photo: Miles Mikolas and Pedro Pages (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The first full week of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2025 season resulted in a dismal 1-5 record. The offense is scoring runs, but through nine games, the staff ERA is last in the National League. Our history feature lists notable team firsts during this week in the past and present.
Game recaps
Monday, March 31, 2025 – Cardinals 4, Angels 5 (10 innings)
The St. Louis Cardinals lost to the Angels in extra innings on Monday at Busch Stadium. Starter Miles Mikolas pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up two runs on two hits, struck out three and walked two.
Chris Roycroft threw 2/3 of scoreless inning of relief. Ryan Fernandez surrendered one run in the seventh. Phil Maton hurled a scoreless eighth. Ryan Helsley tossed a scoreless ninth. JoJo Romero allowed two runs in the 10th and took the loss.
The Cardinals went up in the first inning on a solo home run by Lars Nootbaar. Leading off the second, Brendan Donovan hit his own long ball to make it 2-0.
The Angels scored one in the third, but the Cardinals increased their lead to 3-1 in the fifth. Nootbaar walked and advanced to second on a balk. Luken Baker walked. Nolan Arenado plated Nootbaar on a single.
Los Angeles scored single runs in the sixth and seventh to tie the game. In the top of the 10th, the visitors put up two runs to take the lead 5-3. The Cardinals replied with just one run in the home 10th. Ghost runner Pedro Pages advanced to third on a single by Alec Burleson and came home on a sac fly by Victor Scott.
The Cardinals scored four runs on 11 hits. Nootbaar was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Scott was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Baker and Walker were 2-for-4.
On defense, Scott had an outfield assist at second base.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 – Cardinals 7, Angels 9 (11 innings)
In their second consecutive extra inning home loss to the Angels, the Cardinals fell 9-7. Starter Matthew Liberatore delivered a quality start, pitching six innings with three runs on six hits and four strikeouts.
Kyle Leahy added two scoreless innings of relief. Ryan Helsley tossed a scoreless ninth to keep the score at 3-3, before the game got away in extra innings.
Ryan Fernandez surrendered three runs, two earned, in the 10th. Chris Roycroft also allowed three runs, two earned, in the 11th and took the loss.
The Cardinals went up 1-0 in the second inning. In his last action before going on the injured list, Nolan Gorman doubled and scored on a single by Jordan Walker. The Angels took the lead with three runs in the third.
St. Louis made it 3-2 in the fourth on a solo home run by Walker and tied the game in the eighth. Lars Nootbaar singled, advanced to second and third on two ground outs, and came home on a throwing error.
In the top of the 10th, the Angels took a 6-3 lead. The Cardinals answered with their own three runs to knot the game up again. Victor Scott started on second base. Masyn Winn walked. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Scott and Winn came home on a double by Luken Baker. Michael Siani pinch ran for Baker. Siani went to third on a wild pitch. Brendan Donovan walked. Nolan Arenado plated Siani on a single.
Los Angeles again scored three times in the top of the 11th to lead 9-6, but the Cardinals got only run back in the home 11th. Iván Herrera started at second base and scored on a single by Scott.
The offense scored seven runs on 11 hits. Walker was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Scott was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Nootbaar was 2-for-6. Baker had two RBI.
On the bases, Walker stole his first base of the season. Scott swiped his fourth bag.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 – Cardinals 12, Angels 5
The Cardinals avoided being swept at home by prevailing in the final game of the Angels series by the score of 12-5. Starter Sonny Gray pitched six innings, gave up five runs on five hits and fanned nine.
Phil Maton relieved and threw a scoreless seventh. Kyle Leahy hurled 2/3 of a scoreless inning and JoJo Romero tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless frames to earn the win.
The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the first inning before the Cardinals re-tied the game in the fourth on a solo home run by Iván Herrera.
St. Louis took the lead in the sixth on a two-run home run by Herrera. The Angels answered with four runs in the top of the seventh to go up 5-3.
