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TORONTO — At this point in the season, Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar can’t do anything about games he’s already missed. He can’t get those back. There’s no time machine that would allow him to change the past. All the left-handed hitting Southern California native can do is focus on how he finishes this season.

For Nootbaar, that means a focus on the “little things.”

“Just making sure I’m having good at-bats, playing good defense, taking advantage of base running opportunities — that’s something that I want to get better at,” Nootbaar said of his goals down the stretch. “We’ve kind of talked about those things, so make sure I’m finishing strong, staying within my approach and doing the little things right. Don’t want to overlook those things, and hopefully bigger things can happen after that.”

The 27-year-old has shown flashes or stretches of exciting potential across multiple seasons, but they’ve repeatedly been interrupted by injuries or lulls in performance that have prevented him from an extended period of the type of eye-opening production he’s provided in small doses.

Nootbaar missed 49 games this season due to two IL stints, including the first 13 games of the season due to two fractured ribs he suffered in spring training. He also missed 36 games this season with an oblique injury.

Despite the large chunk of games missed by Nootbaar, he entered Friday night’s series opener in Toronto with the second-highest walk total (44) behind only injured starting catcher Willson Contreras (45).

That penchant for walks has been part of the profile Nootbaar has established for himself in the batter’s box. That profile prompted the Cardinals to go into this season with Nootbaar as the projected everyday left fielder.

That profile hasn’t changed. Even though his overall statistics this season haven’t yielded a breakout offensive campaign — he’d posted a .246 batting average, .339 on-base percentage and .400 slugging percentage through 94 games — he’d still shown the things that have enticed the Cardinals’ brass.

He has hit the ball hard consistently (hard-hit rate among the 96th percentile of major-league players), doesn’t chase pitches out of the zone often (best/lowest chase percentage in majors) and he walks at an extremely high rate (96th percentile of hitters in the majors).

If there’s something Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol will be looking for from Nootbaar at the plate in the final stretch of the season, it’s definitely more fine-tuning than overhauling.

“More consistency with how he misses,” Marmol said of what he wants to see from Nootbaar. ‘What I mean by that is we see stretches where he gets off and is driving the baseball and is pulling it in the air, and it looks the way you want it to look.

“But what do the misses look like? I want him to start missing the way he wants to miss rather than pull-side on the ground. Him getting the ball in the air through the middle of the field, and if he catches it out front then he gets the result he wants. That swing-plane being a little bit less steep and his misses being more consistent with still a good swing plane. We’ve talked about it, and it’s something he’s continuing to work on, but his last stretch has looked pretty good.”

In his past 28 games (25 starts) entering Friday, Nootbaar posted a slash line of .298/.394/.464 (.858 OPS) with nearly as many walks (14) and strikeouts (16). He logged his team-best 11th multi-walk game on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners.

Nootbaar echoed Marmol’s sentiment about wanting his “misses” at the plate to fall into a certain category.

Nootbaar explained that better misses, for him, may mean line drives to the left side or through the middle as opposed to those groundballs to the right side that Marmol mentioned.

“You know, when you hit a homer it’s a pretty good swing, but (it’s about) making sure that when you don’t get it perfect-perfect, you’re staying inside the baseball and giving yourself a chance to spray the ball all over the field,” Nootbaar said.

Getting the ball off the ground a little more would also be a likely biproduct of better missed, but it’s not a primary focal point Nootbaar said. The big thing will be understanding how opposing pitchers are trying to attack him.

“It’s making sure my misses are correct and staying through the ball a little bit better, having the right approach to do certain things like that,” Nootbaar said. “I just think that having myself be in a good spot, having a plan that gets me in that spot better to where I can react better to those pitches and stay through the ball a little bit better, probably get the ball off the ground a little bit more.

“Making sure I have a good approach at the plate. That’s the main thing. That’s the foundation. I think that is kind of the key to everything else.”

Matz remains in bullpen

Marmol said the Cardinals will go with a six-man pitching rotation this time through. Sonny Gray started Thursday’s series finale against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Erick Fedde started Friday night’s opener in Toronto against the Blue Jays.

Kyle Gibson (8-6, 4.20) and Miles Mikolas (8-11, 5.55) are slated to start the final two games in Toronto. Andre Pallante (6-8, 4.13) and Lance Lynn (6-4, 3.96) are scheduled to start the first two games of the following series against the Pittsburgh Pirates next week in ������Ƶ.

