photo: Ivan Herrera (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals went 4-2 for the week and are 8-8 in the Grapefruit League. The offense is improving with Ivan Herrera its hottest hitter and Nolan Gorman is coming around. Our history feature investigates key St. Louis news made during this week in team history.
Spring game recaps
Monday, March 3, 2025 – Off day
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 – Cardinals 6, Mets 1
The St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets by a 6-1 score on Tuesday at Roger Dean Stadium. Andre Pallante started and pitched three scoreless innings with one hit allowed and two strikeouts.
Pallante was followed on the mound by Ryan Helsley, Ryan Fernandez, Kyle Leahy, and Tink Hence. In what would be his second and final outing before being optioned out, Hence allowed the only Mets run.
The Cardinals got on the board in the second inning as Brendan Donovan tripled and came home on a single by José Fermín. They added two runs in the sixth on a double by Nolan Arenado. Matt Koperniak’s two-run home run in the seventh made it a 5-0.
The Mets scored their only run in the top of the eighth. Leonardo Bernal drove in the final Cardinals run in the home eighth for the final score of 6-1.
Fermín was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Victor Scott II was also 2-for-3 and stole his fourth base of the spring.
The Cardinals committed three errors.
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 – Cardinals 5 at Astros 6
The Cardinals lost to the Astros at West Palm Beach on Wednesday. Sonny Gray made his first start of the spring. The right hander threw 2 2/3 innings, gave up three runs on four hits and fanned three.
Andre Granillo, Chris Roycroft, JoJo Romero, John King, Roddery Muñoz, Michael Gomez, and Ryan Loutos each took a turn in relief.
St. Loiuis scored one run in the top of the second on a fielding error on a José Fermín ground ball to third. JJ Wetherholt came home after reaching base on a walk and advancing on Thomas Saggese’s single.
The Astros tied it up in the home second. The Cardinals scored a second run in the top of the third on back-to-back doubles by Alec Burleson and Iván Herrera.
Houston took the lead 3-2 in the home third. The Cardinals tied it in the fifth on a home run by Luken Baker.
St. Louis took the lead in the seventh on a two-run home run by Jose Barrero. The Astros came back against Gomez (blown save) and Loutos (loss) with two in the eighth and one in the ninth to win 6-5.
Wetherholt stole his second base of the spring. Herrera was picked off and caught stealing. Jeremy Rivas made a fielding error.
Thursday, March 6, 2025 – Cardinals 1, Nationals 12
The Cardinals were the victims of a blowout against the Nationals at home on Thursday. Erick Fedde started and threw three scoreless innings with no hits allowed, two walks and one strikeout.
The relievers that followed were Tekoah Roby, Gordon Graceffo, Tyler Bradt, Leonardo Taveras, Matt Svanson, and Oddanier Mosqueda. Roby gave up three runs, Graceffo allowed three runs, Bradt surrendered four, Taveras allowed one and Mosqueda gave up the final run. Only Svanson came out unscathed in his final outing before being optioned to the minors.
The Cardinals scored their only run in the fourth. Lars Nootbaar singled and later was driven in via a single by Brendan Donovan. The offense scattered five hits. Willson Contreras was 2-for-3.
The Nationals poured it on, scoring two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, eight in the sixth, and one in the ninth.
St. Louis made three errors.
Friday, March 7, 2025 – Cardinals 6, Astros 4
The Cardinals defeated the Astros on Friday at Roger Dean by the score of 6-4. Miles Mikolas pitched four innings, gave up two runs on four hits, struck out three and walked one.
Mikolas was relieved by Ryan Fernandez, Nick Anderson, Sem Robberse, and Michael Gomez. Anderson and Robberse each gave up a run.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the first. Masyn Winn singled, stole second, and was driven in by Lars Nootbaar’s single. Houston tallied two in the second to lead 2-1.
The Cardinals regained the lead 3-2 in the third on a two-run home run by Iván Herrera.
The Astros tied the score in the top of the sixth, but St. Louis answered with two in the home sixth to lead 5-3. Alec Burleson walked and R.J Yeager pinch ran. Herrera doubled and Brayden Jobert pinch ran. José Fermín drove in Yeager on a single. Masyn Winn walked and Jeremy Rivas pinch ran. With the bases loaded, Victor Scott II walked and Jobert came home.
