St. Louis Cardinals host Kansas City Royals for a June 5 doubleheader after a rainout. Mikolas & Liberatore face Cameron & Ragans. Can Cards continue twin bill success?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Get ready for a full day of baseball, Cardinals fans! After Wednesday's rainout, our St. Louis Cardinals (33-27) are set to battle the Kansas City Royals (32-29) in a crucial split doubleheader today at Busch Stadium. It's another test of resilience for a team that's already seen its fair share of schedule shuffles this season.
'At this point, you just put your head down and play ball. We're not going to have many days off in June, so you just try to enjoy the grind.' - Oliver Marmol
The action kicks off early with Game 1 at 12:45 PM CT, featuring our veteran Miles Mikolas (4-2, 3.90 ERA) on the mound against Royals rookie Noah Cameron. Then, after a brief intermission, it's back to the diamond for Game 2 at 6:45 PM CT, where Matthew Liberatore (3-4, 3.08 ERA) will toe the rubber against the Royals' Cole Ragans (2-3, 4.53 ERA). This marks the Cardinals' fifth doubleheader of the season already, and they've fared pretty well in these situations, boasting a 5-3 record in previous twin bills. Let's hope that trend continues!
Speaking of doubleheaders, it feels like Mother Nature has had it in for the Cardinals' schedule this year. Manager Oliver Marmol isn't letting it become an excuse, though. His 'put your head down and play ball' mentality is exactly what this team needs as they navigate a jam-packed June. Despite a recent two-game skid and a less-than-stellar 14-18 home record, the Cards are still sitting second in the NL Central, just behind the Cubs. Today's games against their cross-state rivals offer a prime opportunity to gain ground and improve that Busch Stadium magic.
All eyes will be on Matthew Liberatore in the nightcap. The young lefty has been a bright spot, sporting a tidy 3.08 ERA and an impressive 1.06 WHIP over 64.1 innings. His command has been pinpoint, racking up 56 strikeouts while issuing only 9 walks. That kind of control will be crucial against a Royals lineup that, while not world-beating, still ranks 4th in the AL Central with a .248 team batting average. If Libby can keep their bats quiet, it'll go a long way towards a Game 2 victory.
To get those wins, the offense will need to show up big. Thankfully, we've got some guys who are seeing the ball well. Brendan Donovan continues to be a hitting machine, leading the team with a .321 average and absolutely raking when he plays second base (.356 AVG, .392 OBP, .533 SLG). Lars Nootbaar provides the power with a team-leading 8 home runs, and Willson Contreras has been Mr. Clutch, driving in 32 RBIs. With the team averaging 4.7 runs per game, the potential is there for a big offensive day.
It's a marathon, not a sprint, but days like today with two crucial games against a rival can set the tone for the entire month. Let's hope the Birds come out swinging and give the Busch Stadium faithful plenty to cheer about, twice!
