photo: Jordan Montgomery (Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports)
The St. Louis Cardinals had a 3-3 week at home and remain in last place, 9 ½ games back. Jordan Montgomery took two of the three wins. Nolan Arenado is the team’s lone All-Star. Our history feature highlights the .422 1924 Cardinals team.
Game Recaps
Monday, June 26, 2023 – Off day
Tuesday, June 27, 2023 – Cardinals 4, Astros 2
On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the visiting Houston Astros in the first of a three-game series. Starter Jordan Montgomery pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up two runs, one earned, on six hits, struck out six and walked one. Montgomery earned the win.
Giovanny Gallegos threw 1 1/3 scoreless relief innings. Jordan Hicks tossed a scoreless ninth.
Houston took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, the increased the lead to 2-0 in the top of the third. In the home half of the third, the Cardinals got on the board via a solo home run by Paul DeJong.
The Cardinals tied the game in the fourth when Jordan Walker singled and later scored on a sac fly by DeJong. In the fifth, St. Louis took the lead 4-2. Paul Goldschmidt walked and came home on a double by Nolan Arenado. Arenado later crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
Arenado was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Dylan Carlson was 2-for-4. Paul DeJong had two RBI.
Donovan made a fielding error.
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 – Cardinals 7, Astros 10
The Cardinals were defeated by the Astros in the second game of the series on Wednesday. Starter Miles Mikolas pitched 5 2/3 innings, gave up five runs on seven hits, struck out four and walked three.
Andre Pallante relieved Mikolas and got the final out of the sixth. Chris Stratton tossed a scoreless seventh. Giovanny Gallegos gave up the lead in the eighth, with five runs in 2/3 innings pitched and took the loss. Drew VerHagen tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Houston scored three runs in the top of the first inning. St. Louis answered with four runs in the home half of the first to lead 4-3. Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar singled. Nolan Arenado followed with a three-run home run. Nolan Gorman singled and scored on a double by Alec Burleson.
Paul Goldschmidt’s solo home run in the second inning increased the Cardinals lead to 5-3. In the fourth, Burleson was hit by a pitch and later scored on a single by Goldschmidt. The Cardinals led 6-3.
The Astros closed the gap to 6-5 in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, Donovan thumped a solo home run to increase the Cardinal lead to 7-5.
The wheels came off the Cardinals bus in the eighth when Houston put up five runs to go ahead 10-7.
Goldschmidt was 3-for-5 with two RBI. Donovan was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Arenado plated three.
On the base paths, Paul DeJong was caught stealing.
Thursday, June 29, 2023 – Cardinals 0, Astros 14
The Cardinals were annihilated by the Astros by a 14-0 score in the series finale on Thursday. Starter Adam Wainwright made his second poor start in a row, lasting only 1 2/3 innings while giving up six runs on six hits, striking out one and walking three. Wainwright suffered his third loss of the season.
Steven Matz threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Jake Woodford surrendered four runs in 2 1/3 innings. Genesis Cabrera hurled 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Outfielder Alec Burleson pitched the ninth and relinquished the final four runs.
The Astros scored 14 runs on 18 hits. The first six runs came in the second inning, followed by three in the sixth, one in the eighth, and four in the ninth.
The Cardinals scattered four hits, all singles, from Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, Brendan Donovan, and Jordan Walker. The offense was 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position.
Friday, June 30, 2023 – Cardinals, Yankees (postponed)
This game was postponed until Saturday evening due to rain.
Saturday, July 1, 2023 – Cardinals 11, Yankees 4 (Game 1)
The Cardinals bounced back from their 14-0 drubbing on Thursday, to pound the Yankees in an 11-4 win in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Starter Jack Flaherty pitched six scoreless innings, allowed four hits, struck out four and walked two to earn his fifth win of the season.
James Naile surrendered one unearned run in two innings of relief. Drew VerHagen relinquished three runs in the ninth.
St Louis put up five runs in the third inning. Tommy Edman and Andrew Knizner singled. Paul Goldschmidt followed with a three-run home run. Nolan Gorman walked. Nolan Arenado reached on a fielder’s choice with an error. Gorman scored on a single by Alec Burleson. Paul DeJong plated Arenado on a single.
The Cardinals added two runs in the fourth on a two-run home run by Gorman. Four more runs in the fifth gave St. Louis an 11-0 lead. Burleson doubled. DeJong walked. Edman singled and Burleson scored. Knizner plated DeJong and Edman on a double. Knizner scored on a sac fly by Goldschmidt.
The Yankees finally got on the board with one run in the seventh. They added three runs in the ninth.
Gorman and Knizner were both 2 for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Burleson was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Edman was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Goldschmidt drove in four.
