ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals wrap up of a three-game series today at Nationals Park as the Redbirds continue their 11-day, eight-game international road trip through New York (2-1), the Nation’s Capital (2-0), and across the pond in London, England to face the division-rival Chicago Cubs this weekend … The Cardinals have won four consecutive (June 17-present), tying their season-best from May 12-15 at Boston (3) and vs. Milwaukee (1) … The last time St. Louis won five straight was during an eight-game winning streak last season (Aug. 14-22).
BE A GOLDFISH: St. Louis enters today in last place in the NL Central, 8.0 games behind 1st place Cincinnati and 4.0 games behind 4th place Pittsburgh … The Cardinals have spent 56 of 83 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 30-44 (.405) in 1990.
SWEEPSTAKES: A win today would give the Cardinals a three-game series sweep of the Nationals for the first time since June 13-15, 2014 at Busch Stadium and first time at Nationals Park since April 22-24, 2013; In 2013, St. Louis won all six games of the season series … The only other Cardinals sweep this season was May 12-14 of the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
NATIONAL NEWS: Since relocating from Montreal to the Nation’s Capital in 2005, the Cardinals .589 win pct. (66-46) over the Washington is the 2ndbest of any Nationals annual opponent behind the Dodgers (.642, 68-38) … St. Louis has won 10 of its last 15 regular season games in D.C. since 2018.
BANGERS & MASH: St. Louis ranks 6th in MLB with 105 home runs this season, with only the 2000 Cardinals (125 HR) having hit more in their first 74 games in franchise history … The Cardinals have hit multiple home runs in four straight (June 17-present), their longest multi-homer game streak since a seven-game multi-homer parade from July 27-August 4 (G2) last season.
DID I CATCH A NINER IN THERE?: The Cardinals have scored eight or more runs in three consecutive games (8, 8, 9) for the first time since a five-game streak from Sept. 22-25, 2021 at Milwaukee (10, 8) and at the Chicago Cubs (8, 12, 8), winning all five games.
START ME UP: The Cardinals starting rotation leads the National League in innings pitched (398.1) this season (6th in MLB).
HEIR JORDAN: Jordan Walker has hit in 13 straight (.400/.471/.733, 18-45) since June 6, MLB’s longest active hitting streak … Walker also opened the season by hitting in his first 12 career games, establishing a Cardinals rookie record to begin a career and tying Eddie Murphy (1912 Philadelphia Athletics) for the MLB record for longest by a player age 20 or younger.
- Red Sox Masataka Yoshida (16) and Rangers Josh Jung (14) are the only MLB rookies this season with longer hit streaks.
- Walker, Albert Pujols (three in 2001), and Rogers Hornsby (two in 1916) are the only three Cardinals age 21 or younger with multiple double-digit game hitting streaks in the same season.
- Current Cardinals Bench Coach Joe McEwing holds the franchise rookie record for longest hitting streak, doing so in 25 games (June 8-July 4, 1999), the 8th-longest overall hit streak in franchise history … With a hit in his next game, Walker ties Jerry Mumphrey (1976) and Terry Pendleton (1984) for the 4th-longest rookie hitting streak in franchise history at 14 games.
- Walker hit safely in 31-of-36 games with a PA this season, with his 40 career hits coming off 38 different pitchers from all 12 opponents he’s played against.
REPLAY CHALLENGES: The Cardinals are a perfect 4-0 in replay challenges on the road trip and 12-for-21 overall this season (.571).
EARLY BIRDS: St. Louis sports a 14-14 record in day ball this season and is 8-5 on the road (3-0 this road trip) … Today is the 4th of five day games on the current eight-game road trip with Sunday’s road trip finale in London scheduled for a 3:10 p.m. local first pitch.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP MILES MIKOLAS (4-4, 4.36)
TODAY’S GAME
NL Ranks: Games Started (15, T-1st), Innings Pitched (86.2, 8th), Hits Allowed (100, 2nd), Earned Runs (42, T-7th), Walks/9 IP (1.87, 2nd).
- The 2022 N.L. All-Star is making his team-high 16th start of 2023, 159th career appearance & 130th career start.
- Has three career wins vs. the Nationals, all at Nationals Park.
- Is one win shy of 50 for his career and one strikeout shy of 600 career.
- Has allowed five or more runs in consecutive starts following 10 consecutive starts allowing three earned runs or less (4-0, 2.24 ERA, 60.1 IP – 4/16-6/4). Began the season with three straight starts allowing five runs or more (3/30-4/11).
- Finished May 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA in six starts, ranking among MLB leaders in innings pitched (38.0, 2nd), ERA (5th), and wins (T-7th).
- Leads the Cardinals innings pitched (86.2) and is tied for the team lead in wins (4) with Drew VerHagen.
- Ranks last in the National League in lowest per game run support avg. (3.12), 2nd in MLB behind Zack Greinke (KC, 2.82). The Cardinals played to 2-1 decisions (2-wins, 1 loss) in three straight games started (5/25-6/4).
- Has received no more than three runs of support in 13 of his 15 starts this season including three straight starts to begin June. Has allowed 12 of his 43 runs in the 1st inning (7.80 ERA, .365 BA); His ERA after the opening inning is 3.76 (30 ER/71.2 IP).
- Ranks 3rd among all-time Busch Std. III leaders in ERA (2.87; min. 300 IP), T9th in all-time wins (21) & 8th in innings pitched (367.1).
- Since joining the Cardinals in 2018, Mikolas ranks 2nd in MLB (min. 600 IP) in fewest walks (129) behind only Justin Verlander (122). His 1.62 walks/9 IP narrowly trails Zack Greinke (1.61).
