The Cardinals are on pace to avoid a losing season. Does it matter? Inside Pitch
Ten Hochman: Sonny Gray makes 9. Who are the other 8 Cardinals with 200 Ks in a year?
Hochman: Does Jordan Walker鈥檚 weird year for Cardinals change your expectations? Not mine.
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As the baseball landed Tuesday in Busch Stadium鈥檚 left field bullpen, it suddenly and surprisingly could breathe clearly through its nasal passages because Jordan Walker had hit the snot out of it.
Walker鈥檚 homer, 108 mph off the bat, was his fourth of September, a reassuring sign that Jordan Walker perhaps still can become, well, the Jordan Walker we thought he鈥檇 be.
A question for you all: Does Walker鈥檚 down year (and weird year) alter how you envision his career playing out? For me, it doesn鈥檛 change it. I still think he鈥檒l become an All-Star outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals (incidentally, the Cards haven鈥檛 had an All-Star outfielder since Matt Holliday in 2015).
Yes, Walker鈥檚 2024 has been a lost season. But Walker is not a lost cause. Primarily because of his improved willingness to adjust.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 learned a lot from this year, and (when) you talk to him, there鈥檚 a different tone to kind of where he鈥檚 at mentally,鈥 Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 gone through some adjustments. Some have worked. Some have not. Right now, you鈥檙e seeing (in his swing) that his front side is different. And he鈥檚 being able to hold that position in order to (maximize) pitch recognition and just stay on the ball a little bit more.
鈥淪o I think he鈥檚 getting to a point where he鈥檚 understanding: I am going to have to make certain adjustments to take my game to the next level. And sometimes what gets you here isn鈥檛 what keeps you here. And he鈥檚 open to that.鈥
A rookie in 2023, Walker was sent down to improve his line-drive rate. He returned to the Cards on June 2, 2023, and played in 97 games down the stretch, hitting .277 with an .802 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). At that point, shoot, it wasn鈥檛 just a question of whether he鈥檇 be an All-Star but whether he鈥檇 be an All-Star in 2024?
But this year, he struggled early yet again 鈥 and he was sent down yet again. Controversial move, yes. But at the time, the Cards weren鈥檛 in a position to let a young player learn on the job. So Walker, who turned 22 on May 22, played most of the year in Memphis. He smacked a bunch of baseballs there.
Now, we all know about the brief mid-August call-up 鈥 and the perceived miscommunication. Marmol said he wanted Walker as a righty bat to face lefties, while the front office routinely said it didn鈥檛 want prospects sitting if they鈥檙e in St. Louis.
But when Walker got his second 2024 call-up, on Aug. 30, it was to play every day. And entering Wednesday, Walker had an .810 OPS in those 16 games, including six extra-base hits and the five-for-five day at Yankee Stadium.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking to just continue to drive the pitches that I鈥檓 looking for 鈥 and also trying to not chase,鈥 Walker told the media on Tuesday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just, really, consistency.鈥
He鈥檚 been humbled, no doubt. And not every athlete responds wonderfully from a humbling. But Walker will. Because now, it seems, not only was he humbled by his outcomes on the field but also by his approach off of it.
Teammate Alec Burleson said that Walker is 鈥渟tarting to learn how to, I guess, take information from guys and realize that some people have done it for a long time and know what it takes. So he鈥檚 getting better at that. But he鈥檚 taking like a pro. So I鈥檓 happy for him and want to continue seeing that success.鈥
From the manager鈥檚 office on Wednesday afternoon, Marmol spoke openly about Walker, a player he said has a ceiling that is 鈥渟uper-high. ...