Left-hander Steven Matz will remain available to pitch out of the bullpen for the time being.

“For this time through, we’d like to give Lance another time on the bump and see how he comes out of that,” Marmol said. “With Pallante, I just feel like he’s been one of most consistent guys. Continuing to see that and develop that is important for him and the org. So that puts Matz in the pen for the time being, but if anything were to happen we’ve got a pretty good weapon that we can insert.”

The Cardinals currently have Gray, Mikolas, Fedde and Matz under contract for next season. Pallante, who has not reached arbitration eligibility yet, is under team control. Lynn and Gibson have club options for 2025.

Marmol was quick to shoot down any suggestion that Matz’s placement in the bullpen had any implications for the future.

“It’s just what’s needed at the moment,” Marmol said.

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Behind an 18-hit effort highlighted by an eight-run fifth inning on Thursday, Class Low-A Palm Beach completed a sweep of Daytona in the Florida State League Division Series to secure its spot in the Florida State League Championship Series.

Palm Beach’s 12-4 win over Daytona at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida included multi-RBI efforts from Cardinals prospects and 2024 MLB draftees Josh Kross (three RBIs) and Bryce Madron (two RBIs). Madron, infield prospect JJ Wetherholt, the Cardinals’ top pick in the 2024 draft, and outfield prospect Joshua Baez had three hits apiece in the win.

With the win that completed a sweep of Daytona, the Cincinnati Reds’ affiliate, in a best-of-three series, Palm Beach is set to face Lakeland, the Detroit Tigers’ Class Low-A affiliate, in a best-of-three series to crown the Florida State League Champions. Game 1 vs. Lakeland is scheduled for Sunday at Joker Merchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida.

Palm Beach built a 2-0 lead on Thursday with a solo home run from Baez in the second inning and an RBI double from Kross in the fourth inning that scored Baez from second base. 

The PB-Cards’ lead was wiped away in the fifth inning when starter Chen-Wei Lin allowed two runs on a double from Diego Omana. A walk to Yerlin Confidan after Omana’s double put runners on first and second base and signaled the end of Lin’s start after 4 1/3 innings.

The 6-foot-7 right-hander struck out eight batters, walked two batters, and allowed three hits before his exit. He was replaced on the mound by Jason Savacool, who induced back-to-back groundouts to strand the two runners he inherited from Lin.

Palm Beach wasted little time in regaining what it had lost.

Madron and Wetherholt began the bottom of the fifth inning with back-to-back singles that was followed by an RBI double from Jose Suarez that scored Madron. After Suarez’s double, the PB-Cards scored two runs when Ryan Campos reached on a fielding error and pushed across another run with a single from Ian Petrutz. Madron and Wetherholt each produced two-out RBIs later that frame.

In total, Palm Beach sent 12 batters to the plate and totaled six hits in the fifth inning.

Bernal clubs first Class AA homer

Cardinals prospect Leonardo Bernal provided Class AA Springfield with its only run in a 4-1 road loss to San Antonio. The 20-year-old, switch-hitting catcher’s run-producing swing created a milestone moment.

As a left-handed hitter, Bernal pulled a fly ball to right field that sailed over the outfield wall at Nelson Wolff Stadium for his first home run at the Class AA level.

The home run came in Bernal’s 11th game with Springfield. Since his promotion from Class High-A Peoria, Bernal is batting .209 with four RBIs and one double. He has hit 11 home runs and produced a .263 batting average in 107 games between Class High-A and Class AA.

When Thomas Saggese stepped to the plate in the seventh inning Thursday at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals rookie could feel “a little pressure.”

The 22-year-old had gone hitless in his first nine at-bats in the major leagues following his debut Tuesday. As he stepped to plate with his walk-up song, Sublime’s “Santeria,” playing and a matchup with Reds reliever Carson Spiers awaiting, he “was just trying to hit something hard.” What resulted was something that “just worked out.”

On the first pitch he saw from the righty, Saggese hit a soft line drive that dropped into right field for a single, securing his first MLB hit.

“It’s really cool because everybody else is so excited for me — everybody congratulating me,” Saggese said of the reactions in the dugout after his first single. “It’s a really cool feeling. Just like I said so many times before, it’s something that I thought about for so long. It’s a dream come true getting a big league hit.”

