, and he registered his 13th game of three hits or more this season (the most by a Cardinals left-handed hitter since Matt Carpenter in had 18 in 2013).

鈥淚 felt pretty good,鈥� Donovan said of his day at the plate. 鈥淥bviously, I had that blooper that fell in, which is always good. Especially your first at-bat of the day, to have something go right.

鈥淲e made a little bit of a load adjustment a couple weeks ago. I鈥檓 very kind of old school in my preparation. It kept my head a little more still and allowed me to stay behind the baseball, and I think that put me on plane a little longer. I think it gives me a little longer to make decisions.鈥�

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It's been a whirlwind life for Jay Randolph, who traveled the world in a sportscasting career that spanned more than six decades and led him to the pinnacle of his profession in St. Louis as well as national prominence.聽

And now, with his 90th birthday having arrived Thursday, he is reflective. But while he has hob-knobbed with some of sports' and politics' biggest names, he talks more about family than his famous friends or many on-air accomplishments when asked about his fondest memories.

"It went too quickly," he said in a conversation this week at his home in Ballwin. "I met seven presidents, I had a remarkable father and a wonderful mother, I have a superb wife, an absolutely unbelievable wife, the children聽鈥� even though two of them are gone聽鈥� I love them very much."

While Randolph said his life overall has been "fabulous," the past few years have been rougher. The loss of those two sons has been hard on him; his wife, Sue; and their daughter, Becky.

Jay Jr., well-known locally for his contributions on radio and in the golf community, died in late 2022 of cancer. He was 53. Then last April the other son, Brian, unexpectedly died 鈥� apparently of a heart attack. He was 52.

Randolph didn't say much about losing the boys, but the somber look on his face told more than his words.

"It's been tough, but what can you do?" he said. "Jay 鈥� we played golf all the time. Brian was a brilliant kid. Becky is our star in the hemisphere. And we have two grandchildren who are doing wonderful."

It also has been difficult in recent years for Randolph to get around, as mobility issues have him using a wheelchair.

"My health is great except for the fact I can't walk more than about 15 feet without tremendous pain," he said, adding that his outside activities are mostly limited to getting a haircut and going to doctors' appointments.

But he didn't dwell on his setbacks. He was upbeat as he looked back on his improbable sportscasting career, which developed by chance after being pointed toward being a pro golfer or politician early on.

Randolph's work accomplishments are numerous. After a short stay in the 鈥�60s at KMOX (1120 AM) for his first job in St. Louis, he was the sports director at KSDK (Channel 5)聽鈥� which was KSD when he started聽鈥� from 1968-87, setting a record in the market for longevity in that position that later was eclipsed by Rich Gould's 34 years in that role at KPLR (Channel 11).

He became the primary TV play-by-play voice of the Cardinals when they were on Channel 5, a run from 1971-87. After the station lost the rights, Randolph had stints calling聽the Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins. He wrapped up his big league baseball broadcasting days where they started, by announcing Cards games from 2007-10 when Channel 5 had Sunday afternoon telecasts.

He called that "a wonderful way to finish" that part of his career.

What might not have been as wonderful is an assignment he had early in his St. Louis days 鈥� doing TV play-by-play of the Blues' first season, 1967-68.

He had not pursued the job, which was offered to him after conversations between Randolph's boss 鈥� KMOX general manager Robert Hyland 鈥� and Blues owner Sid Salomon Jr. They already had settled on Cardinals announcer Jack Buck to do the hockey radio play-by-play

"Offered" might be a stretch on how Randolph's new duties were presented to him.

"I was told I was going to do the television," he said, chuckling. "Jack and I only had one year of it, thank goodness. I didn't know much about it. Hockey's the hardest sport to broadcast."

For Year 2, Dan Kelly was hired and the telecasts used the radio audio, sparking Kelly's legendary career locally and internationally.

"In my estimation he was the finest hockey announcer who's ever lived," Randolph said.

Randolph's reaction when told that he was being replaced?

"I said, 'That's fine with me, I've got plenty of jobs.'聽Frankly I was glad to get out of that thing."

He also soared at NBC, for which he seemingly broadcast every sport it carried. Football. Basketball. Bowling. Horse racing. Boxing. Luge. Dog shows. Etc.聽

''It was always a pleasure to work with him," said legendary NBC broadcaster Bob Costas, who got his start in St. Louis. "His gentlemanly demeanor as a person carried over as a broadcaster.''

Randolph has been that way off the air, too.聽

"Shortly after I got to St. Louis, in 1974, I was eating lunch at (Stan) Musial's restaurant and Jay walks into the room. I was 22 years old, had just started doing the Spirits basketball broadcasts and I was a student of sportscasting, so I knew who he was. I thought I'd go over and introduce myself.

