photo: Bryan Torres (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In division play, the St. Louis Cardinals went 2-3 for the week. Brycen Mautz almost made his MLB debut, though his start was rained out. However, Bryan Torres arrived with a bang. Our history feature revisits two others who had multiple hits including a home run in their first game up.

Game Recaps

Monday, May 18, 2026 – Off day

Tuesday, May 19, 2026 – Cardinals 9, Pirates 6 (10 innings)

The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pirates by a 9-6 score in extra innings on Tuesday at Busch Stadium. Starter Matthew Liberatore pitched 4 2/3 innings, gave up four runs on seven hits, walked two and fanned nine.

Gordon Graceffo relieved Liberatore and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Ryne Stanek hurled 2/3 of a scoreless inning. JoJo Romero pitched 1 1/3 scoreless inning, Riley O’Brien surrendered two runs in the ninth. George Soriano tossed a scoreless 10th to earn his second win.

In the third inning, Pedro Pagés drew a walk before JJ Wetherholt hit a two-run home run.

JJ Wetherholt

St. Louis added a run in the fourth to lead 3-0. Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker singled to put runners on the corners. As Nolan Gorman grounded into a double play, Burleson scored.

The Pirates put up four runs in the fifth to take the lead. The Cardinals answered with two runs in the sixth to regain the lead, 5-4. Burleson was hit by a pitch and Gorman followed with a two-run home run.

Nolan Gorman

The Cardinals made it 6-4 in the eighth on a solo home run by Burleson. Pittsburgh tied the game in the ninth.

In the top of the ninth, the Pirates failed to score. The Cardinals posted a three-run bottom of the 10^th. With Victor Scott on second, JJ Wetherholt singled, moving Scott to third. Iván Herrera blasted a three-run home run to give the Cardinals the walk off win.

Iván Herrera

The Cardinals offense scored nine runs on nine hits. Wetherholt was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Burleson was 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Herrera had three RBI. Gorman drove in two.

Thomas Saggese was picked off and caught stealing home. Gorman stole his first base of the season.

Jordan Walker made a fielding error. Graceffo made an error on a pickoff attempt.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026 – Cardinals 0, Pirates 7

The Cardinals were blanked by the Pirates in the second game of the series on Wednesday. Starter Michael McGreevy pitched five innings, gave up three runs on 10 hits, walked one and struck out one. McGreevy took the loss.

Justin Bruihl relieved McGreevy and threw two scoreless innings. Matt Svanson surrendered four runs in 2/3 of an inning. Matt Pushard tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. They added single runs in the fourth and the sixth to lead 3-0. In the eighth, Pittsburgh put up four more runs to extend the lead to 7-0.

The Cardinals were held scoreless and scattered five hits. JJ Wetherholt was 2-for-4. A double by Victor Scott was the only extra base hit.

The offense was 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

Wetherholt stole his sixth base of the season.

Thursday, May 21, 2026 – Cardinals 2, Pirates 6

The Cardinals fell to the Pirates by a 6-2 score on Thursday as Pittsburgh won the series. Starter Dustin May pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up four runs on six hits. walked two and fanned seven.

Gordon Graceffo relieved May and threw 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Justin Bruihl surrendered two runs while getting two outs. Matt Svanson hurled 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Matt Pushard tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Cardinals tied the game in the third on a solo home run by Iván Herrera.

Pittsburgh regained the lead at 2-1 in the fourth, then extended the lead to 6-1 with two runs in the sixth and two in the seventh.

St. Louis scored a second run in the eighth. Herrera and Alec Burleson singled. Jordan Walker plated Herrera on a single.

The Cardinals scored two runs on eight hits. Herrera was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Burleson and Pedro Pagés were both 2-for-4.

Friday, May 22, 2026 – Cardinals at Reds (postponed, rescheduled to Saturday)

Saturday, May 23, 2026 – Cardinals 8 at Reds 1 (game one)

The Cardinals soundly defeated the Reds in the first game of a split doubleheader on Saturday. Starter Andre Pallante pitched six innings, gave up one run on two hits, walked one and struck out three to earn his fifth win.

Andre Pallante

Ryne Stanek, George Soriano and Matt Svanson tossed a scoreless inning each.

The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. The Cardinals answered with two runs in the third to lead 2-1. JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera walked. Alec Burleson singled to plate Wetherholt. Herrera scored on a force out by Jordan Walker.

The Cardinals added a run in the fourth to lead 3-1. Masyn Winn, Bryan Torres and Victor Scott singled. Wetherholt drove in Winn on a single.

In the seventh, St. Louis extended their lead to 5-1. Herrera walked and stole second. Walker hit a two-run home run.

Jordan Walker

St. Louis made it 6-1 in the eighth. Scott singled and scored on a triple by Herrera.  The lead increased to 8-1 in the ninth on a two-run home run by Torres.

The Cardinals scored eight runs on 12 hits. Torres was 2-for 4 with two RBI. Herrera was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Burleson was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Scott was 3-for-4. Walker had three RBI. Winn scored two runs.

Scott stole his seventh base of the season. Herrera swiped his second bag.

Saturday, May 23, 2026 – Cardinals 6 at Reds 7 (11 innings, game two)

The Cardinals were edged by the Reds in the 11-inning second game of the split doubleheader. Starter Kyle Leahy pitched five innings, gave up five runs on seven hits, walked two and fanned eight.

Justin Bruihl relieved Leahy and surrendered one run in 1/3 of an inning. Gordon Graceffo threw 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Ryan Fernandez hurled two scoreless frames. JoJo Romero tossed a scoreless inning. Riley O’Brien yielded one unearned run in 1 1/3 innings and took the loss.

The Cardinals went up 1-0 in the second inning. Jordan Walker drew a walk. Nolan Gorman singled, advancing Walker to third. Walker came home on a sac fly by Masyn Winn.

The Reds put up five runs in the fifth to go ahead. The Cardinals responded with a three-run top of the sixth to cut the lead to 5-4. Iván Herrera was hit by a pitch. Alec Burleson doubled. Walker blasted a three-run home run, his second multi-run long ball of the day.

Cincinnati scored once in the home sixth to extend the lead to 6-4. In the top of the ninth, a solo home run by José Fermín closed the gap to 6-5. Victor Scott and Burleson followed with walks. Walker plated Scott on a single to tie the game at 6-6.

The Reds did not score in the bottom of the ninth and the game went into extra innings.

After a quiet 10^th, the game moved into the 11^th. The Cardinals failed to score. The Reds pushed the tiebreaker runner across the plate to win in a walk off, 7-6.

The St. Louis offense scored six runs on nine hits. Walker was 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored.

Sunday, May 24, 2026 – Cardinals at Reds (postponed)

This final game of the series was postponed due to rain. It will be made up on August 17 as part of a split doubleheader.

The Big Picture

The Cardinals finished the week with a record of 2-3 that included an unfinished series with the Reds over the weekend. They lost two of three to the Pirates and won one game of Saturday’s split doubleheader against the Reds. The team is 29-22 and is in second place in the NL Central, 1.5 games back of the Brewers.

The Cardinals could conceivably come away from the upcoming Brewers series in first place if they sweep. This is a tall order, however.

Alec Burleson

Nevertheless, the offense improved from last week, despite only winning two games. Most of the improvements came from the top of the lineup. The best performances by OPS over the last seven days are Alec Burleson (1.356), Bryan Torres (1.250 in 8 at-bats in his major league debut), José Fermín (1.166 in 6 ABs), Jordan Walker (1.065) and Iván Herrera (1.042).

At the bottom were César Prieto (.000 in 11 ABs), Yohel Pozo (.000 in 2 ABs). Masyn Winn (.293), Thomas Saggese (.333), and Nolan Gorman (.490).

Prieto is hitless and walk-free in 17 plate appearances since being called up from Memphis. Saggese is not hitless, but with little playing time, he has not been successful at the plate. Both infielders would be better served by returning to Memphis to get more consistent at bats. The issue is having a third base backup for Gorman with Ramón Urías still on the injured list.

Pitching took a turn for the worse over the last seven days. Only one starter, Andre Pallante, had an ERA under 4.00 for the week. His ERA was 1.50 in his one start in the doubleheader with the Reds on Saturday. The next best was Michael McGreevy with an ERA of 5.40.

The bullpen was okay but with hiccups from Riley O’Brien, Justin Bruihl and Matt Svanson. Svanson was optioned to Memphis to make room on the roster for Brycen Mautz, who ended up not starting on Sunday because of a rain postponement. Unless an injury occurs to another, Svanson will have to stay in Memphis for a minimum of 15 days before he can be recalled. The time in Memphis should do him good and allow him to work on his shortcomings.