An inning later, Saggese added to his memorable day with a line-drive single to center field that recorded his first RBI in the majors as well and provided some insurance in a 6-1 Cardinals win that secured a three-game series win over the Reds.

The two-hit game added to a debut series for Saggese that has included a display of infield defense that has drawn praise from Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol along with teammates Paul Goldschmidt and Masyn Winn.

He added another example of his defensive skill set Thursday when he started at second base.

On a ground ball Cincinnati’s Rece Hinds hit sharply up the middle in the eighth inning, Saggese ranged to his right and, from behind second base and from the edge of the outfield grass, snagged the ball on a hop. With his momentum carrying him away from first base, Saggese turned, planted his right foot and made an off-balance throw to first base that beat Hinds at the bag for the inning’s second out.

“It’s been fun to watch him play. It really has,” said Marmol, whose club improved to 74-72. “That play up the middle was an incredible play. He got a good jump on it. He’s made several now. A couple of diving plays the other night. It’s been fun to watch him, man.”

The effort showcased the type of player Saggese can be in the majors.

“I’m glad he got his first couple of hits today,” said Winn, who homered in the third inning against the Reds on Thursday. “But I think the defense he showcased over the last few days has been pretty unbelievable. I mean, you look at the guy. I mean, no BGs (batting gloves), just out there getting dirty. I mean, that dude is a baseball player. It’s pretty fun to watch.”

And reinforced what the 22-year-old demonstrated in spring training while in big league camp as a non-roster invitee.

Saggese, a trade deadline acquisition in the Jordan Montgomery deal with the Rangers last summer, batted .300 with a .364 on-base percentage and 11 RBIs in his first big league camp. He doubled three times, homered once in 50 at-bats and was among the final cuts in big league spring training.

“He played really well in spring. I think he impressed all of us,” Goldschmidt said. “None of us had seen him because he was with the Rangers last year. He hit the ball really well, played good (defense). I mean, those defensive plays he made today, and really this whole week at shortstop, were great plays. He had some really good at-bats his first couple of days, too. Hit some balls hard that they caught. It was nice to get to see him rewarded, to have a couple of hits there late today.”

His call to the majors Tuesday came after he batted .253 with 20 home runs and a .753 on-base plus slugging percentage in 125 games for Class AAA Memphis. It was with Memphis where Saggese assumed primary shortstop duties for the first time as a pro.

He started at shortstop in his major league debut and played second base in the other two games of the series. His presence gives the Cardinals an additional infielder with experience at second base, shortstop and third base.

“He’s not making the moment any bigger than it is,” Marmol said. “There are some nerves there. That’s normal, and he’s communicated that. But once he takes the field and gets that first ground ball or takes that first at-bat, he starts to kind of settle in. But he’s done a nice job of just being in the moment, being present and playing his game. What we’re seeing here over the last several days is exactly what we saw in spring training: Just a gritty player that’s going to give you everything he’s got.”

When the Cardinals looked for insurance runs after starter Sonny Gray allowed one run and struck out nine batters in six innings and after Lars Nootbaar produced the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, Saggese’s single kicked off what ������Ƶ would do in the final two frames.

After singling to lead off the seventh, Saggese scored in the next at-bat on a home run from Brendan Donovan, who pinch-hit for Jordan Walker. With two outs in the eighth inning and Nootbaar on second base after he doubled with one out in the frame, Saggese lined an elevated fastball to center field to score Nootbaar for the rookie’s first RBI.

Saggese scored in the eighth when Winn reached base on a fielder’s choice to help the Cardinals secure a series win after they dropped the opener Tuesday.

“His at-bats are going to continue to get better and better,” Marmol said of Saggese. “He’s a line-drive guy. It was good to see him get that first knock out of the way, and then another line drive there to drive in a run. A positive day for him, and hopefully he can build off of it.”

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Photos: Donovan's two-run homer secures ������Ƶ Cardinals victory over the Cincinnati Reds

That annual volatility that gets addressed at the trade deadline or with the late-season emergence of an unexpected or young late-inning answer has been replaced for the Cardinals this season by a bullpen that has remained sturdy despite the stress, a vision of availability and versatility.