- Was one of 10 MLB pitchers and two Cardinals (Wainwright) with a perfect 1.000 fielding pct. (31 total chances) in 2022. Hasn’t committed an error since 8/2/18 vs. COL. One of two pitchers with 100 total chances and zero errors since 8/3/18 (Erick Fedde, WSH). Ranks 9th among MLB pitchers in fielding pct. (.987) since 2018. (min. 100 TC).
- Ranks 2nd behind only Adam Wainwright (2,611.0 IP) in most innings pitched (713.1) among active Cardinals.
LAST TIME OUT
- Fell behind with three 1st inning runs and two more in the 3rd inning en route to six runs over 6.0 innings in a 6-1 loss. Was his second straight start allowing five or more runs after not allowing more than three runs in any of his previous 10 starts. Time of game was a season-fast 2:01, the second straight year he started the Cardinals fasted game of the season, both in June (1:54 at TB, 6/7/22).
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
6/16 @NYM L 6-1 L-4 6.0 8 6 6 1 1 1 87-55
2023
- Did not allowed more than three runs in 10 starts (4/16-6/4) with a 4-0 record, 2.24 ERA over 60.1 innings pitched.
- Had both his season-best 4-game win streak and season-best 16.0 scoreless innings streak snapped in his start at PIT (6/4) in the morning Peacock game.
- Matched career high 10 strikeouts over 8.0 scoreless IP in 2-1 win vs. Kansas City on 5/30, his longest scoreless outing of the season and third overall. Was his 4th straight winning decision and extended his scoreless innings streak to a team-high 16.0 innings.
- Fired 7.0 scoreless innings of five-hit ball en route to a 2-1 win over the Reds at Great American Ball Park (5/25). Was his 2nd straight 7.0-inning outing.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
OPPONENT – ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
The Nationals and Cardinals will play six times in 2023 (three in D.C and three in St. Louis)…The Nationals swept the Cardinals 4-0 during the 2019 NLCS…Nationals manager Dave Martinez made his Major League debut in 1986 against St. Louis when he was with Chicago (NL)…Lane Thomas made his Major League debut for St. Louis in 2019 and played with the Cardinals until 2021 when he was traded to Washington…Corey Dickerson spent the 2022 season and made the playoffs with the Cardinals… Ildemaro Vargas was signed by St. Louis as a non-drafted free agent in 2008…Jordan Weems’s father, Rick Weems, was drafted by and played three season in St. Louis’ Minor League system (1980-82)…Hitting coach Darnell Coles played in 63 games for the Cardinals in 1995.
ON TO THE NEXT
The Washington Nationals continue a seven-game homestand with \the final game of three against the St. Louis Cardinals today…Washington will wrap up the homestand on Thursday afternoon with a makeup game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- The Nationals suffered an 9-3 loss in the second game of the series last night.
- Lane Thomas went 1-for-3 with an RBI…Stone Garrett went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI…Riley Adams hit his second triple of the year and finished 1-for-4 with an RBI.
- The Nationals are in the midst of an 11-game stretch (June 16-26) without playing two consecutive games with the same start time…Washington will play Seattle at 9:40 p.m. ET on June 26 and 27.
ROSTER MOVES
The Washington Nationals made the following roster moves on Wednesday:
- Selected the contract of outfielder Derek Hill from Triple-A Rochester and placed outfielder Victor Robles on the 10-day Injured List with back spasms in the lumbar spine on Wednesday…Hill leads Washington’s system in batting average (.320) and ranks among Nationals Minor Leaguers in slugging percentage (2nd, .521), OPS (2nd, .903), runs scored (2nd, 40), on-base percentage (3rd, .382), home runs (T4th, 8) and RBI (T6th, 31).
- Recalled left-handed pitcher Joe La Sorsa from Triple-A Rochester and placed right-handed pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. on the 15-day Injured List with right shoulder inflammation.
WE WANT CANDY
Jeimer Candelario leads National League third basemen (3rd in MLB) in wins above replacement (2.1) and is tied for third with four defensive runs saved, according to FanGraphs.com.
- His 21 doubles are the most among National League third basemen and are tied for third in the National League overall.
- He is 8-for-20 (.400) with four doubles, a walk, a run and a stolen base over his last five games and snapped riding a streak of three consecutive multi-hit games last night.
- Candelario matched a Nationals record (2005-pres.) with three doubles on Friday night vs. Miami.
- Over the last 30 games, Candelario his hitting .315/.406/.568 with 12 doubles, two triples, four homers, 16 RBI, 13 walks and 19 runs scored…The 12 doubles are tied for fourth-most in Major League Baseball since May 15 behind teammate Lane Thomas (15) and a pair of Texas Rangers, Corey Seager (15) and Marcus Semien (13).
LEADOFF LANE
Lane Thomas is hitting .306/.347/.590 with 15 doubles, two triples, 11 homers, 26 RBI, 10 walks, five stolen bases and 36 runs scored since May 1.
- He ranks in Major League Baseball in extra-base hits (3rd, 28), hits (5th, 56), doubles (T4th, 15) and slugging percentage (11th, .590) since May 1.
- On the season, he ranks eighth in the National League in hits (81) and eighth in runs scored (49).
- All of his team-leading 11 home runs have come since May 1.
- On defense, Thomas has recorded six outfield assists, tied for the second most among National League outfielders.
JOEY BATS
Joey Meneses has reached safely in 33 of his last 37 games, hitting .320/.369/.429 with 11 doubles, one triple, one homer, 25 RBI, 12 walks and 19 runs scored during the stretch.
- Meneses ranks in the National League in average with runners in scoring position (2nd, .435), hits (6th, 82) and batting average (8th, .295).
- Meneses is hitting .522 (24-for-46) against right-handed pitchers with runners in scoring position, the best mark in Major League Baseball ahead of Miami’s Luis Arraez (.475)