The bullpen needs tweaking but there is no tweaking to be had, as there is no help in Memphis. This has been the refrain for the last month or so. Mautz is reportedly remaining with the team for the Brewers series and could see some time pitching out of the bullpen, though he is primarily a starter.

The Cardinals visit the Brewers to begin the week and end the week at home against the Cubs. The Cubs have lost eight straight games. One must hope they don’t recover against the Cardinals this coming weekend. The final weeks of May have been the first trip of the season through the NL Central.

Stay tuned as the season progresses.

NL Central Standings

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.

Transactions

• 5/19 The Cardinals transferred LF Lars Nootbaar’s rehab assignment from Palm Beach to the Memphis Redbirds.
• 5/22 The Cardinals placed LF Nathan Church on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 21. Left shoulder strain.
• 5/22 The Cardinals recalled OF Bryan Torres from the Memphis Redbirds. The 28-year-old made his MLB debut that evening.
• 5/23 The Cardinals recalled RHP Ryan Fernandez from the Memphis Redbirds as the 27^th man for that day’s doubleheader.
• 5/24 The Cardinals optioned RHP Ryan Fernandez to the Memphis Redbirds.

Brycen Mautz

• 5/24 The recalled LHP Brycen Mautz from the Memphis Redbirds. Mautz was unable to make the start for St. Louis due to Sunday’s rainout.
• 5/24 The Cardinals optioned RHP Matt Svanson to the Memphis Redbirds.

Injury Report

• OF Lars Nootbaar’s (heel surgery) rehab assignment was moved from Palm Beach to the Memphis Redbirds on May 19. Nootbaar has played in left field in four of his six games to date, with a June 1 target to return to St. Louis. This week, with Memphis continuing on the road and Springfield returning home, Nootbaar will shift to the Double-A club.
• 3B Ramón Urías was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 5. He has right elbow lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) Urías is taking dry swings and is close to being cleared to throw.

Nathan Church

• LF Nathan Church was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 22, retroactive to May 21. Left shoulder strain. Imaging showed inflammation and a mild strain. No return date has been reported.

Looking Ahead

The Reds series ended on Sunday with a postponement after a doubleheader was played on Saturday. The Cardinals traveled to Milwaukee to begin a three-game series on Monday. Matthew Liberatore’s start on Sunday was moved to Monday, and the major league debut of Brycen Mautz on Sunday was cancelled due to the weather postponement. The pitchers for the rest of Brewers series are Michael McGreevy on Tuesday and Dustin May on Wednesday.

After the Brewers’ series, the team returns to St. Louis to play the Cubs in a weekend series to conclude the month of May.

June will begin with three games against the Rangers. After a Thursday off day, the homestand continues with a weekend set with the Reds.

The team heads out on a road trip on Monday, June 8, traveling to New York to play the Mets for three.  The road trip ends in Minnesota vs. the Twins for three.

Blast from the Past

The Cardinals called up outfielder Bryan Torres this past weekend to make his major league debut in Cincinnati against the Reds. Torres was replacing injured outfielder Nathan Church. The weekend series was marred by rain, resulting in a split doubleheader on Saturday and a postponement of Sunday’s game.

Torres was in the starting lineup for both games in his debut, and it was a spectacular debut for the 28-year-old. After 11 years in the minor leagues and independent leagues to get to this moment, Torres made a splash. In the two starts, the rookie outfielder recorded a milestone, becoming only the third Cardinals player in franchise history to record multiple hits, including a home run, in his MLB debut.

Bryan Torres

Torres went 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBI, and a run scored in the first game of the doubleheader. He recorded a single and a home run. In the second game, Torres was 1-for-4 with a single and a walk.

As stated, Torres was the third player in franchise history to debut in this manner. The other two Cardinals players, and their major league debuts, are the subject of this week’s Blast from the Past.

Outfielder Bobby Smith and first baseman Joe Cunningham debuted for the Cardinals in a similar manner as Torres. Ironically, all three played their first game against the Cincinnati Reds. Below is a synopsis of their debuts with the date and relevant details chronicled.

• 

  Joe Cunningham – Cunningham debuted with the Cardinals on June 30, 1954, against the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field. Cunningham was in the starting lineup at first base, hitting fifth, two spots after teammate Stan Musial.

Cunningham went 2-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored. His two hits were a three-run home run in the fifth inning, and a two-run single in the seventh. The Cardinals won, 11-3.

Cunningham played for the Cardinals for seven seasons, from 1954-1961. He was traded to the Chicago White Sox in November 1961 for Minnie Miñoso.

• 

  Bobby Smith – Smith debuted on April 16, 1957, playing center field and hitting eighth. The game was a 13-4 win over the Reds at Crosley Field.

Smith went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in the sixth inning and a single to center in the seventh. Smith’s single advanced teammate Hal Smith to third base. Hal Smith scored on a sac fly by Herm Wehmeier.

Bobby Smith played for the Cardinals for three seasons and was traded to the Phillies in December 1959.

Wherever Bryan Torres’ baseball journey takes him, he will always have this achievement to look back upon with pride.

Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

photo: Andre Pallante (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals had a 4-2 week as starting pitching again led the way. In 11 2/3 innings, Andre Pallante posted a 3.09 ERA. Our history section details the Cardinals-Royals head-to-head results over time.

Game Recaps

Monday, May 11, 2026 – Off day

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 – Cardinals 6 at Athletics 4

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Athletics in the first of a three-game series in Sacramento. Starter Andre Pallante pitched five innings, gave up three runs on four hits, walked three and fanned four for his fourth win.

Ryne Stanek relieved Pallante and threw a scoreless sixth. JoJo Romero hurled a scoreless seventh. George Soriano surrendered one run in the eighth. Riley O’Brien tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 12^th save.

The Cardinals went up 4-0 in the first inning. JJ Wetherholt drew a walk. Iván Herrera singled. Jordan Walker plated Wetherholt on a single. José Fermín doubled to score Herrera and Walker. Fermín came home on a single by Yohel Pozo.

José Fermín

The Athletics answered with three runs in the second.

In the sixth, St. Louis put up two runs to extend their lead to 6-3. Nolan Gorman singled and Wetherholt followed with a two-run home run.

JJ Wetherholt

The Athletics added a final run in the eighth for the final score of 6-4.

The Cardinals offense scored six runs on 11 hits. Wetherholt was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Walker was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Herrera was 2-for-5. Fermín had two RBI.

Walker was caught stealing.

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 – Cardinals 2 at Athletics 6

The Cardinals fell to the Athletics by a 6-2 score in Sacramento on Wednesday. Starter Matthew Liberatore pitched five innings, gave up four runs on nine hits, walked two and fanned five. Liberatore took the loss, his second of the season.

Matt Svanson relieved Liberatore and threw a scoreless sixth. Justin Bruihl surrendered one run in 1/3 of an inning. Gordon Graceffo yielded one run in the final 1 2/3 innings.

The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Nolan Gorman and Masyn Winn singled. Nathan Church singled and Gorman scored.

The Athletics put up four runs in the fifth inning to take the lead.

In the top of the seventh, St. Louis scored their second run to cut the gap to 4-2. Pedro Pagés and JJ Wetherholt singled. Pagés came home on a sac fly by Iván Herrera.

The Athletics answered with single runs in the home seventh and eighth to take the game 6-2.

The Cardinals offense scattered 13 hits but scored just two runs. Alec Burleson was 3-for-5.  Wetherholt was 2-for-4. Winn was 2-for-4. Church was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Winn was picked off and caught stealing. Church was caught stealing.

Walker made a throwing error. Liberatore picked a runner off first base.

Thursday, May 14, 2026 – Cardinals 5 at Athletics 4

The Cardinals edged the Athletics on Thursday to win the road series. Starter Michael McGreevy pitched six innings, gave up one run on five hits, walked one and struck out three.

Michael McGreevy

Ryne Stanek relieved McGreevy and surrendered two runs in just 1/3 of an inning. JoJo Romero yielded one run in 2/3 of an inning. Matt Svanson threw a scoreless eighth and received the win. Riley O’Brien tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 13^th save.

Riley O’Brien

The Athletics took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Cardinals tied the game in the fifth on a solo home run by Victor Scott.