For the second time in as many days, the top two setup men in the National League, right-hander Andrew Kittredge and lefty JoJo Romero, carved up the late, high-leverage innings to secure the Cardinals’ 6-1 victory against Cincinnati on Thursday. When Romero entered in the eighth, the Cardinals were on their way toward a 98th game decided by three runs or fewer — their second within 24 hours. An expanded lead did not minimize Romero’s role.

He got the win Wednesday and got the save Thursday.

The Reds did not get a run off either Cardinals reliever.

“The group that we have down there has been really fun,” Kittredge said earlier Thursday morning. “And there hasn’t been a ton of turnover in the bullpen — which is a bit unusual. But it’s also a testament to how good guys have been done there and consistent, too.”

The lack of turnover in the summer and how they’ve maintained that strength into fall is something for the Cardinals to consider this winter.

The brightest and best part of the season spent loitering around .500 has been the bullpen and how the trio of Kittredge, Romero and rookie Ryan Fernandez covered innings and bridged leads to reach closer Ryan Helsley. The closer secured his 44th save of the season Wednesday night and could yet set the Cardinals’ single-season record by reaching 49.

Bullpens traditionally undergo makeovers every winter — churn is a defense against volatility — but the performance and makeup of the Cardinals’ current bullpen is worth holding together.

Kittredge is a free agent this winter, and at some point in the near future, the Cardinals expect to approach him to discuss a return.

Setup man Keynan Middleton missed the entire season with a forearm strain, and the Cardinals have a $6 million option on him for 2025. He would welcome a discussion about making his return from injury with the Cardinals.

Coming off a career year, Helsley has one year remaining before free agency. He has expressed an openness to talk extension before.

Romero and Fernandez are early in their careers with multiple years of control ahead. The same is true for John King and Matthew Liberatore, two lefties who have played prominent relief roles.

It is possible for the Cardinals to find relief in an encore.

The stage for it was set back in March.

“That’s what we talked about in spring,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “Outside of the ninth (inning), I felt like our ’pen had the versatility of pitching in any spot. From an ego standpoint, from a role standpoint, they were comfortable knowing you can use me in the sixth, seventh, eighth. Use me how you please. It’s given us the ability to really make it difficult on the opposition as far as not getting the matchup that they want.”

The series win against Cincinnati offered snapshots of how well that’s worked.

First, the availability.

The group that Masyn Winn called “a three-headed monster” were all available for the mid-September series. Helsley’s availability can be traced back to the decision in spring to keep him in the ninth. The addition of Kittredge meant fewer games Helsley would be asked to throw multiple innings or chase five outs instead of three.

From there, there were weeks throughout the season that Romero, Kittredge, or Fernandez were considered unavailable — and those weren’t always advertised publicly.

“We talked about it in June, right?” Marmol said. “You have to take care of guys there in the middle in order to have them do what they’re doing now in the back end. They’re in a position where they feel fresh, so you’re able to do what we did (Thursday).”

Said Kittredge: “There have been times this year where I’ve been used a lot, and then they’re very aware of that. I don’t feel like I’ve been put in harm’s way. It inevitably happens every year where somebody has to do something that they probably shouldn’t or go into a game they should not be pitching because they need rest. That’s the nature of the game. That’s going to happen. This year, it hasn’t.”

And it’s not for lack of need.

The Cardinals have the highest number of wins decided by three or fewer runs (55), and they have the smallest average margin of victory in the majors (2.69).

Second, the versatility.

The Cardinals have relied on a three-man weave for those close games, but it’s not always the same order for Romero, Fernandez and Kittredge. And it’s not always a single inning.

Before the game, pitching coaches Dusty Blake and Julio Rangel will go through scouting reports and “lanes” set with Marmol. The manager described it Thursday as looking a seven-batter section of a lineup and determining the best matchups for Kittredge and Romero. They don’t have to start with a clean inning. They don’t have to finish with the end of an inning.

Their assignments interlock.

In Wednesday’s win, Kittredge entered with one out in the seventh and delivered the same score to Romero for the eighth. On Thursday, Kittredge had a six-batter assignment, and if he did not get six outs, Romero was ready to finish the eighth with a matchup against Reds switch-hitter Elly De La Cruz. When the Cardinals added two runs in the bottom of the inning, Romero finished the game to collect earn his first save of the season.

