photo: Willson Contreras (St. Louis Cardinals)
Heading into the break, the St. Louis Cardinals went 3-4 for the week and remain in last place. Catcher Willson Contreras has been red-hot with the bat, logging a 1.962 OPS over the seven games. Our history feature covers the .426 1978 Cardinals.
Game Recaps
Monday, July 3, 2023 – Cardinals 4 at Marlins 5
The St. Louis Cardinals lost another one run game, this time against the Marlins on Monday. Losing games by one run, whether it is from not scoring quite enough or from blowing a lead late, is a situation that the 2023 Cardinals have spectacularly perfected.
Monday’s starter was Miles Mikolas, whose performance has been inconsistent in 2023. This night, Mikolas pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits. The right hander struck out two and walked two.
Andre Pallante relieved Mikolas with one out in the seventh inning. Pallante, who has also been inconsistent and was optioned to Memphis once earlier this season, surrendered one more run in one full inning pitched. Pallante became the losing pitcher. Chris Stratton managed to get the final two outs without allowing a run, though he has been at times erratic as well.
The Marlins got on the board first with a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The second inning began with Luken Baker hitting a ground ball single to center field. Dylan Carlson also singled. Lars Nootbaar followed his teammates and drove in Baker on a single, making the score 2-1.
Willson Contreras tied the game in the third inning with a solo home run to left field. The Cardinals took the lead in the sixth when Contreras doubled and came home on a double by Paul DeJong.
The Cardinals manufactured a run in the seventh beginning with a walk to Nootbaar, who eventually scored on a sac fly from Nolan Arenado. The Cardinals led 4-2.
Then, as night follows day, St. Louis’ pitching coughed up the lead to the Marlins in the bottom of the seventh. The Cardinals did not recover.
The Cards’ offensive leader, Contreras, went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. DeJong was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Paul Goldschmidt was 2-for-5.
DeJong stole second base, his fourth steal of the season. Dylan Carlson had an outfield assist at second base.
Tuesday, July 4, 2023 – Cardinals 2 at Marlins 15
The Cardinals lost the second game to the Marlins in a blowout.
The unfortunate starter for this game, Adam Wainwright, was terrible for the third game in a row. His outing ended at 3 1/3 innings after he bequeathed seven runs to the Marlins on seven hits. He struck out three and walked three. On Wednesday, Wainwright was placed on the IL with a shoulder strain.
JoJo Romero relieved Wainwright and did not give up a run in 1 2/3 innings. Genesis Cabrera threw a scoreless inning. Then came James Naile, who handed over eight runs to the Marlins in 1 1/3 innings. He was returned to Memphis the next day. Position player Alec Burleson, who pitched in college, came into the game to mercifully get the final two outs.
The Cardinals didn’t score until the ninth when it was already out of hand. Those two runs came on singles by Paul DeJong, Dylan Carlson, Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar and a sac fly from Tommy Edman.
The Marlins scored three runs in the first, one in the third, three in the fourth, and four each in the seventh and eighth.
Edman and Nootbaar had St. Louis’ RBI. Willson Contreras was 2-for-4.
Contreras was picked off and caught stealing. Romero made a fielding error.
Wednesday, July 5, 2023 – Cardinals 9 at Marlins 10
The Cardinals continued their march to one-run loss stardom with this 10-9 heartbreaker on Wednesday in Miami. This was a bullpen special, the walk off loss.
This game ended up as an unintended bullpen game because the starter, Matthew Liberatore, couldn’t make it out of the first inning. The left hander gave up four runs while recording only one out. Liberatore was given the hook and replaced by Dakota Hudson.
Hudson managed to only give up two more runs before Steven Matz took over. The former starter ceded two runs in 2 1/3 innings. Finally, a pitcher didn’t give up runs, namely Chris Stratton, who threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Giovanny Gallegos tossed another inning scoreless as well. Then Jordan Hicks gave up the game at the end and took the loss.
Despite all the runs allowed by the Cardinals pitching staff, the offense did manage to score enough runs to look like they might win.
After the Marlins took a 4-0 lead in the first inning then added another run in the second to lead 5-0, the Cardinals tied the game in the third inning.
The top of the third began with a Brendan Donovan single but then Goldschmidt grounded into a force out that eliminated Donovan. Lars Nootbaar did what he does and drew a walk. Nolan Arenado doubled to score Goldschmidt and Nootbaar. Willson Contreras doubled to plate Arenado. Nolan Gorman then hit a two-run home run.