鈥淏ut you get (to the majors) because you believe in yourself, and you鈥檝e done it a certain way. And then when the league shows you something that you need to make an adjustment to, sometimes it takes longer to do. But I do think he鈥檚 different now in understanding, like, 鈥楳an, I did it a certain way, and there are some adjustments I have to make, in order to take that next step. And that next step, and then that next step.鈥 We鈥檙e experiencing that side of him more this year than previous year.鈥
Much of this comes back to chasing pitches. For Walker, the best version of himself is a batter who can win a battle against a good pitch but can avoid swinging at a beguiling great pitch that will end up outside the strike zone. His current chase percentage of 31.4 rates below average on Baseball Savant (for the season, Major League Baseball players have a 28.5% chase rate).
And by decreasing his chasing of pitches, Walker should get more ball calls ... and thus more pitches per at-bat 鈥 and, ultimately, a pitch to hit. And Baseball Savant states that Walker has shown improvement in exit velocity and bat speed.
鈥淚鈥檓 betting he鈥檚 going to be a really, really good player,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淢y goal is to spend as much time with him this offseason and just monitor that progress, to make sure that we get the player that we know we have out of him, come next year. But there鈥檚 growth there. ...
鈥淭he homers are all are awesome, yeah, but him spitting on a 1-2 slider ... you can just tell he鈥檚 recognizing it a little earlier than usual, and that鈥檚 also important. But it鈥檚 going to be a process.鈥
Erick Fedde, Cardinals aim for 4-game sweep of slumping Pirates: First Pitch
The Cardinals wrap up a four-game home series Thursday against the Pirates with eyes on a series sweep. First pitch is set for 6:15 p.m.
The Redbirds' offense exploded for 10 runs Wednesday in a rally that provided what the team hopes is a glimpse of the future.
Right-hander Erick Fedde (8-9, 3.45) will take the mound Thursday for the Cardinals.
At 1-5 with a 4.43 ERA since coming to St. Louis at the trade deadline, Fedde's numbers have seen a significant decline vs. his White Sox tally.
On average, batters are hitting the ball 2 miles per hour faster and elevating it 5 degrees more vs. Fedde during his stint with St. Louis vs. his time this year with Chicago.
The Pirates will counter with right-hander Luis Ortiz (6-6, 3.45), a 25-year-old Dominican who moved to the Bucs' rotation in late June.
He has faced St. Louis just once this year, out of the bullpen on July 2, when he gave up a run in two innings.
Since the start of August, he has a 4.70 ERA and the Pirates are 2-6 in those games.
Pittsburgh outfielder Oneil Cruz is in the starting lineup for the first time this series. He suffered an ankle injury in the team's last series.
The Cardinals are 77-75, tied for second in the division, though Milwaukee has already clinched the title. St. Louis is seven games out of the last wild-card spot.
With their 10-run outburst Wednesday, the Cardinals scored more than four runs for just the second time in their last 12 games.
The Pirates, losers of five of six, are 71-81 and last in the NL Central. They've committed an error in six straight games, the longest active error streak in baseball. Pittsburgh has lost five straight at Busch.
The Pirates are 16-28 since Aug. 1.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Masyn Winn, SS
2. Alec Burleson, DH
3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Brendan Donovan, 2B
6. Lars Nootbaar, LF
7. Jordan Walker, RF
8. Pedro Pag茅s, C
9. Michael Siani, CF
P: Erick Fedde, RHP
PIRATES
1. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS
2. Bryan Reynolds, DH
3. Oneil Cruz, CF
4. Rowdy Tellez, 1B
5. Nick Gonzales, 2B
6. Bryan De La Cruz, RF
7. Nick Yorke, LF
8. Yasmani Grandal, C
9. Jared Triolo, 3B
P: Luis Ortiz, 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
How rally gave Cardinals glimpse of future they 鈥榥eed,鈥 Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn crave
Since the evening the Cardinals selected them with the first two picks of the 2020 MLB Draft and they became two of the closest friends, Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn have done interviews, played video games, been compared, and even talked about success in the majors in one way they have yet to experience it.
Together.
Two of the top prospects in all of Minor League Baseball over the past three years are as close off the field as they鈥檝e rarely been on the field.