They are the only two relievers in the NL with at least 30 holds, as Kittredge sits at 33 and Romero at 30.

The bullpen pitched 11 scoreless innings against the Reds in three games and struck out twice as many batters as Cardinals relievers allowed base runners, 10 to five. It did not earn a hold, save or win, but few innings were as pivotal as Kittredge’s on Wednesday to bridge the seventh and eighth to get a tie game to Romero and the late innings. All according to plan.

“We complement each other,” Romero said. “Good one-two punch.”

“And then we take a lead,” Kittredge said, “and give it to Hels.”

Fedde for Friday

The Cardinals will open their weekend visit to Toronto with Erick Fedde starting Friday and continuing his run of matchups against American League teams.

Acquired by the Cardinals at the trade deadline from the White Sox, Fedde will make his fourth consecutive start against an AL club. The Cardinals are 1-2 in those starts, and Fedde has lost four consecutive decisions.

He’s 1-5 with a 4.30 ERA in five starts for the Cardinals.

Marmol confirmed Fedde’s start but declined to announce the rest of the rotation for the three-game series in Toronto. With seven starters now on the active roster, the Cardinals are considering added rest or other adjustments, and they’re also discussing when Miles Mikolas will next start given some recent struggles.

Extra bases

Willson Contreras (fractured finger) will be evaluated Monday, and he may be able to resume some baseball-related activities that day depending on how well he’s healed. He was originally prescribed three weeks of inactivity. Monday is the earliest he and the club will know how possible a return to play is for this season.

• It is possible that the Cardinals will become the third team in MLB history with three catchers making at least 50 starts apiece, according to Elias Sports research: Contreras started 50 before his injury, and Pedro Pages (49) and Ivan Herrera (47) are closing in.
• Reds outfielder Will Benson bruised the middle finger on his left hand, and X-rays taken of the finger at Busch Stadium did not reveal a break. Benson injured the hand in the sixth inning when he attempted to bunt against Sonny Gray and his fingers were mashed by the pitch as they gripped his bat’s barrel.
• The Cincinnati Reds are the first opponent to lose 100 games at Busch Stadium III.

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How bad is it for ������Ƶ Cardinals fans?

The last time they experienced this particular misery was 1994 and 1995.

Yep, it’s been almost 30 years since the Cardinals finished under .500 in back-to-back years, which the current Cards very well could do (though it’s fair to point out, because of the strike, the ’94 season had just 115 games and ’95 had 143).

And so there are fans as old as their late 20s who have never lived through this.

That’s how bad it is.

Sure enough, in the offseason after ’95, Bill DeWitt Jr. and the new ownership group took over. The franchise was resuscitated. Rejuvenated. New free agents. New manager and coaches. New messaging. New beloved ad campaign. New hope for fans.

As the chairman DeWitt approaches this pivotal offseason — along with son and team President Bill DeWitt III — the DeWitts can learn from their past selves.

The current Cardinals are at a crossroads. And not just with the performance on the field. The fan base ranges from apathetic to agitated to angry. As seen in loud and proud posts on social media, some fans don’t trust team leadership. And at first pitch on Wednesday, the Busch Stadium crowd could be best described as “a smattering.”

It’s bad, boys.

So the DeWitts must be proactive and aggressive this offseason — they should attack this like they’re trying to make their mark all over again. What was said last winter won’t work this winter. Missing the playoffs is a trend now — barring a September miracle, this will make five times in nine years. And just four playoff wins in those other four years.

Now, back in 1995, DeWitt Jr. and the gang inherited and retained second-year general manager Walt Jocketty. But they brought in a new manager. Tony something. And they signed one of the best hitters on the market (Ron Gant), one of the best pitchers on the market (Andy Benes), a third baseman who finished 10th in the 1995 MVP voting (Gary Gaetti) and, for good measure, an aging fan favorite to come off the bench (Willie McGee). Sure enough, in 1996, the Cards won the division and made the playoffs for the first time since 1987 (and won the National League Division Series).

The current Cardinals club could use some changes and additions (and, of course, some subtractions). But who will make those decisions?

