ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The defending NL Central Division Champion St. Louis Cardinals opened their first road-trip (MIL-3, COL-3) of the season last night with a 4-0 loss to the Brewers…they continue their three-game Easter weekend series tonight as the Cardinals seek to snap a 4-game losing streak…the Cardinals went 2-4 on their opening homestand, winning 2-of-3 from Toronto before being swept in three games by the Atlanta Braves…the Cardinals are off to a 2-5 start for the first time since 2017 when they began the campaign at 2-6.
APRIL SHOWERS: The Cardinals current 4-game losing streak matches their season high from 2022. It’s their first 4-game losing skid in the month of April since a 4-gamer in April of 2007 (4/16-19)…they have not had a 5-game losing streak in April since 2003 (4/19-24)…the Cardinals have scored just 7 runs over their last four games while batting .248…the pitching staff has allowed 21 runs and owns a 5.40 ERA in that span.
NAUGHTON TO I.L. & CABRERA RECALLED: The Cardinals announced today that LHP Packy Naughton (left forearm strain) has been placed on the 15- day Injured List and LHP Génesis Cabrera has been recalled from Memphis (AAA). Cabrera worked 2.0 scoreless innings for Memphis last night and was unscored upon in his three outings at Triple-A to begin the season (3.1 IP). He wears uniform #92.
7-FOR-7: A pair of Cardinals have hit safely in the team’s first seven games, with Nolan Arenado and rookie Jordan Walker each doing so…Walker’s streak matched Juan Yepez’s 7-gamer to begin his rookie campaign in 2022 and is two shy of the club record to begin a career – set by outfielder Magneuris Sierra in 2017 (9 games).
GOOD COMPANY: Jordan Walker’s 7-game hit streak to begin his career is the first by a player age 20 years or younger since Johnny Callison did so at age 19 in 1958…others to do so include Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente (1955, age 20) in 7-straight and Ted Williams (1939, age 20) in 9-straight.
WALKER’S WEEK OF FIRSTS: Twenty-year-old rookie outfielder Jordan Walker, the Cardinals 1st round draft selection in 2020, hit safely in each of his first six games during the season-opening homestand. Walker collected his 1st career hit on Opening Day with a 2nd inning single, collected his 1st RBI and stolen base on Sat. (4/1), his 1st extra base hit (double) on Sun. (4/2) and his 1st home run on Wed. (4/5)…He is the MLB rookie leader in hits (9) and is 3rd in batting (.333) among rookies; Brewers’ Joey Wiemer and Dodgers’ James Outman are tied for 1st (.350)…At 20 years, 321 days old today, Walker is the majors’ youngest player and the first MLB player to be born in the year 2002.
OFF THE BAT: Jordan Walker is currently ranked T5th among all Major Leaguers in hard-hit balls (95+ MPH) with 14, trailing only the Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (19) & Matt Chapman (18), Pirates Brian Reynolds (16) and Red Sox Rafael Devers (15)…according to Baseball Savant, St. Louis ranks 1st in MLB in hard hit balls of 95+mph (94) and 5th in average exit velocity (90.2 mph).
KID’S CLUB: The Cardinals & Brewers own two of the majors top combined rookie totals in both batting average (STL -.319, 2nd, MIL-.333, T1st) and hits (MIL-21, 1st, STL-15, 2nd). The Brewers have 14 combined RBI from their rookies (1st in MLB) and the Cardinals 7 (5th).
NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Since the Cardinals and Brewers began regular season play in 1997, the Cardinals own the most wins against the Brewers (234-182, .563) and have the best road winning percentage against the Brewers (121-87, .582) of any team to visit Milwaukee since 1997. Their .586 win pct. (109-77) since American Family Field opened in 2001 is tops among all teams who annually play in Milwaukee.
FINEST IN THE FIELD: The Cardinals, Royals and Mets are the only MLB teams with perfect 1.000 fielding percentages this season…it’s the first time in franchise history (since 1901) that the Redbirds have begun a season without committing an error in their first seven games. The
Cardinals have won back-to-back (2021-2022) Rawlings Team Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence.