St. Louis added two runs in the sixth to take the lead. Jordan Walker thumped a solo home run. Masyn Winn reached on an error and scored on a single by Nolan Gorman.

The Athletics regained the lead 4-3 with a three run seventh. The Cardinals rallied for two runs in the ninth to lead and win 5-4.

The offense scored five runs on nine hits. Walker was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Yohel Pozo was 3-for-4.

Friday, May 15, 2026 – Cardinals 5, Royals 4 (11 innings)

To open the Rivalry Series at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals topped the Royals by the score of 5-4 in extra innings on Friday. Starter Dustin May pitched six innings, gave up three runs on four hits, walked four and struck out three.

Dustin May

George Soriano relieved May and threw 2/3 of a scoreless inning. JoJo Romero hurled 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Riley O’Brien tossed a scoreless ninth. Ryne Stanek allowed an unearned run in the 10^th. Gordon Graceffo threw a scoreless 11^th to earn his third win.

The Royals scored two runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead. The Cardinals quickly answered with two runs in the home half of the inning to tie. Iván Herrera was hit by a pitch. Jordan Walker hit a two-run home run.

Jordan Walker

St. Louis added a run in the fifth on a solo home run to Pedro Pagés to take the lead 3-2. Kansas City responded with one run in the sixth to re-tie the game.

The game eventually went into extra innings. In the top of the 10^th, the Royals plated the tiebreaker runner to take the lead 4-3.

The Cardinals matched the Royals, sending the tiebreaker runner home to tie the game again at 4-4 on a single by Alec Burleson.

In the 11^th, the Royals failed to score in their half-inning. The Cardinals succeeded in getting the man on second, Nathan Church, to the plate on a single by Yohel Pozo for the walk off win.

Yohel Pozo

The Cardinals scored five runs on 12 hits. Walker was 3-for-5 with two RBI. Burleson was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Nolan Gorman was 2-for-4.

Church stole his fourth base of the season.

Saturday, May 16, 2026 – Cardinals 4, Royals 2

The Cardinals were again the victors over the Royals on Saturday in the second game of the three-game series. Starter Kyle Leahy pitched six innings, gave up one run on five hits, walked three and struck out two to earn his fifth win.

Kyle Leahy

Gordon Graceffo relieved Leahy and threw a scoreless seventh. Justin Bruihl hurled a scoreless eighth. George Soriano surrendered one run in the ninth but received his second save.

The Cardinals went ahead 1-0 in the first inning. Iván Herrera hit a ground rule double. Jordan Walker singled. Alec Burleson drove in Herrera on a sac fly.

The Royals tied the game in the top of the fifth. St. Louis answered with two runs in the home fifth to lead 3-1. Thomas Saggese singled. Nathan Church doubled. Victor Scott reached on a fielder’s choice and Saggese scored. Church came home on a sac fly by Masyn Winn.

The Cardinals added a fourth run in the eighth to extend their lead to 4-1. Victor Scott singled but was eliminated on a force out by Winn. Winn advanced to second on a wild pitch. Burleson plated Winn on a single.

Kansas City cut the lead to 4-2 in the ninth but Soriano and the Cardinals held on.

The offense scored four runs on eight hits. Scott was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Church was 2-for-3. Burleson had two RBI.

Scott was picked off and caught stealing

Sunday, May 17, 2026 – Cardinals 0, Royals 2

The Cardinals were blanked by the Royals by a 2-0 score in the final game of the series on Sunday. Starter Andre Pallante pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up two runs, one earned, on eight hits and fanned seven. Pallante took the tough loss.

Andre Pallante

Matt Svanson relieved Pallante and threw a scoreless inning. Justin Bruihl hurled 1/3 of a scoreless inning. Matt Pushard tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and added a second run in the fourth.

The Cardinals were held scoreless and scattered five hits, all singles. They were 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.

Victor Scott made a fielding error.

The Big Picture

The Cardinals finished the week with a 4-2 record. They took both series with the Athletics and the Royals with two wins in each. St. Louis remains 1.5 games back of the Cubs and are in third place, just behind the Brewers by winning percentage in the NL Central.

The offensive performance for the team over the last seven days was very steady but not overwhelming. The team run differential is only +3 compared to the fourth place Pirates with a run differential of +18. The offense scored enough to win but did not blow teams away.

The top offensive performances by OPS for the week were Yohel Pozo (1.112 in 9 ABs), Nolan Gorman (.950), and Jordan Walker (.948).

Nolan Gorman

No Cardinal had an OPS for the week under .500 except for César Prieto (.000) who only had one AB the entire week.

As for pitching, the key to the week was improved starting pitching. Kyle Leahy and Michael McGreevy both had ERAs of 1.50 for the week. Andre Pallante made two starts with a combined ERA of 3.09. Two starters had ERAs for the week over 4.00. They are Matthew Liberatore (7.20) and Dustin May (4.50). The team lost the game Liberatore started but won May’s start.

The bullpen has been better of late but still needs improvement. The weak links this past week were George Soriano and Ryne Stanek.

The above stated run differential of only +3 is as much if not more the fault of the pitching. Out of 46 games played to date and 27 wins, there have only been two shutouts and three games of one run allowed.

As for defense, the team ranks third in Defensive Runs Saved and eighth in Outs Above Average. While the team defense is very good, they have committed 20 errors so far which is high for only playing 46 games. This needs to improve.

The Cardinals will finish the homestand with three games against the Pirates. They then go on the road to play the last place Reds in a weekend series.

Stay tuned as the season progresses.

NL Central Standings

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.

Transactions

• 5/15 The Cardinals sent LF Lars Nootbaar on a rehab assignment to the Palm Beach Cardinals.
• 5/16 The Cardinals activated LHP Matt Pushard from the 15-day injured list.
• 5/16 The Cardinals designated LHP Jared Shuster for assignment.

Injury Report

• OF Lars Nootbaar (heel surgery) was sent on a rehab assignment to the Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals on May 15. Nootbaar will progress through the Cardinals system, with games in both Double-A and Triple-A before his activation. He will be on the rehab assignment beyond his eligible return date of May 24.
• LHP Matt Pushard was activated from the 15-day IL and has returned to the major league roster.
• 3B Ramón Urías was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 5. He has right elbow lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). Urías will be shut down multiple weeks before reevaluating.

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals finished the first series of the homestand against the Royals on Sunday. Coming up is an important period of interdivision games.

After an off day Monday, the homestand continues with three games against the Pirates. Matthew Liberatore is scheduled to make the Tuesday start, followed by Michael McGreevy on Wednesday and Dustin May on Thursday.

After the Pirates, the Cardinals go on the road to play the Reds and Brewers in a six-game road trip.

The team will end May at home in a weekend series with the Cubs.

June will begin with three games against the Rangers. After a Thursday off day, the homestand will continue with a weekend set with the Reds.

Blast from the Past

The Cardinals and the Royals just played a weekend series. They have faced off in at least one regular season series since 1997 when interleague play was first introduced. They also played in the postseason, specifically in the 1985 World Series, a set marred by controversy.

The Cardinals’ franchise is much older than the Royals. The Cardinals have existed since before the dawn of the 20^th century. Officially the Cardinals have existed with that name since 1900. However, the franchise began in 1882 as the St. Louis Brown Stockings.

The Royals, on the other hand, came into existence in 1969 as an expansion franchise. The city of Kansas City previously hosted the Athletics from 1955 through 1968. Before that, the Athletics franchise had been in Philadelphia for decades, then moved from Kansas City to Oakland in 1969.

The Cardinals and the Royals have played a total of 136 head-to-head games. The Cardinals held an 81-55 record over the Royals as of May 16, 2026.

This week’s Blast from the Past chronicles regular season statistical history between the two franchises since interleague play began in 1997. Also included is postseason history since 1969.  Below are some notable statistical records between the teams. All regular season numbers include games up to and including Saturday, May 16, 2026.

• • Since 1997, the number of runs scored in the head-to-head games is 717 for the Cardinals, and 603 for the Royals.
  • Head-to-head hit totals are 1286 for the Cardinals and 1232 for the Royals.
  • Head-to-head totals in home runs are 161 for the Cardinals and 113 for the Royals.
  • The Royals have stolen more bases than the Cardinals, 71 to 68. The Royals also lead in triples, 33 to 18. The Cardinals have a slight edge in doubles, 245 to 243.
  • Comparatively, the Cardinals have a higher batting average in their contests with the Royals. St. Louis’ BA is .273 vs. the Royals at .261.
  • The OBP, SLG, and OPS comparisons are as follows – Cardinals: .348 OBP, .436 SLG and .784 OPS. Royals: .316 OBP, 398 SLG, and .715 OPS.

