photo: Tommy Edman (Jon Durr/USA TODAY Sports)
The St. Louis Cardinals had a disappointing 2-4 week as trade rumors swirl around Tommy Edman and Giovanny Gallegos was removed from the roster. Our history feature highlights notable former Cardinals who debuted during the past week.
Game recaps
Monday, July 22, 2024 – Cardinals 1 at Pirates 2
The St. Louis Cardinals lost to the Pirates in the opener of a three-game series at PNC Park. Andre Pallante started for St. Louis and pitched six strong innings with one run allowed on three hits. The right hander struck out three and walked two.
Reliever Chris Roycroft threw one scoreless inning in relief of Pallante. John King surrendered the winning Pirates run in the eighth and took the loss.
The meager offense for the Cardinals came in the fifth inning after the Pirates had taken a 1-0 lead in the third. The tying run was a solo home run by Nolan Gorman. The Cardinals were unable to muster any runs with only three runners in scoring position and seven hits against Mitch Keller.
The Pirates got to King in the eighth and that was the ballgame.
Paul Goldschmidt produced two of the team’s seven hits, both singles.
Alec Burleson attempted a stolen base but was caught.
Tuesday, July 23, 2024 – Cardinals 2 at Pirates 1
In a role reversal of the previous day’s game, the Cardinals were the beneficiaries of a 2-1 win over the Pirates in the second game of the series. Lance Lynn took the mound for the Cardinals and kept the Pirates off the board for five innings. He allowed four hits, struck out two and walked three.
John King did a better job in the second game, tossing a scoreless inning in relief. Andrew Kittredge did the same. JoJo Romero allowed the lone Pirates’ run in the eighth inning. He was replaced after one out by Ryan Fernandez, who finished the inning and was awarded the win. Ryan Helsley closed out the ninth to earn his 33rd save.
The Cardinals got on the board in the fifth inning with a solo home run by Nolan Arenado. After the Pirates tied the game in the eighth, St. Louis regained the lead in the ninth.
The top of the ninth began with a double by Michael Siani. Following a ground out by Masyn Winn, Alec Burleson drove in Siani from third on a single to give the team the 2-1 lead.
The long ball from Arenado and the double by Siani were the only extra base hits in the game. This win handed Pirates All-Star starter Paul Skenes his first career loss.
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 – Cardinals 0 at Pirates 5
After scoring only three total runs in the first two games of the series, the Cardinals were shut down completely by Pirates pitching – Martín Perez and three relievers.
The Cardinals decided to start Matthew Liberatore in a bullpen game rather than go with a regular starter. It proved to be a disaster.
Liberatore pitched three innings and gave up all five Pirates’ runs on four hits. Three strikeouts and three walks completed the outing.
Chris Roycroft came in to stop the bleeding and did so for three innings, along with Giovanny Gallegos for two more innings.
St. Louis did nothing to help the situation. They scattered six hits, including two by leadoff hitter Masyn Winn. Paul Goldschmidt had the only extra base hit, a double.
Dylan Carlson was caught stealing home.
Thursday, July 25, 2024 – Off day
Friday, July 26, 2024 – Cardinals 8, Nationals 10 (10 innings)
The Cardinals returned home to face the Nationals in a weekend series at Busch Stadium. The opener was an extra innings slugfest in which the Cardinals came out the losers. Sonny Gray’s start was not one of his best. The right hander gave up five runs on seven hits in five innings. He did punch out seven Nationals but walked three.
John King relieved Gray and got through the sixth unscathed. He returned to start the seventh and walked the first batter, who later scored with Andrew Kittredge on the mound. Kittredge is credited with 2/3 of a scoreless inning. JoJo Romero got the final out of the seventh and threw a scoreless eighth inning. Ryan Helsley added scoreless ninth. Ryan Fernandez pitched the 10th and gave up four runs, three earned, to take the loss.
This game was wild. The Nationals scored two runs in the second inning to take the lead. In the third, the Cardinals put up five runs to lead 5-2. Michael Siani led off the inning with a walk. Masyn Winn then smashed his sixth homer of the season, a two-run shot. Willson Contreras and Alec Burleson followed with singles. Nolan Arenado then blasted a three-run home run.