In the home seventh, the Cardinals scored twice to tie the game again. Masyn Winn and Lars Nootbaar singled. Willson Contreras plated the two with a double.
The Cardinals posted a seven-run eighth to break open the game. Jordan Walker singled. Victor Scott and Winn followed with bunt singles. Contreras walked and Walker scored. Scott came home on an Alec Burleson walk. Nolan Arenado plated Winn and Contreras on a single. Herrera blasted a three-run home run.
The Cardinals scored 12 runs on 12 hits. Herrera was 3-for-4 with three home runs and six RBI. Arenado was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Nootbaar was 2-for-5. Winn was 2-for-4 with two runs. Contreras had two RBI.
Thursday, April 3, 2025 – Off day
Friday, April 4, 2025 – Cardinals 9 at Red Sox 13
The Cardinals lost to the Red Sox by a 13-9 score in Boston on Friday. Starter Erick Fedde pitched three innings, gave up six runs on five hits, struck out one and walked four. Fedde took the loss.
Steven Matz relieved Fedde and surrendered two runs in three innings of relief. Ryan Fernandez allowed three runs in 2/3 of an inning. John King yielded two runs in one inning. Chris Roycroft secured the final out of the eighth.
The Red Sox took a 5-0 lead in the first inning. The Cardinals put up one run in the top of the third. Victor Scott walked. Masyn Winn singled. Lars Nootbaar plated Scott on a single.
Boston made it 6-1 in the home third before St. Louis responded with three runs in the fourth to shrink the lead to 6-4. Nolan Arenado doubled. Alec Burleson singled. Red hot Iván Herrera hit a three-run home run to right center field.
The Cardinals added a run in the top of the fifth to close the gap to 6-5 on a solo home run by Brendan Donovan. The Red Sox immediately answered with two runs in the home fifth to widen the lead to 8-5.
In the top of the seventh, the Cardinals scored one run. Nootbaar doubled and scored on a single by Donovan. Boston responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to increase the lead to 11-6. The Red Sox added two runs in the eighth for a 13-6 tally.
The Cardinals battled back in the ninth to make it a closer loss with three runs. Winn singled. Nootbaar reached on a fielder’s choice, and Winn advanced to second on an error. Willson Contreras drove in Winn on a single. Donovan plated Nootbaar on a single. Contreras scored on a fielder’s choice by Arenado.
The offense scored nine runs on 13 hits. Donovan was 3-for-5 with three RBI. Nootbaar was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Alec Burleson was 3-for-4. Winn was 2-for-4. Herrera had three RBI.
On the bases, Jordan Walker stole his second base of the season. On defense, Walker had an outfield assist at second base.
Saturday, April 5, 2025 – Cardinals at Red Sox (postponed)
Saturday afternoon’s game was postponed due to inclement weather. A doubleheader was played on Sunday.
Sunday, April 6, 2025 – Cardinals 4 at Red Sox 5 (10 innings, game one)
The Cardinals lost a heartbreaker to Boston in extra innings in the first game of a twin bill at Fenway Park. Starter Andre Pallante pitched 4 1/3 innings, gave up two runs on four hits, fanned six and walked three.
Kyle Leahy threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. JoJo Romero hurled 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Phil Maton pitched 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Pitching the bottom of the ninth with a two-run lead, Ryan Helsley blew his first save of the season which sent the game into extra innings. Ryan Fernandez gave up the walk off run in the 10th.
The Cardinals scored first with in the top of the fourth. Jordan Walker and Victor Scott singled. Masyn Winn plated Walker on a single. The Red Sox immediately tied the game in the home fourth.
Boston took a 2-1 lead in the fifth before St. Louis tied the game in the sixth. Thomas Saggese and Masyn Winn singled. Pedro Pagés’ ground rule double scored Saggese.
St. Louis took a 4-2 lead in the eighth. Scott walked. Winn was hit by a pitch. Pagés doubled to drive in Scott and Winn.