In the postseason, the comparisons are obviously different since the two teams have only met in the postseason once, in 1985, and the Royals came away with the title.

In that series, which the Royals won four games to three, the run totals were 28 for the Royals vs. 13 for the Cardinals. The Royals had a higher BA, .288 to .185 for the Cardinals. In OPS, it was Royals .747 vs. Cardinals .516.

Overall, as the stats above indicate, the Cardinals have dominated the Royals in regular season matchups. The Royals have the head-to-head lead in the postseason based on the one time the two teams faced off.

Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Florida Complex League Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 2

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Follow Marilyn Green on Bluesky @mrlyn59.bsky.social.

© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

photo: Michael McGreevy (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals had a 3-3 week as starting pitching improved, but the offense declined. Michael McGreevy had a career-best start of six innings on one hit with nine strikeouts. Little League home runs in team history are recounted.

Game Recaps

Monday, May  4, 2026 – Cardinals 6, Brewers 3

The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers by a 6-3 score on Monday at Busch Stadium. Starter Kyle Leahy pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up one run on six hits, walked two and fanned five to earn his fourth win.

Kyle Leahy

George Soriano relieved Leahy and threw 2/3 of a scoreless inning. JoJo Romero hurled a scoreless seventh. Ryne Stanek pitched a scoreless eighth. Gordon Graceffo surrendered two runs in 1/3 of an inning. Riley O’Brien tossed the final 2/3 of a scoreless inning to earn his 10^th save.

The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Masyn Winn drew a walk. Victor Scott singled, advancing Winn to third. JJ Wetherholt plated Winn on a single.

St. Louis added three runs in the fourth to lead 4-0. Nathan Church doubled. Pedro Pagés walked. Both runners advanced on a sac bunt by Scott. Wetherholt was intentionally walked. Iván Herrera doubled to clear the bases.

Iván Herrera

The Brewers got on the board with one run in the sixth. The Cardinals extended their lead with a run in the seventh to make it 5-1. Jordan Walker drew a walk. Nolan Gorman singled. Winn singled to score Walker.

St. Louis increased the lead to 6-1 in the eighth. Scott doubled and came home as Wetherholt singled.

Milwaukee added two runs in the ninth to narrow the final score to 6-3.

The Cardinals offense scored six runs on 11 hits. Herrera was 2-for-5 with three RBI. Wetherholt was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Gorman was 2-for-4. Scott was 2-for-3.

Tuesday, May 5, 2026 – (postponed)

This game was postponed due to rain and will be made up on July 7 as the first game of a doubleheader.

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 – Cardinals 2, Brewers 6

The Cardinals lost to the Brewers in the final game of the series on Wednesday. Starter Andre Pallante pitched six innings, gave up five runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out three. Pallante took the loss.

Jared Shuster relieved Pallante and threw two scoreless innings. Matt Svanson surrendered one run in the ninth.

The Brewers went up 4-0 in the first inning and added a run in the fifth.

The Cardinals scored their first run in the eighth. Victor Scott singled and stole second base. Alec Burleson plated Scott on a single.

Milwaukee put up another run in the top of the ninth to extend their lead to 6-1.

St. Louis answered with one run in the home ninth for the final score of 6-2. Nolan Gorman doubled and advanced to third on a ground out by Masyn Winn. Gorman came home on a fielding error by the Brewers shortstop.

The offense scored two runs on four hits. Herrera’s double was the only extra base hit. The team was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.

Jordan Walker stole his seventh base of the season. Scott swiped his sixth bag.

Pallante picked a runner off first base.

Thursday, May 7, 2026 – Cardinals 2 at Padres 1

On Thursday, the Cardinals edged the Padres in the first of a four-game series in San Diego. Starter Matthew Liberatore pitched six innings, gave up one run on three hits, walked three and fanned six to earn his second win.

Matthew Liberatore

George Soriano relieved Liberatore and threw a scoreless seventh. JoJo Romero hurled a scoreless eighth. Riley O’Brien tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his MLB-leading 11^th save.

The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Cardinals tied the game in the fourth on a solo home run by Alec Burleson.

St. Louis took the lead 2-1 in the seventh. Jordan Walker doubled and scored on a triple by Masyn Winn.

The Cardinals scored two runs on five hits. Walker was 2-for-4.

Victor Scott was caught stealing for the third time. Liberatore picked a runner off first base.

Friday, May 8, 2026 – Cardinals 6 at Padres 0

The Cardinals blanked the Padres by a 6-0 score at Petco Park in the second game of the series on Friday. Starter Michael McGreevy pitched six scoreless innings on one hit and nine strikeouts to earn his third win.

Michael McGreevy

Gordon Graceffo relieved McGreevy and threw two scoreless innings. Ryne Stanek tossed a scoreless ninth to preserve the shutout.

The Cardinals scored all six runs in the fifth inning. Masyn Winn and Nathan Church singled. Victor Scott walked to load the bases. JJ Wetherholt followed with a little league home run, a ground ball single to right field that Fernando Tatis failed to scoop up and the ball rolled to the wall. All runners, including Wetherholt, scored.

JJ Wetherholt

Following that event, Iván Herrera hit a normal single. Alec Burleson doubled. Jordan Walker drew a walk. Nolan Gorman plated Herrera on a single. Burleson came home on a sac fly by Winn.

The offense scored six runs on 11 hits. Herrera was 4-for-5. Burleson was 2-for-5. Church was 2-for-4. Wetherholt received two RBI on the little league home run as Tatis was charged with an error on the final two runners.

Walker was caught stealing.

Saturday, May 9, 2026 – Cardinals 2 at Padres 4

The Cardinals lost the third game of the series to the Padres by the score of 4-2 on Saturday. Starter Dustin May pitched six innings, gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits, walked two and fanned seven. Despite contributing a quality start, May took the loss.

Justin Bruihl relieved May and threw a scoreless seventh. Matt Svanson allowed a Padres insurance run in the eighth.

The Cardinals went up 1-0 in the fourth inning. Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman singled. Masyn Winn grounded into a double play. Nathan Church doubled to score Walker.

The Padres came back with three runs in the fifth to take the lead. In the top of the eighth, the Cardinals added a second run to cut the lead to 3-2. JJ Wetherholt was hit by a pitch. Iván Herrera doubled to plate Wetherholt.

The Padres answered with an insurance run in the home eighth to bring the score to 4-2.

The Cardinals scored two runs on seven hits. Herrera was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Church was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Wetherholt stole his fifth base of the season. Winn made a fielding error. Pedro Pagés had a passed ball.

Sunday, May 10, 2026 – Cardinals 2 at Padres 3 (10 innings)

The Cardinals lost to the Padres in extra innings in the finale of the four-game series in San Diego. Starter Kyle Leahy pitched five scoreless innings, allowed two hits, walked four and fanned five.

Kyle Leahy

Ryne Stanek relieved Leahy and threw a scoreless sixth. JoJo Romero hurled 1 1/3 scoreless innings. George Soriano pitched 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Riley O’Brien was just one strike away from victory but surrendered a two-run home run for the blown save. Gordon Graceffo gave up the winning run in the 10^th and took the loss.

The Cardinals went up in the fourth on a two-run home run by Jordan Walker. They failed to score any additional runs as the Padres came back late.

The offense scored two runs on three hits. JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson had the only hits other than the Walker home run.

Burleson stole his second base of the season.

The series ended in a 2-2 split.

The Big Picture

The Cardinals ended the week with a 3-3 record after going 6-1 the previous week. The Cardinals are tied with the Brewers for second place with the Cardinals having one more win and one more loss than the Brewers. Both teams are 3.5 games behind the Cubs.

Considering this is a rebuilding team with little expectation of contending when the season started, the Cardinals have done more than most hoped they would.

Yet it remains frustrating when tough losses occur like in the final game against the Padres on Sunday. For the second straight game, the offense disappeared except for the home run by Walker and a couple of singles. Other than the six-run game on Friday, this series could have gone much worse for the Cardinals if the Padres had not been even more inept at the plate.  The Cardinals scored 12 runs to the Padres’ eight over four games.

Therefore, it should be no surprise that only one Cardinal had an OPS of .900+ over the last week. That player is Jordan Walker with an OPS of exactly .900. Next closest was Iván Herrera at .865.