In the next inning the Nationals took one run back. The Cardinals, undaunted, got it right back in the bottom of the inning. Three straight singles by Pedro Pagés, Siani, and Winn led to Pagés scoring.
From there, the Nationals chipped away at the 6-3 lead while the Cardinals stopped scoring. Washington produced two runs in the fifth, and the tying run in the seventh.
Extra innings is when the wheels came off the bus. The 10th started out well, with Fernandez getting the first two outs in a row. Then the decision was made to intentionally walk the next hitter, Luis Garcia Jr. After Garcia stole second and Fernandez walked the next hitter, Nationals centerfielder Jacob Young hit a fly ball to right field. Cardinals right fielder Dylan Carlson misplayed it horribly, to the tune of a two-run triple for Young. Young then scored on a ground ball to first base by C.J Abrams that turned into an infield single. The Nationals led 10-6.
The Cardinals clawed back in the bottom of the 10th on a two-run home run by Paul Goldschmidt, but the rally fell short.
The Cardinals scored eight runs on 11 hits. Winn went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Goldschmidt was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Willson Contreras was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Pedro Pagés was 2-for-4. Arenado had three RBI.
Saturday, July 27, 2024 – Cardinals 3, Nationals 14
If Friday’s game wasn’t bad enough, Saturday’s was even worse. The Cardinals suffered the indignity of a 14-3 blowout. Kyle Gibson started and pitched okay, but not deep enough into the game, and the bullpen failed.
Gibson went five innings and gave up two runs on six hits. He issued three walks and did not strike out anyone.
Chris Roycroft came in for relief and allowed three runs in 1/3 of an inning. Then the loser of the bullpen game from Wednesday, Matthew Liberatore, entered and finished the inning with four more runs on the board for a total of seven in the inning.
Giovanny Gallegos, in what turned out to be his final appearance for the Cardinals, yielded one additional run in the next 1 2/3 innings. By that time, the game was out of hand, so the game was finished on the mound by shortstop Brandon Crawford, who surrendered the final four runs.
The Nationals scored one run in each of the second and third innings. The top of the sixth was the seven run inning and the Nationals were up 9-0.
The Cardinals finally put two runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Alec Burleson singled and Willson Contreras popped a two-run home run.
The indignity continued into the seventh with the Nationals padding the lead with another run. The Cardinals got one more run back in the eighth. Masyn Winn singled and later scored on a single by Matt Carpenter.
The Nationals took batting practice off Crawford in the ninth for the final score of 14-3.
The Contreras home run was the only extra base hit, and the only hit for Contreras. Brendan Donovan was 2-for-4.
Sunday, July 28, 2024 – Cardinals 4, Nationals 3
The Cardinals managed to barely pull out a win in this disastrous series by a 4-3 score over the Nationals in walk off fashion on Sunday.
Starter Miles Mikolas pitched six innings with three runs allowed on seven hits, three strikeouts and one walk.
The bullpen kept the remainder of the game in hand. John King, Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Helsley each tossed a scoreless frame. Helsley received the win instead of a save.
The scoring began in the first inning on a solo home run by Willson Contreras. The home run came on the first pitch he saw, a middle-in slider. St. Louis added a second run in the second inning. Lars Nootbaar walked and scored on a triple by Pedro Pagés.
The Nationals came back to tie the game in the third. In the sixth, Washington took a 3-2 lead.
The Cardinals tied the score at 3-3 in the seventh. It again began with a walk to Nootbaar. Pagés singled. Michael Siani slapped a ground ball to short that the shortstop couldn’t handle, and it went into left field for an RBI single.
In the bottom of the ninth, Paul Goldschmidt hit a solo home run to break the tie and give the Cardinals the walk off win.
The Big Picture
Continuing to tread water in what was supposedly an easier part of the schedule, the Cardinals had another down week with a 2-4 record in six games. They lost 2 of 3 to both the Pirates and the Nationals. Despite the poor showing, the Cardinals remain in second place in the Division, six games back of the Brewers and one game ahead of the Pirates.
There was basically little offense the entire week. The run differential is now up to -48. There has been no explanation offered for why this offense has struggled so much all season. There may not be one.
The top offensive performers for the week by OPS were three unexpected leaders – Pedro Pagés (1.115), Michael Siani (.962) and Paul Goldschmidt (.956). At the bottom are Alec Burleson (.382), Dylan Carlson (.222) and Brendan Donovan (.212).
