ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets play the second game of a three-game weekend series at Citi Field this afternoon as the Redbirds continue their 11-day, eight-game international road trip through New York (0-1), the nation’s capital to play the Nationals (June 19-21), and across the pond in London, England to face the division-rival Cubs (June 24-25).
FLIGHT PATTERN: The Cardinals have lost six straight and enter today in last place in the NL Central, 8.5 games behind 1st place Milwaukee and 5.5 games behind 4th place Chicago … St. Louis is at its low watermark of the season at 16 games below .500 … The Cardinals have spent 52 of 79 days in last place on this season’s MLB schedule (April 26-May 19 and May 29-present) … This season is the Cardinals slowest start since beginning 25-45 (.357) in 1978.
START SPREADING THE NEWS: Despite a 22-26 all-time record at Citi Field, St. Louis enters today winners of eight of their last 13 games in Queens while outscoring the Mets 71-56 … With a victory today, the Cardinals will have won their 200th road game in New York over the Mets (199-182 record).
WAINO’S FINAL BITE OF THE BIG APPLE: Adam Wainwright makes his first appearance against the Mets since Sept. 2021 when he posted a 7-0 win at Citi Field in the midst of the Cardinals record 17-game winning streak … St. Louis has won each of Waino’s last five starts at Citi Field with Adam going 4-0. Adam made his MLB debut vs. the Mets (Sept. 11, 2005) in a 7-2 loss at Busch Stadium II (his only career appearance at Busch II). ”Uncle Charlie” appeared in three games of 2006 National League Championship Series vs. Mets as a rookie, and earned saves in both Game 5 & the series-clinching Game 7 win with strikeout of Carlos Beltran at Shea Stadium. Today is Wainwright’s 465th career appearance, tying Bill Sherdel (1918-32, ‘32) for 3rd all-time in Cardinals history.
MR. MET: Among Major Leaguers with at least 110 career plate appearances vs. the Mets, Paul DeJong ranks 2nd all-time in slugging pct. (.700) to only Mark McGwire (.742) while ranking 7th in OPS (1.053) … Among all MLB players with 50+ plate appearances at Citi Field (2009-present), DeJong ranks 3rd in slugging (.660) and 8th in OPS (.962).
HEIR JORDAN: Jordan Walker has hit safely in nine straight (.406/.457/.688, 13-32), tied with José Ramírez for MLB’s 3rd-longest active hitting streak behind Shohei Ohtani (13) and Mookie Betts (10) … Walker also opened the season by hitting in his first 12 games to establish a new Cardinals rookie record to begin a career and tie the MLB record for longest by a player 20 years old or younger with Eddie Murphy (Philadelphia Athletics) in 1912 … MLB Pipeline’s top overall prospect in baseball has hit safely in 27-of-32 games with a PA this season, with his 35 career hits coming off 34 different pitchers from all 11 opponents he’s played against.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP ADAM WAINWRIGHT (2-1, 5.79)
TODAY’S GAME
- Makes his 8th start of the season & 465th career appearance (398th career start).
- Is facing the Mets for the 1st time since 2021 season; has a winning career mark against each of the NL East teams and is 42-23 (.646 win pct.) combined: 10-4 vs. ATL, 8-2 vs. MIA, 7-6 vs. NYM, 7-6 vs. PHI & 10-5 vs. WSH.
- Has pitched between 5.0-5.2 innings in all seven starts this season, while departing with the lead in four of his seven outings.
- With his 465th career appearance today, ties Bill Sherdel for 3rd all-time in appearances in franchise history behind Bob Gibson (528) and Jesse Haines (554)
- Today is Wainwright’s 398th career start, ranking 3rd all-time among Cardinals pitchers Bob Gibson (482) & Bob Forsch (401). Waino’s 398 career starts, all with St. Louis, rank 13th-most, exclusively with one organization in MLB history, while Gibson (482) ranks 6th. Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators leads at 666.
- Is three wins shy of 200 career, 13 wins from 210 (T-2nd all-time Cardinals history with Jesse Haines), and three starts away from reaching 400 career.
- At age 41, Waino is one of four active players age 40+ with Rich Hill (43), Nelson Cruz (42) and Miguel Cabrera (40).
- Missed the first 33 games of the season due to a groin injury he suffered while working out during the WBC Finals. Made two injury rehab starts for Springfield (AA) and one for Memphis (AAA).
LAST TIME OUT
- Scattered eight hits, allowing three runs across 5.2 innings (matching season high for IP) for a no-decision in the Cardinals 4-3 loss to Cincinnati last Sun. (6/11). It was his 2nd straight no-decision in a one-run 4-3 loss.
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
6/11 CIN L 4-3 — 5.2 8 3 3 1 2 1 98-63
2023
- Earned career win No. 197 against the Reds at Great American Ball Park (5/23), allowing five runs on eight hits. Departed w/ 7-5 lead w/ runners on first and second and two outs.
- Earned 196th career win on 5/18 vs. LAD. Gave him 107 career home wins with the Cardinals, T-2nd most in Cardinals history with Jesse Haines. Held a 9-2 lead when he departed and Cardinals held on for 16-8 win as the Redbirds blasted seven homers.