Jordan Walker

At the bottom are Masyn Winn (.446), José Fermín (.200), Pedro Pagés (.063), César Prieto (.000) and Thomas Saggese (.000).

Then there is the pitching, which for the first time this season I can say was better than the offense. Andre Pallante was the only starter who had a bad start during the week. Kyle Leahy, Dustin May, and Matthew Liberatore all had ERAs for the week under 4.00. Michael McGreevy was the best of the lot with an ERA of 0.00. His outing against the Padres was the best he has pitched since he came up as a starter.

The bullpen was much better as well. Matt Svanson is still struggling a bit. Gordon Graceffo and Riley O’Brien had hiccups (O’Brien who gave up the tying home run in the ninth inning of Sunday’s game). Otherwise, the usual suspects in the bullpen pitched surprisingly well (knock on wood it continues).

It doesn’t get any easier in the coming week as the Cardinals leave San Diego for Sacramento where they play another surprising team, the Athletics, who are in first place in the AL West.  Then they return home to play the Royals, who were not playing as well but have picked up the pace in the last week. The Royals always play the Cardinals like it is Game 7 of the World Series. In-state rivalries can be intense.

Stay tuned as the season progresses.

NL Central Standings

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.

Transactions

• 5/4 The Cardinals optioned LF Thomas Saggese to the Memphis Redbirds
• 5/4 The Cardinals recalled 2B César Prieto from the Memphis Redbirds.
• 5/5 The Cardinals placed 3B Ramón Urías on the 10-day injured list. Right elbow lateral epicondylitis.
• 5/5 The Cardinals recalled LF Thomas Saggese from the Memphis Redbirds.

Injury Report

• OF Lars Nootbaar (heel surgery) is expected to begin a rehab assignment this coming week. Nootbaar is eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list on May 24.
• LHP Matt Pushard was placed on the 15-day injured list on March 31 retroactive to March 30. Right knee patellar tendinitis. Pushard is on an extended rehab assignment with the Memphis Redbirds.
• 3B Ramón Urías was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 5. He has right elbow lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). Urías will be shut down multiple weeks before being reevaluated.

Looking Ahead

Following the Padres series which ended on Sunday and a day off Monday, the Cardinals travel north to Sacramento for a three-game series with  the Athletics beginning Tuesday, May 12.

The Cardinals return from the West Coast to begin a six game homestand with the Royals and the Pirates.

After the Pirates, the Cardinals go on the road to play the Reds and Brewers in a six-game road trip.

The team will end the month of May at home for a weekend series with the Cubs.

The month of June begins with a three-game series against the Rangers. After a Thursday off day, the homestand continues with a weekend set with the Reds.

Blast from the Past

In the Friday, May 8 game between the Cardinals and the Padres, JJ Wetherholt hit a single to right field that was misplayed by the Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. The misplay resulted in four runs scoring, including Wetherholt. This type of play is referred to as a “little league home run”.

A little league home run is distinguishable from an inside the park home run. A little league home run requires one or more errors to be committed on the defense that allows the batter to score. An inside the park home run generally goes far enough inside the park for the batter/runner to score without any defensive errors. Typically, a hit off the outfield wall or deep into a corner by a speedy runner could result in an inside the park home run.

This week’s Blast from the Past recalls little league home runs hit by Cardinals players in the past. This list is not complete but contains those found by diligent search. The following list provides the date, the player who hit the little league home run and other relevant details.

May 8, 2026 – JJ Wetherholt hit a ground ball single to right field that is misplayed by Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres. The bases were loaded for Wetherholt and all four runners scored.

May 22, 2024 – In a game against the Orioles at Busch Stadium, Brendan Donovan doubled to center field, scoring Nolan Arenado and Dylan Carlson. Donovan came home on a throwing error by Orioles catcher James McCann.

June 23, 2022 – Versus the Brewers at American Family Field, Paul Goldschmidt doubled to left field with Nolan Gorman on first base. Both runners scored on throwing errors by shortstop Willy Adames, and pitcher Jason Alexander, who was backing up the play at home.

August 10, 2019 – As the Cardinals were playing the Pirates at Busch Stadium, in the sixth inning, Tommy Edman doubled to right center field. Pirates shortstop Kevin Newman, who was the cutoff man, threw the ball too wide to third base and the ball landed in the Pirates’ dugout. Edman scored on the play.

April 12, 2006 – Against the Brewers at Busch Stadium, Jim Edmonds doubled to right field with the bases loaded. All four runners scored on a fielding error by RF Geoff Jenkins and a subsequent throwing error by second baseman Rickie Weeks.

July 25, 1985 – The Padres were the opponent at Jack Murphy Stadium. In the ninth inning, Terry Pendleton hit a single to center field with one runner, Jack Clark, on base. Errors by centerfielder Al Bumbry and second baseman Tim Flannery allowed both Clark and Pendleton to score.

August 14, 1980 –In a game against the Cubs at Busch Stadium, Ted Simmons hit a little league home run in the bottom of the fifth with Tony Scott and Keith Hernandez on base. Based on written accounts, it appears the hit was a single to the pitcher Doug Capilla, who fielded the ball but threw it into right field instead of to first base. Scott and Hernandez scored as did Simmons on a second error by right fielder Bill Buckner.

June 8, 1971 – The Cardinals were playing the Braves at Atlanta Stadium. In the eighth inning, with Matty Alou and Ted Simmons on base, Joe Torre singled to third base. Alou scored on a throwing error by third baseman Earl Williams to first baseman Orlando Cepeda. Simmons and Torre scored on a throwing error to home plate by Cepeda.

Other little league home runs not listed here were hit by Mike Shannon on May 4, 1968, two by Curt Flood on July 27, 1965 and June 7, 1962, one by Julian Javier on April 14, 1962 and one by Wally Moon on August 7, 1954.

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photo: JoJo Romero (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals struggled to a 1-5 week including a sweep by Seattle. After heavy use, the bullpen is showing signs of wear with a tougher schedule ahead. Riley O’Brien blew two saves and took a loss. JoJo Romero allowed six runs in 2 1/3 innings. Our history section highlights recent sweeps of the Cardinals.

Game Recaps

Monday April 20, 2026 – Cardinals 3 at Marlins 5

The St. Louis Cardinals lost to the Miami Marlins in the opener of a three-game series at Loan Depot Park in Miami. Starter Michael McGreevy pitched 5 2/3 innings, gave up four runs on five hits, walked two and struck out three. McGreevy took the loss.

Matt Svanson relieved McGreevy and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Ryan Fernandez surrendered one run in the eighth.

The Cardinals took 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Jordan Walker singled, stole second base, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Nolan Gorman walked. Masyn Winn plated Walker on a sac fly.

The Marlins tied the game in the home fourth, then added a run in the fifth to lead 2-1.

St. Louis scored one run in the top of the sixth to tie the game. Walker drew a walk. Winn singled. Walker came home on a wild pitch.

Miami answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and made it 5-2 in the eighth.

The Cardinals’ ninth inning rally fell short with one run scored. Winn tripled and came home on a sac fly by Ramón Urías.

The offense scored three runs on five hits. Winn was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Walker stole his fourth base of the season. Winn swiped his third bag. Victor Scott had an outfield assist at home plate. Walker had an outfield assist at third base.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 – Cardinals 5 at Marlins 3

The Cardinals beat the Marlins in the second game of the series on Tuesday. Starter Dustin May pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up one run on six hits, walked one and fanned five to earn his third win.

Dustin May

Justin Bruihl relieved May and threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Ryne Stanek surrendered two runs in 2/3 of an inning. George Soriano secured one out. Riley O’Brien tossed a scoreless ninth for his seventh save.

The Cardinals took the lead in the top of the first as JJ Wetherholt doubled and scored on a single by Alec Burleson.

The Marlins tied the game in the home first.

St. Louis regained the lead with a run in the third. Wetherholt walked. Iván Herrera singled. Burleson reached on a fielder’s choice and Wetherholt scored.

The Cardinals added to their lead in the fourth on a two-run home run by Nathan Church.  They made it 5-1 in the fifth when Burleson doubled and scored on a single by Nolan Gorman.

Alec Burleson

Miami rallied for two runs in the eighth to shrink the lead to 5-3.

Burleson and Church were each 2-for-4 with two RBI. Winn was 2-for-4. Herrera was 2-for-5. Wetherholt scored two runs.

Church stole his third base of the season. Victor Scott was caught stealing. Masyn Winn made a throwing error. Jordan Walker had an outfield assist at first base.