The Marlins quickly regained the lead 6-5 in the bottom of the third.
St. Louis scored again in the fourth to tie the game again. Dylan Carlson walked and Donovan singled. With Carlson on third, Goldschmidt grounded into a double play and Carlson scored.
The Marlins scored two in the sixth to go up 8-6. The Cardinals cut the lead to 8-7 in the seventh when Nolan Arenado doubled and scored on a single by Contreras.
The Cardinals took the lead 9-8 in the top of the ninth on a two-run long ball by Jordan Walker. The lead was blown in the bottom of the ninth when Hicks gave up two runs to the Marlins by air mailing a routine throw to first base and blew the save.
The offense scored nine runs, but the pitching coughed up 10, so the one run purgatory continued on. Arenado went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Contreras was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Donovan was 3-for-5. Gorman and Walker each had two RBI.
Thursday, July 6, 2023 – Cardinals 3 at Marlins 0
The Cardinals managed to salvage one win of the four-game series with the Marlins. It took a good Thursday outing by starter Jack Flaherty to get it done. Flaherty pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, though he did allow nine hits. The right hander struck out five and walked two to get his sixth win.
Chris Stratton, Giovanny Gallegos and Jordan Hicks combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
After a scoreless game for five innings. St. Louis finally tallied a run in the sixth on a solo long ball from Nolan Arenado.
St. Louis scored again in the seventh when Nolan Gorman hit a ground-rule double and came hom on a single by Alec Burleson.
The final Cardinal run came home in the eighth. Lars Nootbaar doubled and scored on a double by Gorman.
The Marlins put up a big goose egg for once.
Burleson was 2-for-4 and drove in oneI. Gorman was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Dylan Carlson stole a base.
Friday, July 7, 2023 – Cardinals 7 at White Sox 8
And the band played on as the Cardinals suffered their third one run loss of the week, this time against the White Sox on Friday.
Jordan Montgomery took the mound for the start and pitched 4 1/3 innings before leaving with an injury. The left hander gave up one run on three hits, struck out five and walked one.
Enter the bullpen to torpedo the Cardinals’ four-run lead. JoJo Romero surrendered three runs, two earned, in an inning of relief. Andre Pallante handed the White Sox two more runs in 2/3 of an inning. In his MLB debut, Kyle Leahy did the same. Chris Stratton managed to stop the bleeding with 1 1/3 scoreless innings but the damage was already done.
The Cardinals led 5-0 before Montgomery gave up a solo home run and left the game. In the second inning, Jordan Walker doubled and scored on a double by Ivan Herrera. Herrera came in on a single by Dylan Carlson.
In the third, Lars Nootbaar singled and scored on a long ball by Nolan Arenado. Nolan Gorman singled and advanced on two wild pitches. Herrera drove Gorman home on a single. St. Louis led 5-0.
The Marlins scored six runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Cardinals came back to score two more in the top of the seventh to recapture the lead at 7-6. The two-run home run by Arenado in the third repeated in the seventh.
Alas, the lead was blown in the bottom of the seventh and no more runs were scored.
Arenado was almost a hero, going deep twice with four RBI and two runs scored. Herrera was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Brendan Donovan and Paul Goldschmidt were each 3-for-5. Nootbaar was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Jordan Walker was 2-for-5.
Gorman had a missed catch error.
Saturday, July 8, 2023 – Cardinals 3 at White Sox 0
The Cardinals came back from the previous day’s one run loss to blank the White Sox, 3-0. Starter Miles Mikolas pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed four hits and struck out six.
Giovanny Gallegos and Jordan Hicks tossed a scoreless inning each. Gallegos received a rosin warning from an umpire and an arm bathing. Sticky stuff is not tolerated in.
Nolan Arenado singled. Nolan Gorman grounded into a force out and Arenado was out at second. Jordan Walker singled. Paul DeJong singled to plate Gorman and the Cardinals led 1-0.
In the fifth, Ivan Herrera singled and later came hom on a ground out by Brendan Donovan to make it 2-0. The Cardinals scored for the final time in the ninth on a solo home run by Walker.
Walker was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Arenado was 2-for-4.
Sunday, July 9, 2023 – Cardinals 4 at White Sox 3 (10 innings)
The Cardinals managed to win a one-run game on Sunday. This gave them the series win over the White Sox to end the week before the Break. Whether this was a turning point or just lucky only the Universe knows.
Steven Matz returned as a starter and pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up only one unearned run on two hits, and struck out nine. This was an unexpected performance from Matz, who was relegated to the bullpen earlier in the season because he was consistently bad. The injury to Wainwright has given him a chance back in the rotation.