As we know, John Mozeliak, the president of baseball operations, is under contract through the 2025 season. His success over the years will, one would think, someday earn him a plaque in the Cardinals Hall of Fame. But if the DeWitts bring back Mozeliak in the exact same capacity — as baseball boss — the fan reaction will likely be brutal ... and the statement by the team would essentially be that status quo is acceptable. No, you don’t fire Mo. But the bold move would be to figure out a way to keep him on board for 2025, while hiring a new baseball boss.

Naturally, Chaim Bloom checks a bunch of boxes (including, if you will, a last name befitting of the goal for this wilting franchise). The former Red Sox boss and longtime Rays executive has worked with the Cards as a front office adviser since this past offseason. He’s made numerous trips to ������Ƶ and around the organization. Oh, and another feather in his cap: Roman Anthony, the brand new No. 1 prospect per Baseball America, was drafted by Bloom and his Red Sox staff in 2022.

During his annual Winter Warm-up media session, DeWitt Jr. said in January that when Boston fired Bloom, “I immediately thought: We could probably use someone like that (to be part of the front office). Someone who’s been with a small market, big market, very smart guy to kind of help see what’s going on with our organization. And interestingly, Mo thought the same thing. He called me two days later, and I said, ‘John, it’s interesting because I had the same thought.’ We were on the same page there, which is great.

“I think he can be very helpful. I mean, our team has been together a long time, and you never know what else is out there that maybe our guys have not been in touch with. The world changes — it’s helpful to get the perspective or somebody who’s done it with different organizations.”

So, yeah, Bloom could be the DeWitts’ statement move, a la La Russa before 1996. But just like we saw heading into 1996, there were so many other changes and alterations made, from the team they fielded to the field itself (finally, an end to Astroturf). The victorious 1996 Cardinals restored the franchise. They gave a new generation of fans a taste of playoff baseball. They became a draw. And if you recall, they were promoted by an influential ad campaign titled “Baseball like it oughta be.”

On March 10, 1996, in this very newspaper, a full-page ad appeared:

It oughta make you forget about work.

It oughta be real grass.

It oughta be steppin’ on peanut shells.

It oughta be diggin’ for second.

It oughta be cold beer.

It oughta be autographing a kid’s glove.

It oughta be fun.

������Ƶ Cardinals.

Baseball like it oughta be.

Coming April 8.

Well, heading into 2025, it oughta feel like 1996.

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When he marched off the mound after three consecutive strikeouts to atomize the Cincinnati Reds’ best chance yet to upset his evening in the third inning, Lance Lynn let loose of something other than a fastball. A bountiful cornucopia of active verbs and technicolor nouns that cannot be reprinted here erupted from behind his beard.

Catcher Pedro Pages guessed he’d been holding that in all inning.

Even longer, Lynn said.

“Been pent-up for 30 days,” he said.

The Cardinals’ veteran right-hander returned to the mound Wednesday with a roar. Slowed by an angry right knee for the past five weeks, Lynn pitched around back-to-back singles in the third and kept going with his bulldozing fastball. He held the Reds to one run on five hits, struck out seven, and bought enough time with the Cardinals’ foolproof bullpen for the offense to rally. Nolan Arenado’s solo homer was the Cardinals’ lone run for the first 17 innings against Cincinnati until Paul Goldschmidt’s RBI double in the eighth sent them toward a 2-1 victory at Busch Stadium. Ryan Helsley cemented it for his 44th save.

The win put the Cardinals (73-72) back above .500, where they’ve balanced 16 times this season, and ended a four-game losing streak to the rival Reds.

For the first time since July 30, it started with Lynn.

“I love watching him pitch,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “It’s just – fiery dude. Yells at everything. The way he goes about it ignites a little fire in everybody.”

Through the midpoint of the season, Lynn pitched with soreness and discomfort in his right knee, but by late July it had ballooned with some swelling and pain. He went on the injured list to give it rest and then steadily built his way back up for a return to the rotation. Lynn wanted to be able to throw 85 pitches in a simulated game before moving to a rehab start, and he wanted to reach 85 pitches there. When he threw his 85th pitch of the game Wednesday, he allowed a single that put two runners on for Reds’ switch-hitting start Elly De La Cruz.

The 85-pitch threshold was one the Cardinals wanted to inch past cautiously, so Marmol made his way to the mound to possibly remove Lynn.

The dude who yells at everything did not yell anything.

“You got anything left?” Marmol asked.

“I’ve got plenty left,” Lynn replied.