"Instead, before I was able to get up, he saw me and came over and put his arm around me and started talking and said he'd heard a broadcast of mine. That was really impressive for a kid who didn't have any idea a guy like that would know me. But Jay is sociable guy and a genuinely nice person. It's one thing to be a good person. It's another thing to be a genuine good person. He is the genuine good person."

So much so that NBC used him to break in announcers the network thought had potential.

"He takes pleasure in seeing somebody else succeed, which isn't the case with everybody,'' Costas said.

Unlikely career path

Randolph grew up in West Virginia, the son of longtime congressman and senator Jennings Randolph.

He was quite a golfer as a teenager, earning a scholarship in that sport to George Washington University. While in Europe as a member of the Army, he not only won several military tournaments but played in two British Amateurs and in 1956 won the Egyptian Amateur in Cairo.

He was so proficient that he once had an opportunity to turn pro.聽

"But my dad didn't want me to do that," Randolph recalled. "He would have liked me to have stayed in West Virginia and get into politics."

His father, who had served in Congress from 1933-1947, decided to run in a special election in 1957 to fill a senate seat that opened when a sitting member died. Randolph, a Democrat, won that election and then four more for full terms, and his son seemingly was being groomed for a political career.

"I had helped him in that (special election push) and campaigned with (John F.) Kennedy and LBJ (Lyndon B. Johnson)," two future presidents, he said. "I knew the political people he did."

But in those days, an unexpected job offer led to a stark change in his life. A fellow associated with Randolph's father ran a small-town radio station, in Clarksburg, West Virginia, and in 1958 approached the politician's son.

"Do you think you could do sports for us?" Randolph, who then was 24, recalls being asked. "We have Babe Ruth League baseball and five high schools we cover."

He accepted the job, which paid $1.25 an hour or $10 a game.

His big break came not long after, when radio rights to West Virginia University football and basketball games became available and the owner of Randolph's station won the bid. Randolph was named the play-by-play man for a statewide network.

The football team was 0-8-2 in 1960, his first major broadcasting job.

"Everybody blamed me," he said, smiling.

That network lost the rights after two seasons, and he found himself bouncing around while getting his bachelor's degree from what now is Salem (West Virginia) University. That's when his second big break came.

Dallas days

In late 1963, Randolph heard the Dallas Cowboys' radio play-by-play job was coming open for the following season, so he applied and was brought to Dallas for an interview. He arrived on a Friday afternoon and was told he would have a tryout 鈥� by calling the second half of the Cowboys' game two days later.

"I was flabbergasted," he said. "I had no idea it was going to be that kind of an audition."

So it was time to cram. There was no internet on which to do research, no videos to watch on demand. He headed to the team's office to gather information to pour over.

"Then I went to a hardware store and made up a spotting board," he said. "I spent all of my next 24 waking hours getting ready."

He did well enough on his tryout to be offered the job, which he took without even knowing the pay for the position that also entailed calling Southern Methodist University basketball games plus other duties. Randolph was unfazed.

"To get to do an NFL team and be in Dallas, I felt it was time to do it," he said. "I was kind of in a doldrum in West Virginia."

There were other considerations. He had just been turned down for a raise in West Virginia after recently becoming engaged, and when he found out his Dallas salary, he said "you bet it was" a nice increase.

St. Louis looms

A few drinks with Buck in 1966 led to Randolph's arrival in St. Louis, the most monumental move of his career. He and Buck were broadcasting a basketball doubleheader in Oklahoma City and afterward were chatting over several beverages when Buck mentioned that the football Cardinals' radio play-by-play job was going to be open.

Buck asked him if he knew of anyone who might be interested in it, and Randolph tossed out a few names while also inquiring about what the job would entail. It was a full-time position that included numerous other duties at KMOX (1120 AM).

"I asked him how much it paid, and it was a lot more than I was making in Dallas," Randolph said. "So I said to him, 'Jack, what's the matter with me?' "

He got the job, and the day after he and Sue married in Dallas, they were on their way to St. Louis, with a one-night honeymoon stop in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Randolph was No. 4 in KMOX's sports department, behind Harry Caray, Buck and Skip Caray. He had been there a little over two years when he was contacted to gauge his interest in jumping to Channel 5 as the sports director 鈥斅爉eaning he'd be anchoring sports segments on newscasts.

"I had to think hard about it because KMOX was the gold standard," he said. "I'd never done a scripted news show on TV. When I finally got into negotiations, I asked, what they would pay me聽鈥� it was four times what I was making at KMOX."