Dakota Hudson surrendered an unearned run in 1 1/3 innings in relief of Matz. Genesis Cabrera got one out in relief of Hudson after allowing an inherited runner to score. Chris Stratton threw a scoreless eighth. JoJo Romero did the same in the ninth.
The White Sox went up 1-0 in the third inning. The Cardinals came back in the fourth with a two-run home run by Willson Contreras to lead 2-1.
Chicago tied the game in the seventh then regained the lead 3-2 in the eighth. The Cardinals tied it at 3-3 in the ninth when Lars Nootbaar doubled and later scored on a force out by Alec Burleson.
In extra innings, the Cardinals scored a Manfred Man run with Gorman on second as Paul DeJong doubled. The bullpen held the lead this time as Romero delivered a second scoreless frame.
Contreras was 2-for-2 with two RBI. DeJong was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Goldschmidt and DeJong were both caught stealing. The Cardinals won despite a defense that committed three errors. Goldschmidt and Gorman made fielding errors and Contreras had a throwing error.
The Big Picture
The Cardinals went 3-4 for the week, winning 1 of 4 from the Marlins and 2 of 3 from the White Sox. They head into the break in last place in the NL Central, 11.5 games back of the Reds.
The week ended with two starting pitchers injured, one on the IL (Adam Wainwright) and one not yet on the IL (Jordan Montgomery). One hole appears to be filled by Steven Matz, fresh from the bullpen to which he was banished earlier in the season. The other spot remains open for now.
It isn’t necessary to reiterate that the pitching is the biggest problem for the team. The defense comes in second.
Jack Flaherty, Montgomery, and to a lesser extent Miles Mikolas have stabilized the rotation for the moment. If Montgomery goes on the IL that will likely change things. Matz was surprisingly good in his Sunday start. Matthew Liberatore was optioned to Memphis because he has struggled.
Many hope the front office is seriously considering making a trade for pitching by the deadline, specifically ones that can help beyond 2023.
The offense has been fine but the team has been crippled by the pitching and defense. The top offensive performers by OPS are Willson Contreras (1.962), and Nolan Arenado (1.246). At the bottom are Tommy Edman (.322) now on the IL, and Alec Burleson (.473).
The defense was not good in the last few games. There were three defensive errors alone in the final game on Sunday.
The baserunning has also not been good.
The Cardinals have been a comedy of errors at various points and frequently take one step forward only to go two steps back.
The team returns from the Break to play the Nationals and the Marlins again. They are likely too far behind at this point to figure in the postseason absent a miracle. The one saving grace is that a losing season puts them higher up in the draft order in 2024.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Cincinnati | 50 | 41 | 0.549 | |
| Milwaukee | 49 | 42 | 0.538 | 1 |
| Chicago | 42 | 47 | 0.472 | 7 |
| Pittsburgh | 41 | 49 | 0.456 | 8.5 |
| St. Louis | 38 | 52 | 0.422 | 11.5 |
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade and acquisition rumors.
Transactions
- 7/3 The Cardinals recalled 1B Luken Baker from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/3 The Cardinals designated OF Oscar Mercado for assignment.
- 7/4 The Cardinals sent LF Tyler O’Neill on a rehab assignment to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/5 The Cardinals recalled C Ivan Herrera from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/5 The Cardinals recalled LHP Zack Thompson from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/5 The Cardinals recalled RHP Dakota Hudson from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/5 The Cardinals optioned RHP James Naile to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/5 The Cardinals placed RHP Adam Wainwright on the 15-day injured list. Right shoulder strain.
- 7/5 The Cardinals placed C Andrew Knizner on the 10-day injured list. Right groin area injury.
- 7/5 OF Oscar Mercado elected free agency.
- 7/6 The Cardinals selected the contract of RHP Kyle Leahy from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/6 The Cardinals optioned LHP Matthew Liberatore to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/7 The Cardinals recalled SS Jose Fermin from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/7 The Cardinals placed SS Tommy Edman on the 10-day injured list. Right wrist inflammation.
Injury Report
- RHP Wilking Rodriguez (right shoulder strain) is on the 60-day injured list. Rodriguez is out for the season with shoulder surgery.
- LHP Packy Naughton (left forearm strain) was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list on May 17. Naughton underwent season ending surgery on June 26.
- LF Tyler O’Neill (low back strain). The outfielder has been out since May 5 with low back pain. O’Neill was sent on a rehab assignment on July 4 to Memphis. O’Neill has appeared in four games.
