The Cardinals expect the opening day to start Pitcher Sonny Gray to serve as their staff ace this season.
But Gray, who was 13-9 with a 3.84 era last season, published a 12.56 era in four spring performances. That fight will serve him extra review on Thursday afternoon when the Cardinals start the season against Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium.
The twins will counteract with Pablo Lopez, who went 15-10 with a 4.08 era last season.
Cardinals President of baseball operations John Mozeliak attributed some of Gray’s struggle to a new illness. Gray returned to St. Louis before the opener to recover while the team played an exhibition game in Memphis against their Triple-A-daughter company.
“The last starters have not gone as planned,” said Mozeliak. “I don’t think he felt so good either. Especially the last one.”
Gray could not regain its usual quick ball speed in the spring. It forced him to adjust his pitching strategy.
“I will find a way,” Gray said. “There is no doubt about it. I will find a way. It can just look a little different than I’m used to.”
Gray looked up for the twins during the seasons 2022 and 2023 before signing with the Cardinals. He is 2-5 with a 5.36 era in nine career starts against Minnesota.
After letting the first bass man Paul Goldschmidt leave as a free agent, the cardinals will have a different look. Willson Contreras moved to the first base and left Ivan Herrera and Pedro sides to catch.
Victor Scott II got the midfield job in the spring while publishing a 1,172 OPS. Lars Nootbaar will open the season as the new leader, who encounters Masyn Winn, who hit 0.080 in the spring, to place # 9.
“I’m not stranger at the bottom of the lineup,” Winn said. “We had a conversation the other day, and he asked me how I felt it, how I felt that Nootbaar led. I am not fraudulent, man. I understand that spring training was not the best. If I came out and met .330 it wouldn’t even be a conversation.”
Lopez ended spring on a high tone by throwing three speechless innings in his last spring game.
“The last game, with it being the highest workload with things and everything that was in place, it was like, OK, with one to go, I knew everything I wanted to feel things in my last game,” Lopez said.
“He got a little swing-and-miss against some good hitters (Friday) and his stuff looks good right now, so he is going into his opening day excursion in a strong place,” said Twin-Manager Rocco Baldelli. “It’s a nice way for him to end spring.”
Overall, Lopez published EN 6.62 in five spring performances. He is 3-2 with a 2.33 era in six career starts against the Cardinals.
The twins had to do some mix in the spring due to damage to Infielders Royce Lewis (Hamstrring Strain) and Brooks Lee (lower back stem). Will Castro and Mickey Gasper will see the time at the second base and Jose Miranda can play a lot at the third base.
Gasper got his place on the opening list by publishing a .904 OPS in 17 spring games.
“He is a very positive person, and I think he uses it to his advantage,” Baldelli said. “And on top of all this he had a fantastic camp. It’s not like we just like him and we decided to give Mickey an opening day plan.”
-Field level media