- Became the 21st pitcher in MLB history with 300.0 or more career innings in Interleague play in his start at Boston (5/14). Passed Jesse Haines (39) for 2nd place all-time among Cardinals with 40 starts over the age of 40. Trails only Grover Cleveland Alexander (80). Allowed back-to-back home runs for only the 9th time in his career.
- Made season debut vs. DET (5/6) and took a no-decision the Cardinals lost in 10 innings.
NEW YORK METS NOTES:
TODAY’S GAME
- Makes his 8th start of the season & 465th career appearance (398th career start).
- Is facing the Mets for the 1st time since 2021 season; has a winning career mark against each of the NL East teams and is 42-23 (.646 win pct.) combined: 10-4 vs. ATL, 8-2 vs. MIA, 7-6 vs. NYM, 7-6 vs. PHI & 10-5 vs. WSH.
- Has pitched between 5.0-5.2 innings in all seven starts this season, while departing with the lead in four of his seven outings.
- With his 465th career appearance today, ties Bill Sherdel for 3rd all-time in appearances in franchise history behind Bob Gibson (528) and Jesse Haines (554)
- Today is Wainwright’s 398th career start, ranking 3rd all-time among Cardinals pitchers Bob Gibson (482) & Bob Forsch (401). Waino’s 398 career starts, all with St. Louis, rank 13th-most, exclusively with one organization in MLB history, while Gibson (482) ranks 6th. Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators leads at 666.
- Is three wins shy of 200 career, 13 wins from 210 (T-2nd all-time Cardinals history with Jesse Haines), and three starts away from reaching 400 career.
- At age 41, Waino is one of four active players age 40+ with Rich Hill (43), Nelson Cruz (42) and Miguel Cabrera (40).
- Missed the first 33 games of the season due to a groin injury he suffered while working out during the WBC Finals. Made two injury rehab starts for Springfield (AA) and one for Memphis (AAA).
LAST TIME OUT
- Scattered eight hits, allowing three runs across 5.2 innings (matching season high for IP) for a no-decision in the Cardinals 4-3 loss to Cincinnati last Sun. (6/11). It was his 2nd straight no-decision in a one-run 4-3 loss.
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
6/11 CIN L 4-3 — 5.2 8 3 3 1 2 1 98-63
2023
- Earned career win No. 197 against the Reds at Great American Ball Park (5/23), allowing five runs on eight hits. Departed w/ 7-5 lead w/ runners on first and second and two outs.
- Earned 196th career win on 5/18 vs. LAD. Gave him 107 career home wins with the Cardinals, T-2nd most in Cardinals history with Jesse Haines. Held a 9-2 lead when he departed and Cardinals held on for 16-8 win as the Redbirds blasted seven homers.
- Became the 21st pitcher in MLB history with 300.0 or more career innings in Interleague play in his start at Boston (5/14). Passed Jesse Haines (39) for 2nd place all-time among Cardinals with 40 starts over the age of 40. Trails only Grover Cleveland Alexander (80). Allowed back-to-back home runs for only the 9th time in his career.
- Made season debut vs. DET (5/6) and took a no-decision the Cardinals lost in 10 innings.
STARTING PITCHER – KODAI SENGA RHP #34
2023 STATS: 6-3, 3.34 ERA
SENGA’S PITCH ARSENAL
Pitch Type Usage Rate vs. LHB vs. RHB Avg. Velocity
Four-Seam Fastball 41.1% 43.8% 38.2% 95.9 mph
Forkball 22.0% 22.5% 21.5% 83.7 mph
Cutter 21.5% 24.4% 18.5% 90.4 mph
Sweeper 10.9% 5.5% 16.5% 81.8 mph
Slider 3.1% 1.9% 4.4% 85.6 mph
Curveball 1.4% 1.9% 0.9% 71.7 mph
LAST TIME OUT: Threw a season-high-tying 7.0 innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits, with four walks and six strikeouts…Earned the win in the Mets victory over Pittsburgh on June 10.
STRIKE ‘EM OUT: Senga has 79 strikeouts through his first 12 career major league games, the fourth-most by a Met…Only Dwight Gooden (93), Matt Harvey (89) and Nolan Ryan (88) have more in their first 12 career starts.
SHUT ‘EM OUT: On May 30 against the Phillies, Senga became the 10th rookie in franchise history to throw 7.0 or more innings, while one hit or less and was the first Met since Steven Matz did so on August 14, 2016…Joins Jonathon Niese, who tossed a complete game shutout on June 10, 2010, as the only Mets rookie to accomplish the feat without allowing a walk.
PUTTING THE K IN FORK: Senga’s “ghost fork” has accounted for 45 of his 79 strikeouts through 12 starts…The pitch has a 59.8 percent whiff rate and a 28.5 percent putaway rate… Opponents have managed just seven hits in 65 at-bats ending with the forkball, a .108 batting average.
ALL I DO IS WIN: Senga became the only Japanese-born pitchers to start their career 3-0 and is the fourth player in franchise history to earn the win in their first two career major league starts, joining Steven Matz, Mike Pelfrey and Gary Gentry…Additionally, he joins Kazuhisa Ishii, Hideki Irabu and Koji Uehara as the only Japane e-born pitchers to win each of their first two career major league starts…Senga fell just shy of becoming the second Mets starting pitcher ever to begin his career 4-0, a record held by Steven Matz.
