NEW YORK METS NOTES:
No team release available.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets play the opener of a four-game weekend series tonight at Busch Stadium … St. Louis opened its homestand by taking two-of-three from the Oakland Athletics … The current seven-game homestand features teams with lowest ($56.8 million) and highest ($330.6 million) Opening Day payrolls. FLIGHT PATTERN: The Cardinals enter the day tied with Pittsburgh in 4th place in the NL Central, 11.0 games out of first place and 8.5 games back in the NL Wild Card chase … St. Louis has spent 101 of 137 days in last place on this season’s MLB schedule (April 26-May 19, May 29-July 7 & July 28-present) … This season is the Cardinals slowest start since 1995 when they were 50-71 (.413) after 121 games … St. Louis needs to go 27-14 (.659) over the remaining 41 games to finish at .500.
PALACIOS RECALLED, GORMAN TO IL: Prior to tonight’s series opener, the Cardinals recalled outfielder Richie Palacios (pronounced pah-LA-see-ohs) from Memphis (AAA) and placed infielder Norman Gorman on the 10-Day Injured list with a lower back strain, retroactive to August 14 … The 26-yearold Palacios, who joined the Cardinals organization via trade with Cleveland in June, was hitting .299/.418/.459 (47-157) with 5 homers, 32 walks, and an .876 OPS in 40 games with the Redbirds this season … The Brooklyn native made his MLB debut with the Guardians last season, appearing in 54 games.
ARENADO REACHES 1,500 CAREER GAMES: Nolan Arenado appears in his 1,500th career game tonight, becoming only the 8th player in Major League history to have 320+ home runs, 350+ doubles, 1,000+ RBI, and 3,000+ total bases in their first 1,500 career games … This milestone was last achieved by Albert Pujols from 2001-10 with St. Louis (chart left).
AFTER THE BREAK: Since the All-Star Break (July 14-present), the five highest batting averages in the National League include Freddie Freeman (.395, 47- 119), Randal Grichuk (.385, 15-39), Cody Bellinger (.381, 45-118), Andrew Knizner (.356, 16-45), and Willson Contreras (.355, 22-62).
BIRDS EYE VIEW: Richie Palacios becomes the newest Cardinals player to sport glasses in a game, joining notables INF George “Specs“ Toporcer (1921-28), OF Chick Hafey (1924-31), OF Bill Virdon (1955-56), 2B Julián Javier (1960-71), RHP Dick Hughes (1966-68), C Dave Ricketts (1963-69), 1B Dick Allen (1970), 2B Cookie Rojas (1970), C Darrell Porter (1981-85), RHP Tom Henke (1995), 3B Chris Sabo (1995), RHP Joe Kelly (2012-14), LHP Brett Cecil (2017-18), and LHP Tyler Webb (2018-21).
HELLO OLD FRIEND: In 19 career plate appearances against former Cardinal José Quintana, Paul Goldschmidt is hitting .647/.632/1.353 (11-17) with three home runs and three doubles … Tommy Edman is 2-for-5 (.400) with a triple … Nolan Arenado is just 2-for-15 (.133), although both hits have been homers.
MAS*H: Lars Nootbaar (lower abdomen contusion) and Tommy Edman (right calf contusion) were removed from last night’s game … Willson Contreras exited Monday’s game with right hip tightness and has missed the previous two games.
WALKER AND STAN THE (YOUNG) MAN: 21-year-old rookie Jordan Walker now has 11 homers this season, tying Stan Musial (1941- 42) for 5th among Cardinals before turning age 22 … Rogers Hornsby (14 HR from 1915-18) ranks 4th, while Albert Pujols holds the franchise record with 37 blasts during his 2001 National League Rookie of the Year campaign.
AWESOME AUGUSTS: Since 2000, the Cardinals .595 (388-264) combined winning percentage in the month of August ties the Dodgers (.595, 393-268) for best in MLB … St. Louis is 7-7 this month and hasn’t experienced a losing August since 2006 (13-15 record).
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP ADAM WAINWRIGHT (3-7, 8.78)
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Makes his 16th start of the season & 473rd career appearance (406th career start).
- Is making his 2nd start of the season against the Mets, the team he made his ML debut against (9/11/05), and the team he last recorded a win against (6/17/23 at Citi Field).
- Is looking to rebound from the shortest start (1.0 IP) of his career last Fri. (8/11 at KC).
- Is also seeking an end to his career-high six-game losing skid (June 24-present).
- Wainwright is one of 13 pitchers (two Cardinals) in MLB history to make 400 or more career starts exclusively with one organization. Clayton Kershaw (415) joins Wainwright as the two active. Bob Gibson ranks 6th, while Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators leads at 666.
- Is two wins shy of 200 career and 12 wins from 210 (T-2nd all-time Cardinals history with Jesse Haines).
- Adam, who turns age 42 on August 30, is one of three active players age 40+ with Rich Hill (43) and Miguel Cabrera (40). Has made 53 starts since turning age 40.
- Has pitched 5.0+ innings in 10 of 15 starts (one quality start).
- Has missed a total of 48 games this season. Missed the first 33 games of the season (March 30-May 5) due to a groin injury suffered while working out during the WBC Finals and another 15 games (July 5-23) due to a right shoulder strain.
BUSCH STADIUM III (2006-present)
- His 211th career start at Busch Stadium III on 8/4/23 tied Clayton Kershaw (211 at Dodger Stadium) and Félix Hernandez (211 at T-Mobile Park) for 16th-most at a single stadium in MLB history.
- Has 1,198 regular season strikeouts at Busch Stadium III, 13th-most all-time at a single stadium. Dazzy Vance (1,201 at Ebbets Field) ranks 12th.
- Has thrown 1,418.1 innings at Busch, 38th all-time at a single stadium. Félix Hernandez (1,422.2 at T-Mobile Park) and Chuck Finley (1,422.2 at Angels Stadium) tie for 36th.
- Earned 107 career regular season wins at Busch Stadium III, tied with Wilbur Cooper (107 at Forbes Field) for 22nd-most wins at a single stadium.
- Needs one Home win to pass Jesse Haines (107) for 2nd all-time among Cardinals.
- Is one of 22 pitchers in MLB history to hold a stadium’s record for both appearances (242) and starts (210). Joins Bob Forsch (233 app/207 GS at Busch II) as Cardinals on that list.
LAST TIME OUT
- Allowed a season-high 8 runs in the shortest start of his career (1.0 IP) last Fri. at Kauffman Stadium. The loss was the 6th-straight for Adam, a career high, and it was his 5th start of the season going 3.0 IP or less.
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
8/11 @KC L 12-8 L-7 1.0 9 8 8 0 0 2 39-22