The starting pitching was better than the offense, though not by a whole lot when you factor in the Matthew Liberatore start. Between the one and start and appearances out of the bullpen, Liberatore posted a 22.09 ERA for the week. Three starters posted ERAs under four, Lance Lynn (0.00), Andre Pallante (1.50) and Kyle Gibson (3.60). Miles Mikolas barely missed (4.50) but Sonny Gray missed the mark by a lot (9.00).
The bullpen fared better other than Ryan Fernandez (16.20), Chris Roycroft (6.23) and JoJo Romero (5.40). Giovanny Gallegos has been designated for assignment and Kyle Leahy has been recalled.
Trade deadline update
The Cardinals now have an open 40-man spot for an addition to the roster. All indications are that addition if it materializes will be a pitcher. An argument can be made that offense is more needed now, but that does not appear to be the direction the team is going. This is perhaps because of the lingering absence of Stephen Matz and the workload of the staff taxed by shorter starts and multiple doubleheaders of late.
The trade deadline is less than 48 hours away at the time of this writing. Other than a couple of rumors, there has been mostly silence on the trade front. Per a report from MLB.com’s John Denton, the team is “not positioned” to take on significant additional salary in future seasons.
The Cardinals’ modus operandi has been to look for low cost options if possible, which usually ends up being a reliever, although a starter is indicated as the pressing need. The one starter name that has been circulated is White Sox starter Erick Fedde. Other teams have indicated interest in Fedde, including the NL Central rival Brewers.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
| Milwaukee | 60 | 45 | 0.571 | |
| St. Louis | 54 | 51 | 0.514 | 6 |
| Pittsburgh | 53 | 52 | 0.505 | 7 |
| Chicago | 51 | 56 | 0.477 | 10 |
| Cincinnati | 50 | 55 | 0.476 | 10 |
As of today, the Cardinals are one game out of a tie for the third wild card.
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
- A report early in the week indicated that the Cardinals were interested in pitcher Zach Eflin. Eflin was traded several days later to the Baltimore Orioles. The other rumor reported in last week’s Notebook concerned the Cardinals interest in Erick Fedde. Other teams have expressed interest in Fedde as well and as of this writing Fedde has not been traded.
- On Sunday, multiple sources indicated that both the Dodgers and the Yankees are interested in Tommy Edman. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic has reported that talks between the Dodgers and the Cardinals concerning Edman are taking place. Rosenthal also indicated that the Yankees have shown interest in Edman and that the Cardinals may consider a trade for Yankees starter Nestor Cortes.
Transactions
- 7/24 The Cardinals sent IF/OF Tommy Edman on a rehab assignment to the Springfield Cardinals. Edman has yet to play in the field and is batting just .207 with a 26.5% strikeout rate at Double-A.
- 7/28 The Cardinals designated RHP Giovanny Gallegos for assignment.
A member of the Cardinals since 2018, Gallegos has been injured and inconsistent this season (6.53 ERA in 21 appearances). It appears the Cardinals are trying to rid themselves of the remainder of his almost $6 million salary as part of trade deadline maneuvers. This move frees up a 40-man roster spot with a trade for Gallegos a possible next step.
- 7/28 The Cardinals recalled RHP Kyle Leahy from the Memphis Redbirds.
Injury Report
- CF Tommy Edman (arthroscopic wrist surgery) was transferred to the 60-day injured list from the 15-day injured list on May 6. Edman is currently on a rehab assignment with the Springfield Cardinals.
- RHP Keynan Middleton (right forearm strain) was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list on June 22. Middleton underwent season ending forearm surgery. The right hander will not throw a pitch for the Cardinals this season.
- LHP Drew Rom (left bicep tendinitis and left shoulder surgery) was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60 day-injured list on April 30. Rom underwent left shoulder surgery. The left hander is expected to be out until September.
- RHP Riley O’Brien (right forearm flexor strain) was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list on May 10. O’Brien has begun a rehab assignment with the Memphis Redbirds.
- LHP Steven Matz (lower back strain) was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list on June 28. Matz has thrown two bullpen sessions and is close to a live batting practice session. His return is still hopeful for August, with the caveat that his role will depend on the Cardinals moves at the trade deadline.
