WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
No team release available.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The St. Louis Cardinals open up play following the All-Star break with a six-game homestand at Busch Stadium, beginning with the opener of a three-game weekend series against the Washington Nationals … The Miami Marlins make their annual visit to St. Louis for three games beginning Monday … Tonight kicks off a stretch of 17 consecutive games without an off day for the Cardinals (July 14-30).
FLIGHT PATTERN: The Cardinals enter today in last place in the National League Central, 11.5 games behind 1st place Cincinnati and 3.0 games back of 4th place Pittsburgh … St. Louis has spent 76 of 103 days in last place on this season’s MLB schedule (April 26-May 19 & May 29-present) … This season is the Cardinals slowest start since 1995 when they were 37-53 (.411) after 90 games.
FAST BREAKS: The Cardinals best starts coming out of the All-Star break include an eight-game win streak in 1935 and a seven-gamer in 2010 … Their best 10-game mark coming out of the break was 9-1 in 1935 … Most recently, the 2015 Cardinals raced out to a 8-2 start after the break, while the 2022 Redbirds stumbled out of the gate 1-3 before winning nine of their next 10 games. (Elias)
SUPERIOR SECOND HALVES: The Cardinals 923-668 (.580 win pct.) wonloss mark post All-Star break since 2000 is 2nd in MLB only to the New York Yankees (948-660, .590) … The Cardinals best post All-Star mark this century was a 51-24 (.680) run in 2004 … St. Louis has sported a winning record after the All-Star break in 19 of 22 seasons since 2000, including a 43-25 record last season (.632) that raked 5th-best in MLB.
BIRDS OF PREY: Tonight is only the 11th game this season the Cardinals play an opponent with a worse record … The last time St. Louis faced a team with a worse recorded was also the Washington Nationals (June 19-21 at Nationals Park). NATIONAL NEWS: Since Washington relocated from Montreal and rebranded as the Nationals in 2005, the Cardinals .584 win percentage (66-47) against Natitude is the 2nd-highest in MLB among annual opponents behind the Dodgers (68-38, .642) … Since Busch Stadium III opened in 2006, the Cardinals .680 home winning pct. (34-16) against the Nats is their 3rd-best against any opponent, trailing the Rockies (.768, 44-13) and Padres (.704, 38-16) … St. Louis has won the home series vs. the Nationals in 12 of 16 visits.
MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING IN THAT TEA?: Willson Contreras has been on a tear since his final game in London in which he went 4-for-4 … Since June 25, Contreras leads MLB in batting average (.515, 17-33) and on-base percentage (.610) while ranking 2nd in OPS (.956) and 4th in slugging (.879) … Contreras has an extra-base hit in five consecutive games (2 HR & 4 2B) since July 3, MLB’s 2nd-longest active extra-base streak behind Sean Murphy (7).
BIG WILLIE STYLE: Willson Contreras recorded his 7th season with double-digit home runs (2016-19, 21-23) with his 10th homer of the season in the final game before the break … Since Contreras made his MLB debut in 2016, only three other primary catchers have hit 10+ homers in a season seven or more times: Salvador Perez (7, 2016-18, 20-23), Gary Sánchez (7, 2016-22), and J.T. Realmuto (8, 2016-23) … The Cardinals are one of 14 MLB teams this season with five or more players with 10+ home runs.
START ME UP: Since July 6, the Cardinals starting rotation sports the lowest ERA (0.39) in all of Major League Baseball, while ranking 3rd in opponent OPS (.503), T-3rd in wins (2-0), 7th in opponent average (.205), and 9th in innings pitched (23.1).
BUSCH STADIUM DEBUTS: Right-handed pitcher Kyle Leahy and infielder José Fermín will be making their Busch Stadium debuts with their first appearances this homestand … Both made their Major League debuts on Friday, July 7 at the Chicago White Sox.
FEELING A DRAFT: The Cardinals selected 19 players over the three-day 2023 Major League Baseball Draft, 18 collegiate players and one high school prep player from 11 different states, including seven hailing from California and two each from Florida and New York … Cardinals selections by position included nine pitchers, five outfielders, four infielders, and one catcher … This year’s draft marks the second time St. Louis selected college players with its first 18 picks … The deadline for drafted players to sign with their respective clubs is Tuesday, July 25, at 4 PM CT.