The answer about the offer might have seemed easy, but he wanted Buck's input. They had lunch. So with Buck's encouragement, he made the move.

"Jack had a great deal to do with my success," Randolph said. "He gave me a wonderful amount of time and advice over the years."

NBC assignments quickly followed, creating absences at Channel 5 鈥� the network's local affiliate. That opened a path for Ron Jacober to also make the switch from KMOX to Channel 5, at which he worked with Randolph for 17 years and often plugged Randolph's gaps on sportscasts plus Cardinals telecasts.

"He was like an older brother I never had," said Jacober, now 85. "He changed my career; he changed my life. I don't think we had a cross word in all those years, while my life revolved around his schedule. He's still a dear friend."

Randolph remembers those chaotic times.

"That's when everything went crazy," he said. "I was working 40 weeks a year (for NBC) and doing everything but fixing the kitchen sink.聽I go聽from making nothing in West Virginia to NBC in about six years.

"The rest is history."聽

That history includes doing 19 seasons of Big Eight/Big 12 basketball on those leagues' TV package, and he considers the days then working with analyst Gary Thompson to be a highlight of his career.

"It was like a traveling road show, like 'Monday Night Football' was" in its early years, he said. "Marvelous, marvelous times."

Randolph also covered three Olympics for NBC and had a blast traveling with the Cardinals and announcer buddies Buck and Mike Shannon. There would be trips to play on top-notch golf courses and/or place some bets at big time horse tracks in the daytime, then evenings spent at ballparks. Plus there were many visits to fine restaurants.

"Unforgettable," Randolph said.

The later years

After his days of full-time work ended, he wasn't done broadcasting. He appeared on several local radio stations聽鈥� most recently a long association with KTRS (550 AM)聽鈥� did commercials and for 16 years was the in-house handicapper at Fairmount Park for its Tuesday afternoon cards, a run that ended in 2020.

Randolph long has loved horse racing, as did his dad聽鈥� who introduced him to the sport as a boy at Charlestown Race Course in West Virginia. The younger Randolph spent a lot of time at Fairmount, now-defunct Cahokia Downs and many other tracks across the nation and now has the railbirds' lament: "I spent too much time betting on horses."

But it has been his hobby, as it has been for many in his circle.

In summing his now nine decades up, he again brought the conversation back to others and his family聽鈥� not career accolades.

"I always tried to be prepared," he said. "I always tried to work with and be as helpful as I could to the people behind the scenes, because they really don't get the credit they deserve for helping us do the job.

"My wife, Sue, she's the greatest influence on me," he added. "She has guided me through so many treacherous waters. She's a brilliant woman, a great lady. I owe her so much."

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The Cardinals begin their final home series of the season Friday against the Guardians. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m.

St. Louis lost Thursday to Pittsburgh, taking three of four in the series.

Cleveland, with the second-best record in the American League, is close to clinching a division title and could do so in St. Louis. The Guardians' magic number is three. Any combination of three Guardians wins or Royals losses will lock up the AL Central.

Right-hander Kyle Gibson (8-7, 4.11) will take the mound Friday for the Cardinals.

Gibson has a 0.95 ERA in his last three starts after limping to a 6.91 mark the five starts before that.

For his career, Gibson has a 5.29 ERA vs. Cleveland in 22 games, his third-most starts vs. any opponent.

The Guardians will counter with right-hander Ben Lively (12-9, 3.87), a 32-year-old who's been with four MLB teams in his five big-league seasons. In the middle of that, he spent time in the Korean league.

Though most of his pitches grade out as just above average, his hard-hit rate is in the top 10% of the league.

Rookie Thomas Saggese starts at third base, his first appearance at that position in his brief big-league career.

The Cardinals are 77-76, third in the NL Central and eight games out of the final wild-card spot.

The Guardians are 89-65, first in the AL Central. They've already clinched a playoff berth and lead Kansas City by 6 1/2 games for the division title. The Guardians are 12-6 in September.

Only one right-handed batter is in Friday's Guardians lineup, former Cardinal Lane Thomas. Cleveland starts six lefties and a pair of switch-hitters.

Cleveland has the third-best team ERA in the American League (3.67), powered mostly by its stellar relief corps.

Switch-hitting third baseman Jose Ramirez, in the American League's top 10 in numerous offensive categories, has been Cleveland's best offensive player.

The Cardinals are 14-22 all-time vs. Cleveland in interleague play and 8-12 at home.