Looking Ahead
The week ahead begins with a three-game series at home with the Texas Rangers to end the month of July. Andre Pallante is scheduled to make the start on Monday, followed by Lance Lynn on Tuesday, and Sonny Gray on Wednesday.
August begins at Wrigley Field with four games with the Cubs. The Cardinals return to St. Louis for a rain makeup game with the Mets on Monday, August 5. Next is a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays.
The team leaves for a road trip following the Rays series. The Cardinals meet the Royals in Kansas City for two games to complete the home and home series. They then travel to Cincinnati to play the Reds for three games on August 12-14.
Blast from the Past
This week’s Blast from the Past continues the Debut series for the second consecutive week. This series showcases the major league debuts of notable Cardinals from the past to the recent present.
This week will cover Cardinals from the last 10 years. None of the Cardinals are currently on the roster but some are playing for other MLB teams.
The following list contains the name of the former Cardinal, the date on which he debuted, in what game he debuted, and how he performed.
Mike Mayers – Mayers debuted on July 24, 2016 in a 9-6 loss to the Dodgers at Busch Stadium. Cardinal fans may remember this debut for the disaster it turned out to be. Mayers was called up because of an earlier in the week rain out and subsequent 16- inning game that taxed the rotation.
Mayers got the start but lasted only 1 1/3 innings. He gave up six runs to the Dodgers in the first inning and two more in the second inning before he was replaced by Seth Maness.
Mayers pitched in three more games out of the bullpen in 2016 and made three appearances in 2017. He continued to pitch out of the bullpen over the next two seasons and then was put on waivers in November 2019 and claimed by the Angels. He pitched for the Royals in 2022 but has not pitched on the major league level since then. Mayers is currently on a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Kwan-Hyun Kim –The Cardinals signed Korean pitcher Kim in December 2019. Kim debuted on July 24, 2020, in the first game of the shortened 2020 season. Kim entered as a reliever in the ninth inning of a 9-1 win over the Pirates at Busch Stadium.
Kim allowed the Pirates’ only run. The first batter reached on an error, and then Kim gave up a double and a single for the run. He secured the three outs on a lineout and a double play to the end the game.’
Kim made his first start against the Cubs on August 17 and earned his first win against the Reds on August 22. He made seven total starts in 2020 and made 21 starts in 2021. The lefty became a free agent after the 2021 season and returned to pitch in Korea in 2022 where he remains to the present.
Harrison Bader – Bader made his debut for the Cardinals on July 25, 2017 in a 3-2 win over the Rockies at Busch Stadium. Bader was in the starting lineup in center field and hit seventh. He went 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Bader’s first at bat was in the second inning. He led off and grounded out to the shortstop. His second plate appearance was a strikeout swinging in the fourth.
In the sixth, Bader flied out to center field. His final at-bat was his first major league hit, a double to left field off Rockies reliever Jake McGee. Bader later scored the winning run on a sac fly by Jedd Gyorko.
Bader remained with the Cardinals until traded at the deadline on August 2, 2022 to the Yankees for pitcher Jordan Montgomery. Bader was on the injured list at the time of the trade and did not return to the Yankees lineup until September. He played for the Yankees until he was put on waivers in August 2023 and claimed by the Reds. He played in only 14 games for Cincinnati.
Bader is currently on the New York Mets.
Dakota Hudson – Hudson made his Cardinal debut on July 28, 2018 as a reliever in a 6-2 win over the Cubs at Busch Stadium. Hudson came into the game in the seventh inning in relief of Miles Mikolas.
Hudson struck out the first two batters he faced and got the third out on a ground out to third base.
Hudson made no starts in 2018. He made his first start on March 30, 2019 against the Brewers and pitched 4 1/3 innings and was the losing pitcher as the Cardinals were defeated, 4-2.
Hudson’s first major league win was as a reliever in his debut series with the Rockies on July 30, 2018. Hudson received his first major league win as a starter on April 21, 2019 against the Mets at Busch Stadium.
Hudson remained with the Cardinals until he was non-tendered on November 17, 2023. Hudson was recently removed from the rotation and the 40-man roster of the Colorado Rockies, the same team he pitched against in his Cardinal debut, and is now in Triple-A.
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