Winn spent most of Walker鈥檚 rookie year in Class AAA Memphis, and during Winn鈥檚 bid to receive votes for the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year, Walker spent most of the season in Triple-A. The limited months they鈥檝e spent together in the majors have featured one struggling while the other thrived 鈥 and yet as the Cardinals鈥 squint past the 2024 standings they see the same future for their young shortstop and younger outfielder. There鈥檚 potential to produce exactly as they spend so much time: together.
鈥淲e need that as an organization,鈥 manager Oliver Marmol said Wednesday night at Busch Stadium. 鈥淭hat is exactly what is needed 鈥 for both of these guys to become the players we think they鈥檙e capable of becoming and they think they鈥檙e capable of becoming. And we鈥檙e going to do everything possible to make sure that happens.鈥
The Cardinals got a glimpse of what that could look like when they needed it most Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
What had been a 4-0 lead vanished on one pitch that vaporized Sonny Gray鈥檚 chance at a win in his final home start of the regular season and put the Cardinals behind by a run, slinking back toward that anchor of their season, a .500 record. Reliever Matthew Liberatore entered the game with a two-run lead, but had two Pirates on base, and their No. 9 hitter, rookie Billy Cook, coming up. Cook marked his eighth game in the majors with a three-run homer on the first pitch from Liberatore 鈥 and the Pirates had the lead, 5-4.
It would take Winn and Walker to seize it back during a six-run inning that powered the Cardinals to a 10-5 victory at Busch Stadium. They were apart in the lineup but left their impression on the comeback.
Together.
鈥淚 just think it was a good answer,鈥 Gray said. 鈥淓specially the way the sixth inning unfolded for us. You have the lead for the majority of the game, feel like the game is somewhat in control. One pitch (and) the lead gets taken from you. I just think to be able to respond and answer, that鈥檚 the important thing. 鈥 You know you鈥檙e not out of this thing. Swings the momentum. It鈥檚 no secret there are a lot of talented young guys on this team, so that was nice to see.鈥
Or as Walker put it: Winn鈥檚 homer to tie the game was 鈥渟uper sick鈥 and his bases-clearing double to widen the lead was 鈥渟ick as well.鈥
Part 1: Winn
While Walker searched for his swing in Memphis, Winn found his groove with a glove in St. Louis.
The rookie shortstop has made a bid for the Gold Glove Award by leading his position in several of the advanced defensive metrics and putting together a sizzle reel long enough to get the attention of managers and coaches who vote with highlights in mind. For much of the season, he also led the Cardinals in average, flirted with batting .300, and remains one of the most successful hitters in the majors with two strikes. He鈥檚 also, for the first time, learned how to preserve his body for the marathon season, taking days earlier in the year to avoid aggravating or enraging a back soreness that could become an injury that cost him later in the season.
鈥淭his is a guy who wants to be the shortstop for 162 games, doesn鈥檛 want days off,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 building toward that. 鈥 This is a guy who plays with a ton of emotion. Depending on how you use that, you could kind of burn out when you play 162. I think he鈥檚 done a really nice job of keeping his edge regardless of situation. You see him. He competes. It doesn鈥檛 matter the score. Day game. Night game. Fifteen in a row. He鈥檚 going to give you everything he鈥檚 got.鈥
Winn worked a seven-pitch at-bat to leadoff the game against former teammate Jake Woodford only to groundout. In addition to being in the middle on defense, Winn has taken over being the top of the lineup, and he entered the seventh inning 0 for 3.
He welcomed former All-Star and former closer David Bednar into the game by pouncing on a curveball and sending it 383 feet to tie the game.
鈥淣eeded it,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淣eeded it from a momentum standpoint.鈥
The inning unraveled on the Pirates from there. An error put another runner on base. The next two Cardinals walked. Ivan Herrera had the infield single that broke the tie, and Lars Nootbaar laced a single up the middle to regain a two-run lead for the Cardinals. Winn had been in the dugout for six batters when he returned to the top railing to watch his pal, his peer as a prospect, his NBA 2K rival, and his fellow future Cardinals鈥 cornerstone if all of this goes as planned.
