The Cardinals will have a new look on the field and all around the field Saturday as they, in front of a national television audience and broadcaster Adam Wainwright, debut their City Connect jerseys and all the new logos, graphics, and icons that go with it.
One place where they won't have to change looks might be the most important of them all.
The rainout Friday night allowed both the Cardinals and Cubs to adjust their starting rotation. The Cardinals moved Miles Mikolas to a Saturday start and avoided for another four days the need for a fifth starter — a fifth starter that they had not named, had not revealed, and had not exactly been eager to advertise. Matthew Liberatore was on turn to make the start and he threw a bullpen session several days ago, but the lefty will not be available in relief Saturday and the Cardinals are back to choosing between him, Andre Pallante, or another unidentified candidate for a start in Cincinnati.
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On the other side of the field, the Cubs opted not to have Shoto Imanaga start at all in the series. Instead of starting Friday night (as scheduled) the lefty who is off to the best start by a rookie pitcher in the major leagues ... well, darn near ever ... will not face the Cardinals. They avoid his 0.84 ERA and 5-0 record.
He'll likely be given a few more days of proactive rest and then take the mound, conveniently, as manager Craig Counsell and the Cubs go to Milwaukee for the first time this season.
Counsell will be managing against the Brewers for the first time at ballpark and city he long called home.
His ace will be available for that series.
Not that the Cubs rotation loosens too much for the next two days. Jameson Taillon and his 2.20 ERA will start Saturday, and right-hander Javier Assad will start Sunday. He, like Imanaga, has yet to lose a game in 2024.Â
The Cardinals moved their need for a fifth starter back to Wednesday in Cincinnati and get to turn the weekend series over to their opening day starter (Mikolas) and their best starter (Sonny Gray). The rainout purchased them a chance to show that this new look to their play is substantive, too. The Cardinals have won eight of their previous 10 games to move into third place in the National League Central.
At 23-26, the Cardinals started the weekend within reach of the Cubs, and with only two games to play they could drag the Cubs into a tie for losses.
Wainwright, the Cardinals' 200 game winner, is part of the Fox Sports national telecast from Busch on Saturday night.
He is doing a handful of national games for the network, and that includes next months showcase series in London between the Phillies and Mets. A year ago, Wainwright, who is three years away from a red jacket at the Cardinals' Hall of Fame pending the approval of fans, started a game for the Cardinals in the London Series against the Cubs.
No. 50 will call game No. 50 of the Cardinals' season.
The Cardinals and Cubs have not faced each other since July 30, the same day the Cardinals continued stripping last year's roster.
This is the first day of the Cardinals' Nike-designed City Connect jerseys, which were unveiled earlier in the week with a video featuring Nelly, the artist who was proud to call "The Lou" home and whose lyrics served as inspiration for the look for City Connect gear. It will be the first time in almost 100 years that the Cardinals appear in jerseys that have pinstripes (these are wave, like the river) and the first time they play a regular-season game with red jerseys.
Since their release earlier in the week, the Cardinals made an addition to the City Connect look.
The right path, the one that features the advertisement for Stifel, will also have a memorial patch for Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog. The patch will be red like the City Connect jerseys just as the home patches are white and the road patches are gray, and it will feature Herzog's signature and his retired number, No. 24. Those patches were added in recent days to the City Connect jerseys.
Ahead of Saturday's game, the Cubs activated lefty Drew Smyly from the injured list and optioned reliever Jose Cuas to Class AAA Iowa.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Brendan Donovan, LF
2. Lars Nootbaar, RF
3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Alec Burleson, DH
6. Nolan Gorman, 2B
7. Ivan Herrera, C
8. Masyn Winn, SS
9. Michael Siani, CF
P: Miles Mikolas, RHP
CUBS
1. Mike Tauchman, LF
2. Seiya Suzuki, RF
3. Cody Bellinger, CF
4. Christopher Morel, DH
5. Nico Hoerner, 2B
6. Michael Busch, 1B
7. Dansby Swanson, SS
8. Patrick Wisdom, 3B
9. Miguel Amaya, C
P: Jameson Taillon, RHPÂ
Injury report
Keynan Middleton (forearm strain): Right-hander initially felt "good" after back-to-back outings at Double-A Springfield on Wednesday and Thursday but experience "soreness" on Friday, according to manager Oliver Marmol. The team is in a holding pattern as of Saturday with the right-hander. Middleton was set to return to ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Friday and will be reevaluated on Saturday to determine his next steps. Middleton has been on the 15-day IL with a forearm flexor strain since the start of the season. Updated May 25
Giovanny Gallegos (right shoulder impingement): Gallegos threw a live batting practice session Saturday at Busch Stadium against teammates. How he recovers from that will determine where and when his next outing will be. The Cardinals go on the road to start a three-city trip Monday, and they will either bring Gallegos with them to face hitters again or consider sending him to an affiliate for the opening days of a rehab assignment. The Cardinals are looking for increased velocity and consistency as he returns. Updated May 25
Steven Matz (lower back stiffness): The lefty was cleared to being a throwing program, making Tuesday the Day 1 of that progression. He had some light tossing and will advance deliberately from there based on how he recovers day to day. The length of his throws will increase. He received an anti-inflammatory injection to attack swelling and soreness in his back. Updated May 21
Riley O'Brien (flexor tendon): Advanced his throwing to more than 120 feet and also increased the intensity. He is closer to some mound work and playing catching in the bullpen that should bring him closer to game-speed with his pitches. Originally on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 29, O'Brien was moved to the 60-day list on May 10, about two weeks after beginning a throwing progression. Updated May 25
Tommy Edman (wrist surgery): Edman continues to do the flip/soft toss batting practice he began on May 13, and is nearing an advance to some hitting against a machine. He is able to hit without restrictions from both sides of the plate and is building up strength. His hitting progression will be per usual (coach pitch, then a pitching machine) as tolerated. It is increasingly looking like his return from October wrist surgery will be around the All-Star break. On May 6, he was moved to the 60-day IL. Updated May 25
Willson Contreras (broken forearm): Contreras had surgery to put a plate in his forearm and aid the healing of a fractured ulna bone. The injury happened May 7 when Mets designated hitter J. D. Martinez took a swing and his bat dropped down and hard into Contreras’ forearm. Contreras is expected to miss at least 10 weeks as the bone heals and he rebuilds arm strength. Updated May 20
Packy Naughton (flexor tendon surgery): Lefty is four official appearances into his rehab assignment. He has started four games and pitched 4 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts for the Cardinals' Florida Complex League team. He will advance through the minors on his way toward Class AAA Memphis with these games mimicking a spring training schedule. Updated May 25