300 WATCH: Nolan Arenado is one homer away from becoming the 7th player to hit home run #300 in a Cardinals uniform, joining Stan Musial (June 3, 1955 at Brooklyn), Gary Gaetti (June 23, 1996 at Montreal), Jim Edmonds (Sept. 4, 2004 vs. LA Dodgers), Albert Pujols (July 4, 2008 vs. Chicago Cubs), Troy Glaus (Sept. 3, 2008 at Arizona), and Paul Goldschmidt (July 16, 2022 vs. Cincinnati)
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: LHP JORDAN MONTGOMERY (1-0, 5.40 ERA)
TONIGHT’S GAME
• Is set to make his 2nd start of the young season, and his first ever at Milwaukee’s American Family Field.
• Tonight’s road start is just his 3rd as a member of the Cardinals. Had just two road starting assgnments for the Redbirds last season (8/22 at CHI & 9/24 at LAD). Threw a complete game 1-hit shutout in the 8/22 game at Wrigley.
• Made his fourth Opening Day Roster and first with the Cardinals, adding to 2018, 2021 and 2022 with the Yankees. Was on the Injured List in 2019 and Taxi Squad in 2020.
• Was acquired at the trade deadline from the New York Yankees in exchange for OF Harrison Bader on August 2, 2022.
• Is 7-3 as a member of the Cardinals and St. Louis has won 9 of his 12 starts with Redbirds.
• Has held his opposition to three earned runs or fewer in 79% (86-of-109) of his career starts. Ranks 20th among left-handed pitchers since 2017 with 86.
LAST TIME OUT
• Won his 2023 debut with a 9-4 win over Toronto last Sun. (4/2) in the series rubber game. With the win, improved his career mark to 7-3 as a Cardinal.
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
4/2 TOR W 9-4 W-1 5.0 6 3 3 1 43 0 91-59
2022
• Was acquired at the trade deadline from the New York Yankees in exchange for OF Harrison Bader on August 2, 2022.
• Following the trade with the Yankees, was 6-3 with a 3.11 ERA in 11 starts as a member of the Cardinals with the team posting an 8-3 record.
• Set single-season career highs in innings pitched (178.1), starts (32) and quality starts (14).
• Began his Cards career with a five-game winning streak (Aug. 6-Sept. 2), longest by a starting pitcher to begin his career with the Cardinals since Miles Mikolas (6-0 in 2018).
• Led the Cardinals through the end of the season with 61 strikeouts following his acquisition at the trade deadline.
• Held left-handed batters to a .198/.213/.264 slash with just one HR (Rafael Devers on July 15), five extra-base hits, and just one walk to 109 LH batters faced.
• Since 1974, became only the 16th pitcher to face 100 or more batters in a season and allow one walk or fewer to a left-handed batter. First Cardinals pitcher to do so since Edward Mujica in 2013.
• Logged season-best 13.1 scoreless innings over his first three starts with St. Louis, tying Alex Reyes (2016) and John Urrea (1977) for 5th-longest to begin a Cardinals career. Also was the longest by a starting pitcher in his first three starts since Kyle Lohse (15.0 IP) in 2008.
CAREER NOTES
• Drafted in 4th round by the Yankees in 2014 out of the University of South Carolina.
• Finished 6th in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2017 and was named to the Topps MLB All-Star Rookie Team. Led AL rookies in starts (29), strikeouts (144) and innings pitched (155.1) his rookie season.
• At time of his trade, had 2nd most starts for the Yankees (97) among pitchers in the organization, trailing only Luis Severino (104). His 61 starts from 2020-22 ranked T6th most in the American League in that time span & T18th in the majors among all pitchers.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: Is game 5 (4-0) of a 6-game, 7-day homestand against New YorkNL (3-0) and St. Louis (1-0)…..following this homestand, the team takes a 10-game road trip to Arizona (3g), San Diego (4g) and Seattle (3g).
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: RHP Jason Alexander (right rotator cuff), LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), RHP Adrian Houser (right groin), OF Tyrone Taylor (right elbow), INF Luis Urías (left hamstring) and LHP Justin Wilson (left elbow) are on the injured list….. Alexander and Wilson are on the 60-day IL.