The Astros made it 5-4 in the top of the seventh. The Cardinals made it 6-4 in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run by Leonardo Bernal.
Herrera was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Winn, Lars Nootbaar, and Jose Barrero each stole a base. Fermín was picked off. Rivas made an error. Scott had an outfield assist.
Saturday, March 8, 2025 – Cardinals 5 at Nationals 3
The Cardinals defeated the Nationals in West Palm Beach on Saturday. Starter Steven Matz threw four innings and gave up two runs on five hits with three strikeouts.
Ryan Helsley, Roddery Muñoz, John King, and Kyle Leahy pitched in relief. Muñoz gave up one run.
The Nationals took the lead 1-0 in the first. The Cardinals took the lead with two runs in the second. Pedro Pagés, Thomas Saggese and Matt Koperniak singled. Pagés scored on a force out. Saggese crossed home on a sac fly by Michael Helman.
Houston tied the game in the third before St. Louis retook the lead 4-2 in the fourth. Pagés reached on an error and later scored on a double by Ryan Vilade. Thomas Saggese singled and came home on a ground out by Helman.
The Cardinals made it 5-2 in the fifth. JJ Wetherholt reached on an error, stole second, and scored on another error. The Nationals added a third run in the sixth.
Saggese was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Wetherholt and Cesar Prieto each stole a base. The Cardinals made two errors.
Sunday, March 9, 2025 – Cardinals 6, Yankees 5
At Roger Dean on Sunday afternoon, the Cardinals defeated the Yankees 6-5. Andre Pallante pitched four innings, gave up four runs on eight hits, struck out two and walked one.
Michael McGreevy, Zack Weiss, JoJo Romero, and Chris Roycroft followed Pallante. McGreevy gave up a run.
The Cardinals took the lead the second on a solo home run by Alec Burleson. The Yankees came back with four runs in the third.
St. Louis made it 4-3 in the fourth on a two-run home run by Nolan Gorman. The Yankees increased their lead to 5-3 in the fifth.
The Cardinals added one in the sixth. Gorman doubled and César Prieto pinch ran. Prieto later scored on a sac fly by José Fermín. St. Louis tied the game in the seventh on a solo home run by Matt Koperniak.
The Cardinals won the game in the eighth on a home run by Prieto.
Victor Scott II had an outfield assist at home plate and another outfield assist at second base. Pallante picked a runner off first base.
The Big Picture
The Cardinals raised their spring record to 8-8 with a 4-2 week.
The offense performed well with the only clunker being the 12-1 loss to the Nationals. The best performers from the likely 26-man roster by OPS were Iván Herrera (1.850), Brendan Donovan (1.200), Alec Burleson (1.096), Nolan Gorman (1.000), and Lars Nootbaar (.864). There were no below .500 OPS performances from the main line hitters.
On the pitching side, Erick Fedde had the best performance from the projected starters. The others’ ERAs were by Steven Matz (4.50), Miles Mikolas (4.50), Andre Pallante (5.14) and Sonny Gray (10.13). Michael McGreevy, who could be in the rotation mix, had a 1.59 ERA performance.
Gray’s start was his first of the spring and he will likely get better going forward. Pallante is looking a little shaky so far, but pitchers can take longer to get ready.
There were no bullpen clunkers from the likely relievers for the 26-man roster.
Jordan Walker has been out for a few days after an injury to his knee on Tuesday. The latest news is good for a return for the outfielder soon. No other injury news is good news.
All seems well so far. The coming week, the team will play the Mets three times, the Marlins twice, and the Astros and Blue Jays once each.
News and Notes for Spring Training
In this space will be information on news and events of spring training that do not require extensive coverage. Check back each week to learn what is happening.
- Cardinals Hall of Fame balloting – The annual voting for the Cardinals Hall of Fame is now underway. The four players on the ballot this year are Steve Carlton, George Hendrick, Brian Jordan, and Edgar Renteria. Voting ends on April 18.
The ballot can be found here.
- Spring Breakout is back – The second annual Spring Breakout games will be played this coming weekend. This prospect showcase features top prospects from each team playing in a slate of spring training games.
