The St. Louis Cardinals returned to Busch Stadium on Friday night to open a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies, and Jordan Walker was expected back in the starting lineup after nursing knee soreness. Masyn Winn was also set to return at shortstop after a couple of days off, giving St. Louis a chance to reset its offense as the series began.
The matchup arrives with the Rockies at 45-70 and 24 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, after losing seven of their last 10 games. Kyle Leahy was scheduled to start for St. Louis against Ryan Feltner, who won his last outing on August 1 against the Kansas City Royals but allowed eight hits and four earned runs in six innings. The second game, Saturday, August 8, pairs Matthew Liberatore with Kyle Freeland, and Sunday, August 9, sends Michael McGreevy against Michael Lorenzon.
Colorado’s recent form has not been helped by its rotation. Freeland’s last start was a complete game win on August 2 against the Kansas City Royals, when he gave up five hits and one earned run, while Lorenzon was hit hard in a loss to Tampa Bay on August 3, lasting three innings and allowing seven earned runs. The Rockies also bring a lineup built around Hunter Goodman’s 33 home runs and 66 RBIs, TJ Rumfield’s.294 average,.374 on-base percentage and 116 hits, Jake McCarthy’s.293 average and 17 stolen bases, Mickey Moniak’s 19 home runs and 52 RBIs, and Kyle Karros at.268 with a.366 OBP.
St. Louis has been framed as having a home series it can win or even sweep, but that sits beside a harder truth: the Cardinals have had a similar downward spiral since the All-Star break. That is why this series matters now. It is not just a chance to beat a struggling opponent; it is a test of whether the Cardinals can use Busch Stadium, two returning regulars and a manageable schedule to turn a third wild card discussion into something sturdier.
If they do not take advantage of this weekend, the gap between promise and position will only widen before Sunday night closes the series. For Jordan Walker, the return is simple enough. He comes back sore, but with the kind of series that can make a team look different for three days, and maybe longer.