Walker had the bases loaded.
Winn wasn鈥檛 going to miss this.
鈥淭here is a really good relationship there,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淚n that clubhouse, they鈥檙e together quite a bit. When you go into the food room, the clubhouse, the video room 鈥 they鈥檙e together a decent amount of the day. There is a comfort in that. They came up together. They competed together. And they take stabs at one another as who is better and that type of thing, in a fun way. They鈥檝e been up here separate from each other. Having them together is good.鈥
Part 2: Walker
Before the sixth inning came undone against Gray and Liberatore, Walker was in the middle of Pittsburgh鈥檚 first rally.
When Walker reported along with Winn to the Cardinals鈥 alternate-site camp during the pandemic season of 2020, he played third base and spent time there with Winn on the left side of the infield together. Scouts and internal evaluations believed as he added strength and size he would be pulled toward a corner outfield spot, and that happened as his bat thundered its way up through the system. Right field remains a work in progress for Walker.
Late Wednesday night, he detailed how he鈥檚 had difficulty late in games with the lights and line drives of a certain height.
One such line drive got away from Walker despite a good read on the ball in the fourth. Another ball got past his reach in the right-field. Both fly balls had a chance to be caught, and instead of outs Gray had allowed two runs that halved the Cardinals鈥 lead.
Walker did not let the defense leak into his offense.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been in and out when you talk to him and there are times when he鈥檚 really just focused on his defense and wants to do well out there,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淎nd there are times when he felt comfortable out there and his at-bats were his focus. That鈥檚 part of it 鈥 being able to separate it. The more he does it the better he鈥檚 going to get at it.鈥
A few hours earlier, Marmol sat in his office and described how Walker improved his ability to dictate at-bats. What the manager meant by that is a young hitter who can reach more pitches, extend at-bats, ignore the filthiest pitch, and keep in their long enough to get a mistake or get back ahead. With the bases loaded in the seventh and a chance to add on to the rally started by Winn, Walker did not get ahead, but he remained in control.
He fouled off a four-seam fastball.
He was coaxed into swinging at a changeup outside the zone.
He ignored the next changeup that also drifted away.
He geared up for the fastball and got it 鈥 pulling it hard down the third-base line. The ball left Walker鈥檚 bat at 115.5 mph. By that measure, it was the hardest ball hit by a Cardinal this season, and it cleared the bases for three RBIs.
鈥淚鈥檝e got to put something in play,鈥 Walker said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got to try to hit it hard.鈥
Said Marmol: 鈥淭hat is that confidence piece we鈥檙e talking about with Jordan. Continue to pile on some of these moments that flip the game that he can draw from moving forward. This game is hard, especially at this level when you鈥檙e trying to make adjustments at the highest level. So, to be able to do what he鈥檚 doing right now 鈥 this is going to help down the road.鈥
That鈥檚 the plan.
A September that began with a five-hit game at Yankee Stadium has become one with 12 RBIs and seven extra-base hits for Walker in 15 games. He provided the winning run with a solo homer Tuesday night, and he created a rout where once a deficit had been with a double on Wednesday. And in each of those games, Winn played an influential part. He reached base twice and scored the insurance run Tuesday. He yanked back the momentum Wednesday with his 14th homer of the season.
鈥淚 want to be right there with him while he鈥檚 doing his thing,鈥 Walker said.
Photos: With a 3RBI double from Walker, Cardinals battle back with a crushing 10-5 win over the Pirates
Cardinals Class Low-A affiliate claims Florida State League title with win over Lakeland
Class Low-A Palm Beach bookended a season that included a franchise-best 83-47 record with a Florida State League championship-clinching win over Lakeland on Wednesday. To do so, it took waiting through a two-hour and 34-minute rain delay and a pair of clutch hits from two members of the Cardinals鈥 2024 MLB draft class.