Cardinals’ prospects will play Marlins prospects on Friday, March 14 at 12:10 p.m. at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. The Cardinals team includes prospects Quinn Mathews and JJ Wetherholt.
Details here:
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
- Derrick Goold of the Post Dispatch reports that the Cardinals are still looking for relief pitchers and have been in contact with a few, but no names were specified.
- Jon Heyman of the New York Post wrote on Friday that Nolan Arenado has expanded his list of teams to which he which he will accept a trade to include the Mets and the Phillies.
Transactions
- 3/7 The Cardinals optioned RHP Tink Hence to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 3/8 The Cardinals optioned RHP Sem Robberse to the Memphis Redbirds
- 3/8 The Cardinals optioned RHP Matt Svanson to the Memphis Redbirds
Update
C Leonardo Bernal, C Jimmy Crooks, SS Jeremy Rivas & OF Bryan Torres have been re-assigned to minor league camp.
C Yohel Pozo has been added to the Major League Spring roster as a non-roster invitee. He will wear #63.
Our Major League camp roster now stands at 51 players.
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 9, 2025
In MLB Camp, the Cardinals still have 51 players, 36 from the 40-man roster plus 15 non-roster invitees.
Further details on The Cardinal Nation’s Roster Matrix.
St. Louis Cardinals Organization Roster Matrix – 2025 Spring Training
Injury Report
- LHP Drew Rom was shut down from throwing after feeling soreness in his left shoulder after a bullpen session in spring camp. Rom had a PRP injection and will rest before resuming throwing. Rom had season-ending shoulder surgery last season. There are no updates since last week.
- LHP Zack Thompson suffered a tear in his left lat muscle and is shut down for 3 to 4 weeks and will then be re-evaluated. It is almost certain that Thompson will begin the season on the injured list.
- RF Jordan Walker wrenched his knee on a sprinkler cover in the March 4 home game. An MRI showed inflammation but no structural damage. Walker will remain out for a week. He reportedly felt much better on Friday so the outlook is positive for a return to action soon.
Looking Ahead
The Grapefruit League begins its third full week on Monday. The Cardinals play the Mets in an evening game on Monday in Port St. Lucie.
The team returns to Jupiter to face the Marlins on Tuesday and will play the Mets at home on Wednesday.
A short trip to West Palm Beach to play the Astros will be on Thursday. The weekend schedule begins with the Mets in Port St. Lucie on Friday, followed by a Saturday contest in Jupiter with the Blue Jays, and ending with a Sunday game with the Marlins.
The 2025 Spring Training schedule can be found here.
Opening Day for the Cardinals is at home against the Twins on March 27. The Cardinals play a four-game series that ends on Monday, March 31. Friday, March 28 is an off day in case there is a rainout on Thursday.
Blast from the Past
This week’s Blast from the Past will look at notable events that occurred during the period from March 3 through 9 in past seasons for the franchise. This series will extend through spring training.
The date of the event will be given followed with a summary of what occurred and any other details worth noting.
March 4, 1948 – An ongoing salary dispute between the Cardinals and Stan Musial ended with Musial signing a contract for the same amount as the previous season, but with assurances that he will receive a pay raise during the season based on performance. Musial received a $5,000 pay raise at the All-Star break after he posted a .403 batting average for the first half.
March 6, 1923 – The Cardinals announce that the players will begin wearing numbers on their uniforms. The numbers corresponded to their placement in the batting order.
March 6, 1962 – The city of St. Louis voted to build a new stadium downtown. That stadium was Busch Stadium II, which opened for business in 1966.
March 8, 2013 – The Cardinals and Allen Craig agreed to a five-year/$31 million contract with a team option for a sixth season. Craig had led the majors with a .400 average with runners in scoring position the previous season. Craig suffered a Lisfranc foot injury in early September and was out for the rest of the regular season.
He returned for the World Series and was involved in a controversial interference play in Game 3. Craig’s foot injury affected his results and he was traded in 2014, along with Joe Kelly to the Red Sox for pitcher John Lackey. Craig played in only 65 games for the Red Sox over 2014 and 2015 and that was the end of his career.
March 9, 1922 – Rogers Hornsby, a highly sought after player whose contract was up for renewal, agreed to a three-year contract for $18,500. That made the future Hall of Fame second baseman the highest paid player in league history at that time.
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