In the field, Edman had an outfield assist at first base. Knizner had a passed ball.
Saturday, July 1, 2023 – Cardinals 2, Yankees 6 (Game 2)
The Cardinals went down in defeat to the visiting Yankees in the second game of the doubleheader. Starter Matthew Liberatore pitched 4 1/3 innings, gave up three runs on seven hits, struck out one and walked one. Liberatore took the loss, his third of the season.
27th man Dakota Hudson threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Chris Stratton surrendered three runs in 1 1/3 innings. Andre Pallante secured the final two outs without allowing a run.
New York scored in the top of the first to go up 1-0. The Cardinals quickly tied it in the home half on a solo home run by Lars Nootbaar.
The Yankees came back with two runs in the second to regain the lead 3-1. The Cardinals cut the lead to 3-2 in the third as Nootbaar singled and later scored on a double by Jordan Walker.
The score remained at 3-2 until the ninth inning when the Yankees scored three to break the game open.
Nootbaar was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Walker was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Goldschmidt was 2-for-4.
On the base paths, Tommy Edman was picked off first base.
Sunday, July 2, 2023 – Cardinals 5, Yankees 1
The Cardinals took the series with a rubber game win over the Yankees on Sunday. Starter Jordan Montgomery pitched 6 2/3 innings against his former team, gave up one unearned run on two hits, struck out six and walked three. Montgomery earned his sixth win of the season.
Giovanny Gallegos threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Jordan Hicks tossed a scoreless ninth.
The game was scoreless until the fourth inning when the Cardinals scored twice. Nolan Arenado led off with a double. Alec Burleson singled. Jordan Walker plated Arenado on a single. Burleson came home on a single by Andrew Knizner.
New York cut into the lead with one run in the seventh. St. Louis quickly responded with two runs in the home half on a two-run home run by Brendan Donovan.
The Cardinals scored their final run in the eighth. Dylan Carlson singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third base and came home on an error.
Donovan was 3-for-4 with two RBI. Nolan Arenado and Tommy Edman were each 2-for-4.
On the base paths, Carlson stole his second base of the season. Donovan was caught stealing for the first time.
In the field, Knizner had a passed ball.
The Big Picture
The Cardinals finished the week at home with a 3-3 record. They lost 2 of 3 to the Astros and won 2 of 3 from the Yankees. The team remains in last place in the NL Central, 9.5 games back of the Reds and the Brewers, who are tied for first place.
The team has not been able to make a sustained run sufficient to lift them out of the basement. Their largest winning streak is only four games, while they have lost as many as eight consecutive games. The only consolation is that the NL Central is a weak enough division that there is still time for the Cardinals to pull themselves up with a sustained run in the second half of the season.
The key to a run is improved pitching. There is room for improvement, but the best chance is a change in the composition of the staff. Adding a pitcher or two at the deadline has to be the goal of the front office or the outlook is not good.
The bullpen especially has not performed well of late, excepting Genesis Cabrera, Jordan Hicks, back at closer, and Andre Pallante. Steven Matz has also been ok in limited outings out of the bullpen, but he has been used as more of a long man.
As for the rotation, Adam Wainwright has been struggling mightily. Whether this is temporary, or a function of his age remains to be seen. Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery have been the best starters recently. Miles Mikolas has digressed, and Matthew Liberatore simply has not shown yet that he can contribute to this rotation over the long haul.
The offense has been good for the most part, except for the one blowout loss against the Astros. The top performers by OPS for the last seven days are Nolan Arenado (1.396), Brendan Donovan (1.300), Paul Goldschmidt (.931) and Andrew Knizner (.819). At the bottom are Tommy Edman (.511), Dylan Carlson (.572), Nolan Gorman (.583), and Willson Contreras (.583).
The defense is better, especially on the infield. The outfield is still the weak area, but the return of Lars Nootbaar and Dylan Carlson from the IL has helped.
Baserunning still could use some improvement.
The Cardinals go on the road to play the Marlins and the White Sox before the All-Star Break.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Cincinnati | 45 | 39 | 0.536 | |
| Milwaukee | 45 | 39 | 0.536 | |
| Pittsburgh | 39 | 44 | 0.470 | 5.5 |
| Chicago | 38 | 44 | 0.463 | 6 |
| St. Louis | 35 | 48 | 0.422 | 9.5 |
The Cardinals have only one All-Star
The rosters for the MLB All-Star Game, to be played on July 10 in Seattle, were finalized on Sunday evening.
Nolan Arenado will be the only Cardinal representative in the Midsummer Classic, barring late substitutions.
Arenado was the winner of the fan vote as the starter at third base. This is Arenado’s eighth selection to the NL All-Star team, fifth as a starter.