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 – Cardinals 1 at Marlins 4

The Cardinals lost the final game and the series to the Marlins on Wednesday. Starter Kyle Leahy pitched five innings, gave up four runs on eight hits, walked three and struck out two. Leahy took the loss.

Gordon Graceffo, Matt Svanson and Ryan Fernandez each tossed a scoreless inning.

The Marlins went up 2-0 in the second, then added single runs in the fourth and fifth to lead 4-0.

The Cardinals were held scoreless until the ninth inning, when they avoided the shutout on a solo home run by Iván Herrera.

Iván Herrera

The offense scored one run on four hits. No Cardinal had multiple hits. Herrera’s home run and a double by Gorman were the only extra base hits.

Ramón Urías made a fielding error. Nathan Church had an outfield assist at third base.

Thursday, April 23, 2026 – Off day

Friday, April 24, 2026 – Cardinals 2, Mariners 3

On Friday, the Cardinals were edged by the Mariners in the first of a three-game series at Busch Stadium. Starter Andre Pallante pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up three runs on four hits, walked three and fanned eight. Pallante took the loss.

Justin Bruihl relieved Pallante and threw a scoreless inning. George Soriano hurled 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Gordon Graceffo tossed the final two scoreless innings.

Seattle scored single runs in the second and fourth to lead 2-0.

St. Louis answered with two runs in the home fourth to tie the game. Alec Burleson walked but was eliminated on a force out by Jordan Walker. Nolan Gorman hit a ground-rule double. Masyn Winn plated Walker and Gorman on a single.

Masyn Winn

The Mariners regained the lead 3-2 in the sixth and kept it.

The Cardinals scored two runs on eight hits. Winn was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Gorman was 2-for-4.

Saturday, April 25, 2026 – Cardinals 9, Mariners 11

The Cardinals suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Mariners on Saturday. Starter Matthew Liberatore lasted only 3 1/3 innings, gave up five runs on eight hits, walked one and struck out three.

Gordon Graceffo relieved Liberatore and surrendered one run in 2/3 of an inning. Justin Bruihl threw a scoreless inning. George Soriano yielded one run in the sixth. Ryne Stanek hurled 2/3 of a scoreless inning.

In this contest, the usually reliable back end of the pen failed. JoJo Romero relinquished two runs in 2/3 of an inning. Riley O’Brien yielded two runs in an inning, his first runs allowed in 2026, and took the loss. Matt Svanson secured the final two outs.

The Mariners went ahead 2-0 in the first. The Cardinals tied the game in the bottom of the first on back-to-back solo home runs by JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera.

Seattle answered in the top of the second to regain the lead at 4-2. St. Louis made it 4-3 in the home second on a solo home run by Nathan Church.

The Cardinals scored four runs in the third inning to take a 7-4 lead. Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman singled. Masyn Winn singled to score Walker. Gorman came home on a sac fly by Church. Pedro Pagés hit a two-run home run.

Pedro Pagés

The Mariners chipped away with single runs in each of the next three innings to tie the game. The Cardinals answered with two scores in the seventh to take back the lead at 9-7. Winn singled and Church followed with a two-run home run.

Nathan Church

The lead was quickly erased as Seattle scored two to tie the game again. In the ninth, the Mariners put up two more runs to take the lead for the last time.

The Cardinals scored nine runs on 14 hits. Church was 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI. Pagés was 3-for-3 including a long ball with two RBI. Winn was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Wetherholt was 3-for-5 with an RBI.

Pagés stole his second base of the season. Walker was caught stealing.

Sunday, April 26, 2026 – Cardinals 2, Mariners 3

The Cardinals lost the final game of the series with the Mariners and suffered their first sweep of the 2026 season. Starter Michael McGreevy pitched well, going five innings and giving up one run on five hits, no walks and six strikeouts.

Michael McGreevy

Matt Svanson relieved McGreevy and surrendered one run in the seventh. Ryne Stanek threw a scoreless eighth. JoJo Romero gave up the winning run in the ninth and took the loss.

The Cardinals took the lead in the third inning on a solo home run by JJ Wetherholt. The Mariners tied the game in the fourth.

St. Louis regained the lead in the sixth on a solo home run by Nathan Church. Seattle tied the game again in the seventh.

The Mariners scored a run in the ninth to lead 3-2 and the Cardinals failed to answer.

The offense scored two runs on seven hits. Church was 2-for-4 including a home run.

Victor Scott had an outfield assist at second base.

The Big Picture

The Cardinals had a terrible week, finishing 1-5. They lost two of three with the Marlins and were swept by the Mariners at home. The Cardinals are 14-13 and are tied with the Brewers for last place in the NL Central.

Despite the losing record, the Cardinals have had some good offensive performances for the week by OPS. They include Nathan Church (1.482), Pedro Pagés (1.155), Iván Herrera (1.129) and Masyn Winn (.931). Just below that is JJ Wetherholt (.816).

JJ Wetherholt

At the bottom are Victor Scott (.192), José Fermín (.222), Alec Burleson (.293), and Ramón Urías (.331). This is the first time this season Alec Burleson has had this low of an offensive performance by a regular in the lineup. Fermín and Urías are essentially bench players, though Urías plays more often than most.

The poor performance of the pitching is a broken record, but this past week it did not come from the usual suspects.  Matthew Liberatore had his worst start so far, and the usual stalwarts in the bullpen, JoJo Romero, and Riley O’Brien did not pitch well either.

The closer blew two of three save opportunities, went 1-1 and had a 5.40 ERA. Romero also took a loss and yielded six runs in 2 1/3 innings.

The bullpen has been taxed, which perhaps is the reason. However, it is a shared responsibility as the starters are not going deep into games, which puts more pressure on the relievers. However, there is no relief in sight for the pen and the team is playing 17 games with no break. Hold on to your hats Cardinals fans, it could get ugly (more so than it has been already).

A six-man rotation looks to be the plan through this stretch of games. Hunter Dobbins has pitched four rehab starts in Memphis and appears ready to join the Cardinals, which he will do on Thursday in Pittsburgh.

The Cardinals go on the road briefly for four games in Pittsburgh, and the Pirates have been playing well. The team will come back right after Pittsburgh to play the Dodgers and Brewers. It is not going to get easier any time soon.

Stay tuned as the season progresses.

NL Central Standings

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.

Transactions

There are no transactions to report.

Injury Report

Lars Nootbaar

OF Lars Nootbaar (heel surgery) will continue his rehab for his Haglund’s Deformities surgery on both heels. Nootbaar was placed on the 60-day injured list on March 25. According to Derrick Goold of the Post Dispatch, the plan is for Nootbaar to return to the roster when he is first eligible on May 24, 2026.

Hunter Dobbins

RHP Hunter Dobbins was placed on the 15-day injured list on March 25, retroactive to March 22. Dobbins was sent on a rehab assignment to the Memphis Redbirds on March 31. Dobbins made his most recent rehab start on Thursday, April 23 and is scheduled to make his first start with St. Louis one week later, on Thursday, April 30.

Matt Pushard

LHP Matt Pushard was placed on the 15-day injured list on March 31 retroactive to March 30 due to right knee patellar tendinitis. Pushard is on a rehab assignment with the Memphis Redbirds and has made four relief appearances to date.

Pedro Pagés

C Pedro Pages left Saturday’s game with a hamstring injury. It was determined to be mild with Pages expecting to return to action in Pittsburgh after sitting out on Sunday.

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals leave for Pittsburgh for a four-game series with the Pirates Monday through Thursday. Starters are scheduled to be Dustin May, Kyle Leahy, Andre Pallante and Hunter Dobbins.

These will be the first games against a National League Central Division opponent for the Cardinals, a month into the 2026 schedule.

The team returns to St. Louis to begin May with a weekend series against the Dodgers. The homestand will continue with three against the Brewers.

The team follows the homestand with a six-game road trip in California that includes three at the Padres and three with the Athletics in Sacramento.

The Cardinals will return from the West Coast for a six-game homestand with the Royals and the Pirates.

Blast from the Past

The Cardinals were swept in three games by the Seattle Mariners over the weekend in Busch Stadium. The series did not include former Cardinal Brendan Donovan, who is on the injured list and did not travel to St. Louis.

The Cardinals lost two of the three games by the score of 3-2, on Friday and Sunday. They fell 11-9 on Saturday. They will play the Pirates in Pittsburgh for the next four games (this becomes relevant below).

Though historical data on sweeps of the Cardinals are difficult to come by, some information can be gleaned from an online search of notable sweeps of the Cardinals in recent years. Here some “sweep facts” on the Cardinals in recent seasons.