Tied at three runs apiece vs. Lakeland entering the seventh inning at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, the Cardinals鈥 Class Low-A affiliate received a go-ahead RBI double from Bryce Madron that plated Ryan Campos and advanced Jon Jon Gazdar to third base. In the at-bat that followed, JJ Wetherholt, the Cardinals鈥 top pick in this year鈥檚 draft, belted a fly ball to center field that led to a triple and scored Gazdar and Mardon to further Palm Beach鈥檚 lead in the 6-4 win over the Detroit Tigers鈥 Class Low-A affiliate.
While Palm Beach hitters pushed across six runs, its pitching staff combined to hold Lakeland to three runs across eight innings of relief after starter Chen-Wei Lin鈥檚 outing was cut short because of the rain delay.
The win gives Palm Beach its third overall Florida State League title and second individual claim to the FSL championship. Palm Beach was named co-champions in 2017 alongside Dunedin, the Toronto Blue Jays鈥 Class Low-A affiliate, after Hurricane Irma canceled that year鈥檚 championship series.
Nolan Sparks, who entered in relief at the start of the sixth inning, allowed one run and struck out five batters across 2 2/3 innings as the game鈥檚 winning pitcher. The lone run allowed by Sparks came in the form of a leadoff home run to Jack Penney at the start of the eighth inning. Sparks 鈥 the Cardinals鈥 13th-round pick in the year鈥檚 draft 鈥 struck out the next two batters before allowing a single to Garrett Pennington.
Following the two-out single from Pennington, Sparks was replaced by Luis Gastelum, who struck out Franyerber Montilla, looking, to end the eighth. Gastelum returned for the ninth inning and retired the Lakeland side in order.
Gastelum, a 22-year-old eighty from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, punctuated Palm Beach鈥檚 season with a called strike three on a changeup that froze David Smith and sent the PB-Cards into a celebration.
鈥淲e knew kind of in that rain delay that they were going to try to get the game in and we knew Chen-Wei wasn't going to be out there to throw,鈥 Sparks said late Wednesday night during a phone interview. 鈥淏ut we knew all he needed to do was kind of start us off. Going into the game, if anyone got into trouble, we had a very good and deep bullpen where we had plenty of guys to go to. It was just kind of a plan coming to fruition and working out.鈥
Lin, who went 10-5 with a 2.79 ERA, 123 strikeouts in 116 innings, and was named an FSL Post-Season All-Star, pitched one scoreless inning before wet conditions caused a two-hour and 34-minute delay.聽
Once the weather cleared and conditions were set to resume play in the bottom of the first inning, a two-out double from Ian Petrutz scored Josh Kross and Madron, the latter of whom singled before the delay began.
Leonel Sequera came in to relieve Lin to begin the second inning and pitched two scoreless innings as Palm Beach furthered its lead to 3-0 when Madron grounded into a forceout in the second inning. Sequera allowed a run in the fourth inning on a single from Montilla that signaled the end of Sequera鈥檚 outing as Juan Salas entered and kept Montilla stranded on first by getting Archer Brookman to fly out.
Lakeland tied Wednesday鈥檚 game in the fifth inning when Penney belted a two-run homer off of Salas, who started 22 regular-season games for Palm Beach and entered Game 3 on three days of rest after starting Game 1.
Palm Beach hitters went down in order in the fifth and sixth innings before Campos reached on an error to begin the seventh. Gazdar followed behind Campos by drawing a walk to put the go-ahead run in scoring position and set the stage for Madron and Wetherholt to provide the finishing touches on Palm Beach鈥檚 strong season.
鈥淚t's a fantastic feeling just knowing that everyone that you're playing with is competing for the same dream, competing to eventually play in the big leagues,鈥 Sparks said. 鈥淓veryone is fighting to win (and) fighting to do their best, so it's all that hard work paying off and really showing out on the field.聽
鈥淚t was great to do it with each other. We were a very close-knit team. We always stuck with each other. It was definitely a 鈥渨e鈥 team versus a 鈥渕e鈥 team. I loved that about it, and it was awesome rallying with each other, getting everybody fired up, and just a lot of hard work paying off.鈥
'Cardinal fans should be excited about the future,' rookie Michael McGreevy says of team's youth
Michael McGreevy returns to the majors with experience to draw from: Cardinals Extra
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When Cardinals prospect Michael McGreevy rejoined Class AAA Memphis following his MLB debut July 31, the 24-year-old righty returned to the minors with a few milestones checked off.