He will attend the game, but lingering pain in his back may prevent him from playing much if at all.
Arenado started the season slowly but has improved his performance over the last two months. He is currently slashing .278/.326/.490 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI.
The Cardinals are off to their slowest start as a team in 50 years and are currently sitting in last place in the NL Central.
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade and acquisition rumors.
Transactions
- 6/30 The Cardinals placed RHP Jake Woodford on the 15-day injured list. Right shoulder strain.
- 6/30 The Cardinals recalled RHP James Naile from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/1 The Cardinals recalled RHP Dakota Hudson from the Memphis Redbirds. Doubleheader 27th
- 7/2 The Cardinals optioned RHP Dakota Hudson to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/2 The Cardinals placed RHP Drew VerHagen on the 15-day injured list. Right hip impingement.
- 7/2 The Cardinals recalled LHP JoJo Romero from the Memphis Redbirds.
Injury Report
- RHP Wilking Rodriguez (right shoulder strain) was transferred to 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 has resumed baseball activities and is expected to go on a rehab assignment this coming week.
- RHP Ryan Helsley was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 10. Helsley felt tightness in his right forearm on June 11. An MRI revealed a tendon strain. Helsley has still not resumed baseball activities and he is expected to be out for several more weeks.
- 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.
- UT Brendan Donovan was scratched from the lineup for Friday’s rained out game with right arm discomfort. He did not play in the doubleheader on Saturday. An MRI was taken and came back clean. Donovan played in Sunday’s game as the DH.
- 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 last August. The right hander received a cortisone shot and will cease baseball activities for a few days. The earliest VerHagen could return is after the All-Star Break.
Looking Ahead
Following the home series with the Yankees, the team goes on the road to play a four-game set with the Marlins in Miami, followed three with the White Sox in Chicago.
Miles Mikolas and Adam Wainwright will start Monday and Tuesday, respectively, with the other starters to be announced.
The All-Star break begins after the White Sox series. The Cardinals will open the second half with a six game homestand with the Nationals and the Marlins.
Following the homestand will be a roadtrip that includes four games with the Cubs at Wrigley and a three game set in Phoenix with the Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals then return home for fourwith the Cubs in St. Louis to end the month of July.
Blast from the Past
The Cardinals are experiencing one of their worst starts to a season in 50 years. St. Louis has 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 third installment in the series showcasing the worst seasons in the franchise’s long history.
The current Cardinals are 35-48 as of this writing for a winning percentage of.422. In franchise history (154 games minimum), the closest of the worst teams with a full-season WP equal to or less than .422 is the 1924 Cardinals, also at .422.
The 1924 Cardinals were owned by Sam Breadon and managed by Branch Rickey. The team finished sixth in the National League with a record of 65-89. They were 28.5 games back of the first place New York Giants.
The primary starters for the 1924 Cardinals were C Mike Gonzalez, 1B Jim Bottomley, 2B Rogers Hornsby, SS Jimmy Cooney, 3B Howard Friegau, and outfielders Jack Smith, Ray Blades, and Wattie Holm.
Of interest, the Cuban Gonzalez was one of the first Latin players to play in the major leagues and the first with the Cardinals. He later became a coach and a manager for St. Louis.
While this was a losing team in 1924, it did have several stars on its roster. Fans will likely recognize two other names on the starting list, that of Jim Bottomley and Rogers Hornsby. Both were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and are also in the Cardinals Hall of Fame.
Hornsby was the best offensive player on the team, with a slash line of .424/.507/.696 for the season. Bottomley and Blades were also very good offensively that season.
The starting rotation for the 1924 team was Jesse Haines, Allen Sothoron, Johnny Stuart, Eddie Dyer, Leo Dickerman, and Jeff Pfeffer.
Haines is a Hall of Famer who spent the majority of his career with the Cardinals. Haines’ Hall of Fame selection in 1970 by the Veterans Committee was controversial, as several of the Committee members were former teammates. Haines’ numbers do not suggest he pitched at a Hall of Fame level.
Haines was not the best pitcher on the 1924 team. Only one of the starting pitchers, Dickerman, had a winning record. Dickerman made only 13 starts that season, however.
The 1924 team spent only one day in first place, on April 15. That was also the only day the team had a record over .500. The longest winning streak and the longest losing streak were seven games.
The 1924 team had 25 comeback wins, and 41 blown leads. They had no walk off wins or losses. The team had a winning record against only one NL team, the last place Boston Braves.
The 1924 Cardinals played under their Pythagorean Expectation, which was 76-78. After April 16, the team was never higher than fifth place in the National League and was only in fifth place for one day.
The team improved to 77-76 in 1925 and was a World Series winner in 1926.
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