THE NEW BREW: INF/OF Brian Anderson (free agent), C William Contreras (trade with ATL), RHP Javy Guerra (trade with TB), LHP Wade Miley (free agent), INF/OF Owen Miller (trade with CLE), RHP Joel Payamps (trade with OAK), RHP Gus Varland (Rule 5 Draft from LAD), 1B Luke Voit (free agent), RHP Bryse Wilson (trade with PIT) and OF Jesse Winker (trade with SEA).
GONE FROM 2022: RHP Brad Boxberger (CHC), C Mario Feliciano (DET), RHP Trevor Gott (SEA), RHP Jandel Gustave (ARI), RHP Trevor Kelley (TB), OF Andrew McCutchen (PIT), C Omar Narváez (NYM), RHP Luis Perdomo (Japan), INF/OF Jace Peterson (OAK), OF Hunter Renfroe (LAA), INF/OF Pablo Reyes (OAK), LHP Taylor Rogers (SF), OF Esteury Ruiz (OAK), LHP Brent Suter (COL), RHP Justin Topa (SEA) and 2B Kolten Wong (SEA).
MANAGER: Craig Counsell – the longest-tenured active manager in the National League and third in the majors – is in his ninth season as Brewers manager (621-556) and eighth full season…..he has the most wins of any manager in franchise history…..his 1,177 games managed are second to Phil Garner (1,180)…..Counsell was named the 19th manager in franchise history on 5/4/15, replacing Ron Roenicke…..he is signed through the 2023 season.
2022 IN REVIEW: The Brewers went 86-76 last season, missing the postseason for the first time since 2017…..the team was eliminated from NL Central contention on September 27 and eliminated from postseason contention on October 3, snapping their franchise-record four consecutive years of making the playoffs…..the team won at least 86 games for the fifth consecutive full season (since 2017), joining the Dodgers (since 2012), Astros (since 2017) and Yankees (since 2017) as the only teams to accomplish the feat during this stretch (does not include 2020).
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made one replay challenge this season, going 0-1…..the challenge came on Opening Day at Chicago-NL as a safe call at first base (Dansby Swanson) on a pickoff attempt stood.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: #52 – LHP ERIC LAUER (1gs, 1-0, 3.38)
LAUER AT A GLANCE: Eric Lauer, 27, will be making his second start of the season…..Lauer made his 2023 season debut last Sunday at Chicago-NL and earned a 9-5 victory (5.1ip, 5h, 2r, 2er, 2bb, 6k, 1hr, 89 pitches)…..he was acquired from San Diego, along with INF Luis Urías and a player to be named or cash, in exchange for RHP Zach Davies and OF Trent Grisham on 11/27/19 (trade completed on 5/27/20 – cash).
LAST SEASON: Lauer went 11-7 with a 3.69 ERA in 29 starts last season…..the team went 17-12 in his starts…..he posted career highs in starts (29-tied), wins (11), innings pitched (158.2), strikeouts (157) and quality starts (13)…..he held opponents to a .228 batting average…..Lauer was on the 15-day injured list from 9/10-9/22 with left elbow inflammation…..he came back to end the season with 12.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
CAREER: Is 33-31 with a 4.10 ERA in 111 games/104 starts (555.1ip, 253er)…..is in his sixth Major League season with San Diego (2018-19) and Milwaukee (2020-23)…..was the Padres’ Opening Day starter in 2019…..Lauer was selected by San Diego in the first round (25th overall) of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Kent State University.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 11-7 with a 3.47 ERA in 28 games/27 starts (150.1ip, 58er)…..went 6-2 with a 2.56 ERA in 13 starts last season (77.1ip, 22er).
CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 15-16 with a 4.78 ERA in 56 games/51 starts (267.1ip, 142er)…..went 5-5 with a 4.76 ERA in 16 starts last season (81.1ip, 43er).
CAREER vs. CARDINALS: Is 2-3 with a 6.46 ERA in 7 games/6 starts (30.2ip, 22er), including 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA in 3 starts last season (17ip, 10er).