• The Cardinals were swept by the Mariners in 2025 in Seattle in three games on September 8-10. The scores were 4-2, 5-2, 4-2. Like last year, this year’s sweep included two losses by the same score.
• The Cardinals were swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates in three games from June 20-July 2, 2025 while not scoring a run in 27 innings. The Cardinals face the Pirates for the first time in 2026 in a four-game series starting on Monday.
• The New York Mets swept the Cardinals in four games from April 17-20, 2025. It was the first time that the Mets swept the Cardinals in a four-game series in their home ballpark.
• The Cincinnati Reds swept the Cardinals in four games on June 3-6, 2021 at Busch Stadium. It was the first time the Cardinals were swept by the Reds in a four-game series in St. Louis since 1990.
• The Cardinals have suffered several postseason sweeps. Here are a few:

1. 2004 World Series – The Cardinals were swept in four games by the Boston Red Sox
2. 2009 NLDS – The Cardinals were swept in three games by the Los Angeles Dodgers
3. 2019 NLCS – The Cardinals were swept in four games by the Washington Nationals.
4. In an oldie, the Cardinals were swept in four games by the New York Yankees in the 1928 World Series.

It seems like there have been more opponent sweeps in the last three or four years as the Cardinals have struggled to win consistently. The best that can be said is that the Cardinals are not unique in this regard over the history of the sport.

Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Memphis Redbirds Notebook – 2026 Week 4

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photo: Jordan Walker (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The 8-7 Cardinals took their road series at Washington but dropped the home set to Boston. After steady Riley O’Brien and JoJo Romero, the bullpen has issues, while Jordan Walker’s hot hitting is pacing an inconsistent offense. Our history section outlines MLB’s legacy of hit-by-pitches.

Game Recaps

Monday, April 6, 2026 – Cardinals 6 at Nationals 9

The St. Louis Cardinals fell to the Washington Nationals in the first of a three-game road series on Monday. Starter Andre Pallante pitched five innings, gave up two runs on three hits, walked four and struck out two.

Justin Bruihl relieved Pallante and surrendered one run in 2/3 of an inning. JoJo Romero threw a scoreless frame. Ryne Stanek and Matt Svanson each relinquished three runs in 2/3 of an inning. Svanson took the loss.

Washington went up 2-0 in the first inning. St. Louis scored one run in the fifth to shrink the lead to 2-1 as Thomas Saggese doubled and later scored on a force out by Alec Burleson.

The Cardinals took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run home run by Ramón Urías. The Nationals tied the game in the home sixth.

Ramón Urías

In the top of the eighth, the Cardinals regained the lead with three runs. Jordan Walker thumped a solo home run. Masyn Winn walked and scored on a Urías double. Urías advanced to third on a Thomas Saggese single and came hom on a sac bunt by Victor Scott.

The Nationals answered in the home eighth with six runs to take the lead and the game 9-6.

The Cardinals offense scored six runs on nine hits. Urías was 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Walker was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Saggese was 2-for-3.

Saggese had an outfield assist at home plate.

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 – Cardinals 7 at Nationals 6 (10 innings)

The Cardinals edged the Nationals in an extra inning game on Tuesday. Starter Matthew Liberatore pitched five innings, gave up four runs on nine hits, walked two and fanned six.

Gordon Graceffo relieved Liberatore and surrendered one run in two innings. George Soriano hurled two scoreless innings for the win. Riley O’Brien yielded one unearned run in the 10^th and earned his third save.

The Cardinals went up 2-0 in the first inning. JJ Wetherholt drew a walk and stole second base. Alec Burleson singled, advancing Wetherholt to third. Jordan Walker reached on a fielder’s choice ground ball to the shortstop. Wetherholt scored, Burleson went to second, Walker was safe on first due to a shortstop fielding error. Nolan Gorman plated Burleson on a single.

The Nationals scored one run in the home first and tied the game at 2-2 in the third inning.

In the fifth, Washington went ahead 4-2, then made it 5-2 in the sixth. St. Louis added a run in the seventh to shrink the lead to 5-3 on a solo home run by Jordan Walker.

The Cardinals tied the game at 5-5 in the eighth. Masyn Winn walked and scored on a two-run home by Nathan Church.

Nathan Church

The game went into extra innings. In the top of the 10^th, Masyn Winn was the runner on second. Thomas Saggese doubled to score him and make it 6-5. Saggese later came home on a double by Wetherholt to make it 7-5.

The Nationals scored just one run in the bottom of the 10^th and the Cardinals won 7-6.

The Cardinals scored seven runs on nine hits. Gorman was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Saggese was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Walker and Church each had two RBI.

Wetherholt stole his third base. Winn swiped his second bag. Saggese was caught stealing. Pedro Pagés made a throwing error.

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 – Cardinals 6 at Nationals 1

The Cardinals took the series against the Nationals with a 6-1 win on Wednesday. McGreevy took the mound for St. Louis. The right hander pitched six innings, gave up one run on four hits and struck out one to earn his first win.

Michael McGreevy

Matt Svanson threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Justin Bruihl collected one out. Riley O’Brien tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Cardinals took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Thomas Saggese and Nathan Church singled and both advanced on a passed ball. Iván Herrera drew a walk. Alec Burleson plated Saggese and Church on a single.

Alec Burleson

The Nationals scored their only run of the game in the third to cut the lead to 2-1. St. Louis made it 3-1 in the fifth on a solo home run by Jordan Walker.

The Cardinals extended their lead to 4-1 in the seventh. JJ Wetherholt and Herrera walked. Burleson singled to score Wetherholt.

St. Louis made it 6-1 in the in the ninth. Herrera was hit by a pitch. Burleson walked. Walker drew a walk to load the bases. Yohel Pozo singled to bring Herrera and Burleson home.

The Cardinals scored six runs on eight hits. Burleson was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Pozo drove in two.

Thursday, April 9, 2026 – Off day

Friday, April 10, 2026 – Cardinals 3, Red Sox 2

The Cardinals edged the Red Sox by a 3-2 score at Busch Stadium on Friday. Starter and former Red Sox pitcher Dustin May went six innings, gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits and fanned four to earn his first win as a Cardinal.

Dustin May

Ryne Stanek, JoJo Romero and Riley O’Brien each tossed a scoreless inning. O’Brien earned his fourth save.

The Cardinals went ahead 1-0 in the second inning. Ramón Urías doubled and later scored on a sac fly by Victor Scott.

Boston took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. In the fifth, St. Louis came back with two runs to lead 3-2. Jordan Walker singled. Urías walked. Thomas Saggese plated Walker on a single. Saggese and Urías advanced on a wild pitch. Urías scored on a sac fly by José Fermín.

The offense scored three runs on eight hits. Walker was 2-for-4.

Wetherholt made a throwing error.

Saturday, April 11, 2026 – Cardinals 1, Red Sox 7

The Cardinals took a late-inning pounding from the Red Sox in a 7-1 loss on Saturday at Busch Stadium. Kyle Leahy started for St. Louis. The right hander pitched four innings, gave up two runs on three hits, walked three and struck out two. Leahy took his second loss of the season.

Gordon Graceffo relieved Leahy and threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Justin Bruihl hurled a scoreless inning. Matt Svanson surrendered five runs in an inning of work. Jared Shuster tossed the final 2/3 of a scoreless inning.

Boston went up 2-0 in the fourth inning. St. Louis cut the lead to one run in the eighth on a solo home run by Jordan Walker.

The Red Sox had a field day with Svanson, who gifted them five runs in the ninth to put a close game out of reach.

The Cardinals scored one run on five hits. Walker had the only extra base hit and the only RBI. The offense was 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

Sunday, April 12, 2026 – Cardinals 3, Red Sox 9

The Cardinals fell to the Red Sox in a 9-3 rout on Sunday at Busch Stadium. This was the first home series loss of the season.

Starter Andre Pallante pitched five innings, gave up seven runs on 10 hits, walked one and struck out two. Pallante took the loss.

George Soriano relieved Pallante and threw a scoreless sixth. Jared Shuster surrendered two runs in three innings of relief.

Boston took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, then added a third run in the top of the second.

In the home second, a solo home run by Jordan Walker cut the lead to 3-1. This was Walker’s seventh home run this season.

The Red Sox posted a four-run fourth inning to extend their lead to 7-1. The Cardinals made it 7-2 in the sixth. Iván Herrera walked. Alec Burleson and Walker singled to load the bases. Herrera scored on a sac fly by Nolan Gorman, but that was it.