He left Busch Stadium that day with a win in his first career game, the first three strikeouts of his career and some reinforced confidence in what he could do in the majors.
鈥淚t鈥檚 everything,鈥 McGreevy said on Wednesday. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e up on the mound and you鈥檙e like, 鈥極h, I don鈥檛 know if I can get a guy out,鈥 you鈥檙e probably not going to have a good day. When you know my stuff can play in the zone, get swings out of the zone 鈥 it鈥檚 everything. It鈥檚 all about the conviction up there.鈥
Upon his return to the majors, the right-hander will have that memory bank to pull from.
McGreevy rejoined the Cardinals on Wednesday as starter Lance Lynn landed on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation for the second time this season 鈥 the first of which led to McGreevy鈥檚 first call-up as a spot starter against the Texas Rangers. The rookie spun seven innings of one-run ball in that outing.
鈥淚t was so awesome,鈥 McGreevy said while reflecting on his debut. 鈥淚 mean, the first one was more like, 鈥極K. Cool. I did it.鈥 But then thinking about it more, it鈥檚 like you just want more of that.鈥
Back in the majors after nearly seven weeks in the minors, McGreevy will fill a role in the bullpen. That placement comes based on where the Cardinals rotation stands entering the final 11 games of the season.
Marmol said McGreevy could have been a starting option to fill Lynn鈥檚 spot in the rotation on Monday, but that possibility did not line up given Lynn鈥檚 next turn would have landed on the Cardinals鈥 off-day Monday.
However, the plans for McGreevy could be altered.
鈥淚deally, I would have liked to get a start out of him (McGreevy) just so that he can prep properly and just have an outing like that. The way it all plays out at the moment, that鈥檚 not what it looks like, but that can change.鈥
While in the minors following his debut, McGreevy went 4-1 with a 2.88 ERA in seven starts. The former first-round pick from the 2021 MLB draft struck out 42 batters in 40鈪 innings and walked eight. He held opposing hitters to a .639 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) in that span.
Across the entire minor league season, McGreevy has gone 9-8 with a 4.02 ERA in 150 innings. The righty, whose innings total with Memphis is second across Class AAA, has posted a strikeout rate 14.7 percentage points higher than his walk rate.
鈥淵ou want that from a confidence standpoint,鈥 Marmol said of McGreevy鈥檚 MLB debut. 鈥淗im being able to go back down with a taste of it and (that he) did it well, it鈥檚 a good feeling. Hopefully being able to draw from that.鈥
Lynn鈥檚 return season ends
With the IL placement, Lance Lynn wraps up 2024 his season with a 7-4 record, a 3.84 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 117鈪 innings across 23 starts.
Lynn, 37, returned to the Cardinals this past winter as a free agent. The Cardinals have a $12 million option to keep Lynn for the 2025 season or can chose to pay a $1 million buyout that will make the righty a free agent.
鈥淗e鈥檚 pitched through some real stuff this year,鈥 Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said of Lynn. 鈥淭here are certain outings where I didn鈥檛 think he鈥檇 be able to take the ball and still would give you five, six innings. It鈥檚 impressive, man, but it鈥檚 a good example of what it looks like to post. It really is.
鈥淔or those young guys to see that you鈥檙e not always going to be 100% and there is a difference between having some ache and pain and being injured. He鈥檚 able to talk through that well because he鈥檚 had to do it for so long. It was fun watching last night.鈥
Adams retires a Cardinal
Former Cardinals Matt Adams, who played in seven of his 10 MLB seasons in the majors in St. Louis, signed a one-day contract to retire with the Cardinals.