Marmol was asking for that moment.

But the question and answer hold for a career.

Lynn struck out De La Cruz and got a fly out to end the fifth and complete his start. The strikeout from De La Cruz also completed 2,000 innings pitched for his career. Lynn is the sixth active pitcher to join the list, joining contemporaries Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Johnny Cueto, Charlie Morton, and Clayton Kershaw. The number that describes, in bulk, a long, successful career as a starter, is one Lynn knew he had coming.

“I felt every one of them,” he said.

He was pleased he got to another milestone first.

“Two thousand strikeouts are pretty cool, especially when you do that before the 2,000 innings,” he joked.

And he was happy to have done both as a Cardinal.

That was part of the appeal of coming back.

“When you’re old and you play long enough, you get the luxury of having fun milestones like that,” said Lynn, who returned to the team that drafted him in 2008 on a one-year deal for 2024. “I’ve had a few this year. Obviously, it’s been great to be able to do it in ������Ƶ, where it all started. That was one of the reasons why it was enticing to come back to hit those milestones here. I’m very proud of those – to do them in a Cardinals’ uniform.”

More than 1,000 of those innings came as a Cardinal, and after a career spent slinging fastballs he of course put the finishing touch on inning No. 2,000 with … a curveball. Lynn froze De La Cruz with the breaking ball no one expected for the 6,000th out of his career.

He threw curveballs in the game.

All of them went to De La Cruz.

“Showed him a couple of bad ones in the first, so I could use it later in the game when I needed it,” Lynn said, and then added color to his commentary. “Show him the (crud) that isn’t worth a (crud) in the first and then have something left later.”

To get to the 2,000th inning, he had to first get through the third.

Lynn’s return to the rotation began perfectly until back-to-back singles flared up on him in the third inning. One of the tender hits came on a changeup, and Lynn was so furious with the pitch that he put it in timeout. He would not let it come out and play. Instead, he did what he’s done for 13 seasons and 205 games (183 starts). He chucked fastballs. He shifted the grip on his fastball to sink it a bit. He’ll shift it over and cut it a bit. Or, he gripped it and ripped it and let it rise with the old steam-train, four-seam fastball.

“He hates soft hits,” catcher Pedro Pages said. “That got him going.”

With two runners in scoring position and a scoreless tie in the game, Lynn needed 11 pitches to end the inning. He struck out the two batters at the top of the Reds’ lineup – leadoff hitter Jonathan India and De La Cruz – on six pitches to finish the inning. India saw a mix of sinkers and four-seamers that he couldn’t track. De La Cruz saw only four-seam fastballs.

Three of them.

They ranged from 93.1 mph to 93.7 mph.

He connected on none of them.

“He has three fastballs,” Marmol said. “They all do different things. The four-seam has good ride on it and where it’s coming from is not your average fastball. The sinker-cutter mix – it’s hard to cover all three. You’ve got to protect and at times he can just beat you with the four-seamer. He’s done that for a long time.”

Said Pages: “He didn’t want to give in. Nothing cheap like already giving those two hits. He was mad. That’s why he let some words out there go.”

He still had words left in the fifth. A leadoff walk started the trouble that became turbulence with a stolen base and a single up the middle. Three batters into what would be his final inning, Lynn had runners at the corners, one out, and a manger walking out to the mound to visit him. The question Marmol posed goes for more than the game at hand.

There are 17 games remaining in the season – which could give Lynn two or three more starts, depending on how the Cardinals fit their seven starters into their final weeks. Most of the rotation, from Sonny Gray to Steven Matz, remains under control for the 2025 season. The Cardinals have choices for two veteran starters. Kyle Gibson and Lynn both have options for the 2025 season, and if the Cardinals are looking for the easiest way to start changing the roster or saving money they could walk away from both $12-million salaries.

Lynn being on the IL to finish year would likely make the decision.

Returning to the rotation is just the start of his season-ending push for what’s next that coincides with the Cardinals’ 11th-hour attempt to shock the standings and reach the playoffs. Lynn is trying to answer in September the question asked of him in the fifth inning Wednesday. Anything left? He said it’s important to provide an honest answer.

“When you don’t have anything left, you make sure you tell the truth, and when you have something left you make sure you get the outs,” he said. “It means you trust the old guy.”

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