The Cardinals shrunk the lead to 7-3 in the eighth on a solo home run by Burleson. The Red Sox added two more runs in the ninth for the final tally of 9-3.

The Cardinals scored three runs on seven hits. Walker and Burleson were each 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Big Picture

The Cardinals had another 3-3 week. They won 2-of-3 from the Nationals but lost 2-of-3 to the Red Sox. The team is now 8-7 on the season and tied for third place in the Division with the Brewers. The Pirates stand in first place, just a half game ahead of the Reds. The Cubs are firmly in last place, though they beat the Pirates on Sunday. The Brewers have lost five in a row.

Jordan Walker

Jordan Walker is the top offensive performer on the team by far with an OPS of 1.367 over the last seven days and 25 at bats. Nathan Church has an OPS of 1.089 in seven at bats for the week but that is a result of a two-run home run he hit against the Nationals. Reserve infielder Ramon Urías is the only other player with an OPS above .900.

Underperformers for the week include JJ Wetherholt (.484), Pedro Pagés (.472), Victor Scott (.381) and Yohel Pozo (.334).

Walker cannot carry this offense. Players like Wetherholt, Iván Herrera, and Nolan Gorman need to step up their offensive game. Masyn Winn has struggled, but he has had multiple minor injuries. The shortstop is currently out of the lineup after being hit by a pitch on Friday.

Despite the woes of the offense, the pitching is far worse. After two terrible outings, Dustin May had a decent performance this week. So did Michael McGreevy. However, Matthew Liberatore, Kyle Leahy, and Andre Pallante did not pitch well.

The bullpen is a serious problem. Riley O’Brien and JoJo Romero have been their usual effective selves so far. For the rest it is hit or miss from game to game, and in some instances, it is mostly miss. Matt Svanson has been awful over the last week, and something just less than awful since the season started. Chris Roycroft was a problem that has been removed to Memphis. Matt Pushard is currently not a problem because he is on the injured list.

To put it bluntly, the bullpen is a hot mess. To make matters worse, there is no help in Memphis that is ready and available to pitch at the major league level. Tink Hence is simply not ready, and Luis Gastelum, who some fans have been asking about, is not on the 40-man roster. Others who are on the 40-man roster are not likely to be effective or are starters.

The Cardinals continue their homestand to begin the week against the Cleveland Guardians. The Cardinals are facing a lot of American League teams to start the season, which compounds the problem because these are teams they don’t see more than once a season (except for the Kansas City Royals).

The next road trip will be to one more American League team, the Astros, and the Miami Marlins.

Stay tuned as the season progresses.

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

Patrick Galle

• The Cardinals received their PTNBL (player to be named later) from the Sonny Gray trade this past week in the form of RHP Patrick Galle. The 22-year-old was the 2025 17^th round pick by Boston from the University of Mississippi. His brief stint in Boston’s minor league system was at their Single-A affiliate, the Salem Red Sox, where he pitched 7 1/3 innings with a 4.91 ERA. As a Cardinal, Galle is off to a nice start closing for Class-A Palm Beach.

Transactions

Brayden Smith

• 4/7 The Cardinals traded DFAed LHP Nick Raquet to the Baltimore Orioles for OF/2B Brayden Smith. Like Galle, Smith was assigned to Palm Beach.

Injury Report

Lars Nootbaar

• OF Lars Nootbaar (heel surgery) will continue his rehab for his Haglund’s Deformities surgery on both heels. Nootbaar was placed on the 60-day injured list on March 25. Jeff Jones reported that the outfielder was in St. Louis over the weekend and is progressing with the hope he can be activated close to when eligible. Nootbaar is not yet hitting live pitching, however.

Hunter Dobbins

• RHP Hunter Dobbins was placed on the 15-day injured list on March 25, retroactive to March 22, as he continues to rehab from his right knee ACL surgery. Dobbins was sent on a rehab assignment to the Memphis Redbirds on March 31. He made his second rehab start on April 7. Recall date from the rehab assignment is yet to be determined.

Matt Pushard

• LHP Matt Pushard was placed on the 15-day injured list on March 31 retroactive to March 30. Right knee patellar tendinitis. The placement on the injured list was motivated by imaging done on the knee indicating multiple days of unavailability. Pushard was replaced on the roster by RHP Gordon Graceffo.

Masyn Winn

• SS Masyn Winn returned to the lineup following hip soreness, only to come out of the lineup again when he was hit by a pitch on his lower leg in Friday’s game with the Boston Red Sox. Winn did not return to the lineup for the remainder of the weekend.

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals begin a three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians at Busch Stadium on Monday. Matthew Liberatore is set to make the Monday start, followed by Michael McGreevy on Tuesday, and Dustin May on Wednesday.

After a travel day on Thursday April 16, the Cardinals play a weekend series in Houston with the Astros, followed by three against the Marlins in Miami.

The team returns from its second road trip for a brief homestand. The Cardinals play the Seattle Mariners from Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26.

The Cardinals will end the month of April on the road with a four-game series in Pittsburgh. The team returns to St. Louis to begin May with a weekend series against the Dodgers.

Blast from the Past

In this week’s Blast from the Past, we discuss Rule 5.05 (b), better known as the “hit by pitch” or “Hit batsman” rule of major league baseball. The hit-by-pitch came into the news this past week, when former Cub, Cardinal, and current Red Sox 1B Willson Contreras made headlines complaining about the frequency of his being hit by a pitch from Milwaukee Brewers pitchers.

Contreras has been hit by a pitch by Brewers pitchers 24 times over his career. Six of those were from Brandon Woodruff. After the 24^th hit by pitch, Contreras was quoted as saying he would “take one of them out” if he was hit again.

Willson Contreras

While Cardinal fans love Contreras, as the standing ovation he received on Friday demonstrates, he has the reputation of being combative at times and he tends to crowd the plate, making pitching him inside difficult. He was hit by a pitch from Kyle Leahy in Saturday’s game against the Red Sox.

The history of the “hit by pitch” rule is that it was first recorded as a stat in 1884. The rule, which was instituted in 1887, states that a batter is awarded first base if he is  (1) touched by a pitch outside the strike zone anywhere other than on the bat (including the uniform); (2) attempts to avoid the pitch; and (3) does not swing at the pitch. A hit by pitch is awarded also in the case where the ball hits the ground first and then hits the batter.

A hit by pitch can cause an injury sufficient to take a player out of the game, as happened to Cardinal shortstop Masyn Winn on Friday. Winn did not return to the lineup for the remainder of the weekend.

In one unfortunate case in the history of the game, a hit by pitch caused death. On August 16, 1920, Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman was hit in the head by a pitch from New York Yankees pitcher Carl Mays. The pitch fractured Chapman’s skull and he died the following morning. This was prior to the introduction of batting helmets.

Serious injury can also result from a hit by pitch. On August 18, 1967, Red Sox outfielder Tony Conigliaro was hit in the left eye by a pitch thrown by Angels pitcher Jack Hamilton. Conigliaro nearly lost sight in the eye and his cheekbone was shattered. He was unable to play for over a year and his performance was never the same.

Other players who suffered serious injury include Mickey Cochrane of the Tigers, Kirby Puckett of the Twins, and Mike Piazza of the Mets. Piazza was hit by Julián Tavárez of the Cardinals in 2005 and suffered a serious concussion.

Other related stats include the all-time record of a hitter hit by a pitch which belongs to Hughie Jennings, who was hit 287 times in the early 20^th Century; the modern-era record belongs to Craig Biggio, who was hit 285 times.

The all-time record for a pitcher hitting batters is Gus Weyhing with 277 (1887-1901). The Modern-Era leader is Walter Johnson with 205.

Former Cardinal Harrison Bader has the distinction of being the only major league player to ever record two RBI on two HBPs in the same game, which occurred on April 11, 2019.

Ten major league players have been hit twice in the same inning: Willard Schmidt (Reds), Frank Thomas (Mets), Andrés Gallaraga (Rockies), Brady Anderson (Orioles), Mike Hessman (Tigers), José Guillén (Giants), David DeJesus (Cubs), Brandon Moss (Athletics), Francisco Lindor (Mets) and C.J. Abrams (Nationals).

Through 15 games this season, Cardinals batters have been hit nine times, no one more than twice. St. Louis pitchers’ offerings have hit 10 opposing batters in 2026, with no one throwing more than two.

So, Contreras has a lot of company.

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