Adams, 36, was honored before Wednesday鈥檚 game with a ceremony that featured a highlight video of his Cardinals career, including his pivotal Game 4 home run off Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw that lifted St. Louis to a National League Division Series win over Los Angeles.
Adams 鈥 a 23rd-round pick by the Cardinals in the 2009 MLB draft 鈥 batted .266 with a .760 OPS and 59 homers in 513 games as a Cardinal.
鈥淚 love playing here in front of Cardinal nation. ... Every time I come back here, it鈥檚 nothing but love, and I鈥檓 super-happy to step foot inside the stadium,鈥 Adams said.
Adams has aspirations of managing for his post-playing career.
Extra bases
The Cardinals plan to start Andre Pallante during Sunday鈥檚 regular-season home finale against the Cleveland Guardians.
Class AA Springfield (Missouri) won Game 1 of the Texas League Division Series 4-1 over Arkansas on Tuesday night. Cardinals outfield prospect Chase Davis, who was the club鈥檚 first-round pick in the 2023 MLB draft, homered and drove in two runs in the win. Springfield will host Game 2 vs. Arkansas on Thursday at Hammons Field in Springfield.
Class Low-A Palm Beach鈥檚 8-4 win on Tuesday over Lakeland set up a decisive Game 3 in the Florida State League Championship series. The winner-take-all Game 3 was in a rain delay at the time of this writing.
Class Low-A Palm Beach manager Gary Kendall was named Florida State League manager of the year after he guided the PB-Cards to a franchise-best 83-47 record and clinched a playoff spot for the third consecutive season since he became Palm Beach鈥檚 manager in 2022.
Lance Lynn's encore Cardinals season comes to an end on IL; Michael McGreevy promoted
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The immediate decision Lance Lynn and the Cardinals had to make about his future with the club would be left up to his right knee and how uncomfortable it was when he woke up Wednesday, the veteran starter said.
The knee had a vote, and it put him back on the injured list.
The Cardinals expected that as an outcome headed into the game.
"He's pitched through real stuff this year," manager Oliver Marmol said.
Lynn's encore season with the Cardinals came to an official end Wednesday when the club placed the right-hander on the 15-day IL with inflammation in his right knee. It's a similar injury that caused him to miss about six weeks in the middle of the season.
After six strong innings Tuesday night and a victory to improve to 6-0 at Busch Stadium this season, Lynn said if he made another start for the Cardinals this season he wanted it to be at home.
The Cardinals have a $12 million option for 2025 to keep Lynn on the roster, or they can elect to pay a $1 million buyout and allow him to become a free agent. In the same story linked above, Lynn talks about the decision he'll face on whether to pitch in 2025, when he'll turn 38. The Cardinals have not made a decision on his option, though the team is indicating changes to a roster that has hovered around .500 all season.
Lynn finished the 2024 season with a 7-4 record and a 3.84 ERA in 23 starts.
His win on Tuesday night against Pittsburgh meant that, in his 100th career appearance at Busch Stadium, Lynn got his 46th win here. This season, he reached 2,000 strikeouts in his career as well as 2,000 innings. A thousand of those innings have come with the Cardinals, the team that drafted him out of Ole Miss in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft and debuted him in the majors three years later for a team bound for a World Series championship.
McGreevy, 24, was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday for Class AAA Memphis.
The right-hander impressed earlier this season in a spot start for the big league Cardinals. He allowed one run on five hits through seven innings, and he earned the win in his major league debut. In 27 starts for the Triple-A Redbirds, McGreevy went 9-8 with a 4.02 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 150 innings.
The Cardinals' first-round pick in 2021, McGreevy has gone 8-2 with a 2.80 ERA in his past 17 starts for Memphis.
He has 97 strikeouts in 99鈪 innings in that span.
The Cardinals announced Andre Pallante will start Sunday's game, the regular season home finale. McGreevy will spend the coming games in the bullpen, and he will be considered for a start during next week's closing road trip.