- RHP Ryan Helsley was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 10. Right forearm strain. Helsley felt tightness in his right forearm on June 11 and was sent for an MRI. The MRI revealed a tendon strain. Helsley has begun a throwing program and is still several weeks away from a return.
- RHP Jake Woodford was placed on the 15-day injured list on June 30. Right shoulder strain. Woodford felt pain in his shoulder after pitching in the game on Thursday, June 29. There is no timetable for Woodford’s return.
- RHP Drew VerHagen (right hip impingement) was placed on the 15-day injured list on July 2. VerHagen missed much of the 2022 season with the same injury and had surgery on the hip in August of 2022. The right hander received a cortisone shot and has suspended baseball activities.
- RHP Adam Wainwright was placed on the 15-day injured list on July 5 with a right shoulder strain. Wainwright returned to St. Louis to receive an injection in his shoulder. No timetable for Wainwright’s return has been reported.
- C Andrew Knizner was placed on the 10-day injured list on July 5. Knizner was hit in the groin area by a foul ball in Tuesday’s game against the Marlins and was taken to the Emergency Room at a Miami hospital. Tests showed no structural damage. No timetable for Knizner’s return has been reported.
- INF/OF Tommy Edman was placed on the 10-day injured list on July 4 with a right wrist injury. Tests showed no structural damage. Edman can not swing a bat for 4 or 5 days and is eligible to come off the IL on July 17.
- LHP Jordan Montgomery left Saturday’s game with a hamstring injury. Montgomery indicated he felt pretty good on Sunday, but no official word on the severity of his injury has been announced. If the injury is minor, he may be able to make his next start after the All-Star Break.
Looking Ahead
Following the All-Star Break the Cardinals play a six-game homestand with the Nationals and the Marlins.
Another road trip follows the homestand with a four-game set with the Cubs at Wrigley and then three in Phoenix with the Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals then return home for a four-game series with the Cubs in St. Louis to end the month of July.
The month of August begins with a six-game homestand with the Twins and the Rockies.
Blast from the Past
The Cardinals have had one of the worst starts to a season in 50 years. They have been one of the most consistent franchises in terms of winning seasons over the history of major league baseball. Nevertheless, St. Louis had had periods of underperforming.
This week’s Blast from the Past is the fourth installment in the series showcasing the worst seasons in the franchise’s long history.
The current Cardinals are 38-52 with a win percentage of .422. This week we look at a 1978 Cardinals team that ended the season with a 69-93 record and a win percentage of .426.
The 1978 Cardinals team was owned by Gussie Busch and had three managers. The first was Vern Rapp, who was fired after 17 games because his players couldn’t stand him. The situation came to a head when Rapp ordered closer Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky to shave his trademark mustache. Hrabosky demanded a trade at the end of the 1977 season, and after a poor start to the 1978 season, Rapp was fired.
Jack Krol became the interim manager for two games, before the Cardinals hired former third baseman Ken Boyer, who finished out the schedule. The general manager was Bing Devine, who was fired after the season.
The 1978 Cardinals had some good players, so whether all the turmoil within the management was a factor in their poor season is up for debate.
The primary starters were C Ted Simmons, 1B Keith Hernandez, 2B Mike Tyson (not the boxer), SS Garry Templeton, 3B Ken Reitz, LF Lou Brock, CF George Hendrick, and RF Jerry Morales.
Simmons was the top offensive performer on the team, with a slash line of .287/.377/.512. Brock was nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career, and his performance offensively was the poorest on the team.
The starting pitchers were John Denny, Bob Forsch, Pete Vuckovich, Silvio Martinez, and Pete Falcone. Denny and Vuckovich were the top pitchers in the rotation with ERAs of 2.96 and 2.54 respectively. Vuckovich had the best FIP at 2.60.
The team finished in fifth place in the National League East, 21 games back of the Phillies and three games ahead of the last place Mets.
They had winning records against three teams, the Braves, Dodgers, and Mets. They were tied with the Expos and the Pirates.
The Cardinals were only over .500 for two games in April. Their longest winning streak was five games and their longest losing streak was 11 games.
The 1978 Cardinals had 20 comeback wins, 38 blown leads, no walk off wins and 10 walk off losses. They were shut out 12 times and shut out other teams 13 times.
They underperformed their Pythagorean Expectation, which was 74-88.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
https://thecardinalnation.com/order-tcns-2023-cardinals-prospect-guide/
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 Twitter @Marilyncolor.
© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.