Lineups

CARDINALS

1. Masyn Winn, SS

2. Alec Burleson, LF

3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

4. Nolan Arenado, DH

5. Brendan Donovan, 2B

6. Lars Nootbaar, CF

7. Jordan Walker, RF

8. Thomas Saggese, 3B

9. Pedro Pag茅s, C

P: Kyle Gibson, RHP

GUARDIANS

1. Angel Mart铆nez, LF

2. Kyle Manzardo, DH

3. Jos茅 Ram铆rez, 3B

4. Josh Naylor, 1B

5. Lane Thomas, CF

6. Andr茅s Gim茅nez, 2B

7. Will Brennan, RF

8. Bo Naylor, C

9. Daniel Schneemann, SS

P: Ben Lively, RHP

Injury report

Willson Contreras (fractured finger):听罢丑别 catcher fractured the middle finger on his right hand when struck by a pitch Aug. 24, and his season is effectively over following an exam Monday with team medical officials. He was prescribed another two weeks of inactivity to continue the healing process, and that assures he will not be able to play during the regular season, which ends when September does. Updated Sept. 17

Lance Lynn (right knee inflammation):听罢丑别 veteran's season came to an end Wednesday, a day after he pitched six strong innings to pick up a win over Pittsburgh and remain unbeaten at Busch since July 2017. His contract has a $12-million option for 2025, though factors are stacking up that would lead the Cardinals to decline it. Updated Sept. 18

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With his final regular season start of his first professional season, Cardinals prospect Quinn Mathews reached a benchmark that few minor league pitchers have reached over the last decade.

Mathews, a 23-year-old left-hander, struck out five batters over six innings on Thursday for Class AAA Memphis to up his season strikeout total to 202.

Mathews, who did not pitch in 2023 after getting drafted in the fourth round of that year鈥檚 MLB draft, became the 10th pitcher in Cardinals minor league history to reach the 200-strikeout mark and the second minor league pitcher since 2012 to total 200 or more strikeouts in a single season. The only pitcher besides Mathews to reach 200 strikeouts in a MiLB season was Arizona Diamondbacks Bradon Pfaadt, who totaled 218 strikeouts across Class AA and Class AAA.

The 202 strikeouts tie Mathews for the seventh-most in a single season in Cardinals minor league history.

The 23-year-old will end his regular season with an 8-5 record, a 2.76 ERA, and 0.98 walks plus hits allowed per inning in 143 1/3 innings of work across four levels of professional baseball. Across four starts in his introduction to Class AAA, Mathews posted a 6.48 ERA and totaled 22 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. Mathews鈥� six innings of work on Thursday during Memphis鈥檚 4-0 loss to Durham were the most he completed in Class AAA following his promotion to the level on Aug. 28.

Mathews, who began his season in Class Low-A and pitched in this year鈥檚 All-Star Futures Game, leads all minor league pitchers in total strikeouts with three games left in the MiLB season. There is a 36-strikeout gap between Mathews and the next closest pitcher assigned to an affiliate that is still in its regular season.

In his final regular season start, Mathews induced 12 whiffs on 43 swings for a 28% swing-and-miss rate, per Statcast. Six of his whiffs came on his slider. Four were on his changeup.

Mathews began the outing with four scoreless innings. A one-out single from Tristan Peters in the fifth inning scored the game鈥檚 first run and put runners on first and third base. Mathews got former Cardinal Richie Palacios, who is on a rehab assignment for a right knee injury, to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Mathews allowed two runs to score in the sixth inning on a double from Jake Mangum.

The left-hander capped his breakout regular season with consecutive pop outs to end the sixth frame and his outing.

Springfield heads to decisive Game 3

An eight-run fifth inning sunk Class AA Springfield on Thursday against Arkansas and will force a decisive Game 3 of the Texas League Division Series on Friday at Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri.

Springfield held a 2-1 lead on Thursday lead receiving back-to-back, two-out singles from Leonardo Bernal and Jacob Buchberger in the fourth inning.

That lead was wiped away two batters into the top of the fifth inning when Springfield starter Max Rajcic gave up a single and double to the first two batters he faced to begin the frame. After successfully fielding a pop out on a bunt attempt and allowing a single that put runners on the corner, Rajcic was replaced by Ryan Shreve.

Springfield fell behind 5-2 after Shreve allowed a walk, hit a batter, and gave up two singles. Shreve could not record an out in his relief appearance and was replaced by Benito Garcia, who gave up two runs before he could record the inning鈥檚 last out.

A three-run seventh inning highlighted by solo homers from Bernal and Bryan Torres cut Springfield鈥檚 deficit. Springfield scored an additional run in the ninth inning on a double from Dakota Harris but could not piece together a rally big enough for a comeback win.

The winner of Friday鈥檚 Game 3 will advance to the Texas League Championship Series.