In Game 2, the Cardinals scored four runs on 11 hits. Pagés was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Winn was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Walker was 2-for-4.
To make matters worse, Ivan Herrera had to leave the game with a knee injury that will lead to time on the injured list. His replacement Pagés picked a runner off first base.
Sunday, April 6, 2025 – Cardinals 7 at Red Sox 18 (game two)
In a miserable Sunday night Game 2 loss to the Red Sox, the Cardinals were swept in the three-game series. Starter Miles Mikolas was awful, lasting only 2 2/3 innings while giving up a whopping nine runs, eight earned, on 11 hits, striking out one and walking one to earn the loss.
Gordon Graceffo, called up as the 27th man for the doubleheader, couldn’t stop the onslaught, surrendering seven runs in three innings of relief. John King yielded two runs, one earned, in 2/3 of an inning. Chris Roycroft pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and was the only Cardinal pitcher to not give up any runs.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Willson Contreras doubled and scored on a double by Brendan Donovan. The Red Sox immediately tied the game in the home first.
Boston piled on five runs in the second and four in the third to lead 10-1. The Cardinals managed a second run in the fourth. Alec Burleson doubled and later scored on a single by Masyn Winn.
The Red Sox added an 11th run in the fifth, then blew up the score further with five runs in the sixth to lead 16-2.
In the top of the seventh, the Cardinals cut the lead to 16-3. Lars Nootbaar reached on an error and later came home on a sac fly by Thomas Saggese. In the bottom of the seventh, Boston added two runs and it was 18-3.
The Cardinals made it less embarrassing in the ninth, with four runs to bring the final score to 18-7. Masyn Winn singled and Luken Baker reached on an error. Brendan Donovan plated Winn on double. Thomas Saggese then hit a three-run home run to left center field.
The Cardinals scored seven runs on 12 hits. Donovan was 3-for-4 with two RBI. Winn was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Contreras was 2-for-3. Saggese had four RBI.
On the bases, Donovan was picked off and caught stealing in a questionable and botched attempt to steal third base. On defense, Victor Scott made a fielding error. Pedro Pagés had a passed ball.
The Big Picture
After a 3-0 start to the season, the Cardinals went 1-5 in their first full week. It was a miserable week to be sure, with rain outs, doubleheaders, and blowouts. They won 1 of 3 over the Angels at home and were swept in Boston. The final game with the Red Sox was an embarrassing mess.
The team has a record of 4-5 and has dropped to third in the NL Central behind the Cubs and the Brewers. Fortunately, it is very early in the season.
The offense was perfectly fine, better than they have been in two seasons. They had at least 10 hits in nine straight games, which included games they lost.
The top offensive performers by OPS are Thomas Saggese (1.650), Iván Herrera (1.518), Brendan Donovan (1.010) and Luken Baker (.955).
For the second week, no Cardinals had an OPS below .500 except Michael Siani, who as a defense and baserunning specialist had only one at-bat the entire week.
The issue is most definitely pitching, both the rotation and the bullpen. Even the one win of the week was not a great start by Sonny Gray. The worst start was by Miles Mikolas against the Red Sox, which he lost by the second inning. He was awful, and that is an understatement. In two starts, Mikolas has given up 13 hits and 11 runs.
No starter had an ERA for the week below 4.00. The back end duo of Andre Pallante (4.15) and Matthew Liberatore (4.50) were the best performing starters. No starter won a game. The only winning pitcher this week was reliever JoJo Romero. Romero, Kyle Leahy, and Phil Maton were the only pitchers with an ERA below 4.00 for the week.
Former Red Sox Ryan Fernandez had an especially bad time in Boston, allowing four runs in the late innings that contributed to two of the losses. His ERA over five appearances this season is 13.50.
Sonny Gray was the starter for the lone Cardinal win. He gave up five runs and had an ERA for the week of 7.50.
With a team ERA of 6.01, the Cardinals staff is dead last in the National League. The starters at 6.44 are last and the relievers, at 5.54, are 12th of 15.
