After last night’s disastrous shutout loss to the Giants, the Cardinals come back for Game 2 tonight at 8:45 PM. Jake Woodford is going out for St. Louis, who has been off to a rocky start to the year. Yet to record a quality start on the year, Woodford enters the game with a 1-2 record, recording a 6.05 ERA in the process. Going up against Woodford will be formal Cardinal John Brebbia. So far this year, Brebbia has only been utilized out of the bullpen, making 11 appearances while recording a 5.63 ERA, and striking out 12 in 8 total innings of work.
For the Cardinals’ offense today, some significant changes need to happen to put St. Louis in contention to win this game. One major key in the lineup today will be Willson Contreras, who has been one of the more inconsistent and underwhelming hitters in the lineup. Against Alex Cobb last night, Contreras went 0/4, including a strikeout, to top off a brutal series opener. Hitting behind Goldy, Gorman, and Arenado, it will be key to have a guy who is able to drive them in – and the Cardinals are hoping Contreras can be that guy. With Jordan Walker sitting again for the fourth time in the past seven games, Dylan Carlson will need to pick up some slack in that seven spot tonight. Off to a rocky .205 start to the year with no homers and only 3 RBIs, Carlson will be a major factor in the Cardinals’ ability to score tonight.
Jake Woodford will need to be a significant factor in this win, also. The Giants have a lineup that can kill righties, featuring Michael Conforto, Joc Pederson, and Mike Yastrzemski. So far this year, Jake Woodford is in the bottom 1% of the league in Hard-Hit %, with an abysmal rate of 60.3%. So far, the main issue for Woodford has been his fastball location. Hitters are averaging a 101.1 exit velocity on this pitch, up 17 MPH over last year’s number. Woodford has really only found any sort of comfort in his Sinker and Sweeper this year, and even with his main pitch being his sinker, opponents are still putting up a .297 average against it.
Today’s Lineups
Cardinals
- Nootbaar RF
- Goldschmidt 1B
- Gorman DH
- Arenado 3B
- Contreras C
- Burleson LF
- Carlson CF
- Donovan 2B
- Edman SS
Giants
- Wade Jr. LF
- Conforto RF
- Davis 3B
- Pederson DH
- Yastrzemski CF
- Estrada 2B
- Crawford SS
- Sabol C
- Villar 1B