Needless to say, the pitching must improve, or changes need to be made. What those changes could possibly be this early in the season is a question mark.
The Cardinals are in Pittsburgh to face the last-place Pirates. They will face 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes Tuesday. The team ends the week at home against the Phillies who are a first-place team with a record of 7-2.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
| Chicago | 7 | 5 | 0.583 | |
| Milwaukee | 5 | 5 | 0.500 | 1 |
| St. Louis | 4 | 5 | 0.444 | 1.5 |
| Cincinnati | 3 | 7 | 0.300 | 3 |
| Pittsburgh | 3 | 7 | 0.300 | 3 |
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade and acquisition rumors to report.
Transactions
- 4/4 The Cardinals placed 2B Nolan Gorman on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 2. Right hamstring strain.
- 4/4 The Cardinals recalled 2B Thomas Saggese from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 4/6 The Cardinals recalled RHP Gordon Graceffo from the Memphis Redbirds as the 27th man for Sunday’s doubleheader.
Injury Report
- LHP Zack Thompson (left shoulder strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list on March 24. Thompson was shut down in early March with a Grade 1 lat strain and was scheduled to be out for 3 to 4 weeks. A return date is to be determined.
- 2B Nolan Gorman was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 2. Right hamstring strain.
- C Iván Herrera left the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader with what was diagnosed as “left knee inflammation”. Scans came back clean, so the injury isn’t serious, but Herrera will likely be put on the 10-day IL for the minimum period of time.
Looking Ahead
The Cardinals are in Pittsburgh for a three-game series against the Pirates that begins on Monday
After a travel day on Thursday, April 10, the Cardinals return to St. Louis to play the Phillies in a weekend series at Busch Stadium. The homestand continues with three against the Astros.
The Cardinals then head to New York to face the Mets in a four-game set. The road trip continues to Atlanta for three with the Braves.
After a travel day on Thursday the 24th, the team returns home to take on the Brewers in a weekend series at Busch Stadium. They end the month of April in Cincinnati for three with the Reds.
Blast from the Past
The first full week of the 2025 season was completed on Sunday night. The previous week, the Cardinals swept the Twins in a three-game series for their first 3-0 start since 2007.
This week’s Blast from the Past will look at some other “firsts” that occurred during the period of March 31 through April 6.
March 31, 1998 – Opening Day 1998 featured the first home run of Mark McGwire’s history-making 70 home run season. It was also the first time in franchise history a player hit a grand slam on Opening Day. So, this counts for two firsts!
March 31, 2017 – Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was the first player to be issued an intentional walk without a pitch being thrown. This was a result of a new rule implemented for the 2017 season and beyond that allows an intentional walk simply by indicating intent to the umpire.
April 2, 2025 – Catcher Iván Herrera became the first Cardinal catcher to hit three home runs in a single game.
April 3, 2018 – The Cardinals began a game with the Brewers with back-to-back home runs from Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham. The game ended with back-to-back home runs by Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun and Christian Yelich. This is the first and only time this has occurred in the history of Major League Baseball.
April 6, 2009 and April 6, 2012 – These two “firsts” are debuts. David Freese of 2011 World Series Fame made his major league debut on April 6, 2009. On April 6, 2012, Mike Matheny made his managerial debut with the Cardinals.
Bonus entry, April 4, 2017 – This event was not necessarily a “first” (it is unknown whether it was or wasn’t) but it was an oddity that deserves to be highlighted. Outfielder Stephen Piscotty took a turn around the bases for the ages. In the fifth inning against the Cubs, he was hit by a pitch and took his place at first base. While advancing to second on a wild pitch, Piscotty was hit on the elbow by a throw from Cubs catcher Willson Contreras. Then, as he came in to score on a misplayed ball to first base, Piscotty was hit in the head by the throw home from second baseman Javier Baez. Piscotty was forced to leave the game with a possible concussion.
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