
The St. Louis Cardinals’ struggles with left-handed pitching this season have led to the return of a well-known face that has paid off shortly.
The Cardinals reacquired Tommy Pham from the Chicago White Sox in a three-team commerce on Monday that additionally included the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Pham hit a grand slam in a vital sport on Tuesday to assist his crew beat the visiting Texas Rangers 8-1.
“Man, what a cool second,” Cardinals head coach Oliver Marmore stated. “For him to be again in his hometown for the primary time doing what he’s doing at present, it’s particular.”
Van, who started his profession with the Cardinals for 5 seasons, ought to be within the lineup Wednesday afternoon when the Cardinals face left-hander Andrew Heaney (4-10, 3.77 ERA). The winner will clinch the three-game sequence after the Rangers took Monday’s opener 6-3.
“We have got a right-handed bat that works, man,” Marmore stated. “Yeah, welcome again, Tommy.”
Heaney is coming off its hardest begin since April. He allowed 4 runs on seven hits in 5 innings within the Rangers’ 6-5 loss to Toronto on Friday.
He’s 0-1 with an 11.05 ERA in two profession begins in opposition to the Cardinals.
Now that the Rangers offense is sort of at full energy, head coach Bruce Bochy can attempt some totally different batting orders.
He watched Josh Smith take the lead, Marcus Semien transfer from first to 3rd, and Josh Jung return from 60 days after recovering from a wrist harm. Ranked seventh since coming back from the injured listing.
“We’re simply tweaking it just a little bit right here,” Boch stated. “With Josh Jung again, you are going to see some totally different lineups. So we wish to take a look at it on this sequence and even additional out.
“I simply hope any form of change can hold the offense constant. It takes all people. We will not depend on one or two guys. Somebody has to do one thing all through the sequence that may assist win video games.”
Marmore is spreading out the beginning lineup now that the Cardinals have performed a full 16 days in a row. He used seven totally different pitchers in seven video games earlier than and after the commerce deadline.
Rookie Michael McGreevey will make his main league debut on Wednesday, pushing again Sonny Grey for Thursday’s opener in Chicago’s four-game sequence in opposition to the Cubs. Eric Feder, additionally from the White Sox, will make his Cardinals debut on Friday.
Grey, who had a 6.75 ERA in 4 begins in July, received further relaxation final Friday in opposition to the Washington Nationals after permitting 5 runs on seven hits and three runs in 5 innings. .
McGreevey, the 18th general decide in 2021, began 20 video games with Triple-A Memphis this season, going 5-7 with a 4.45 ERA. In his final three begins, McGreevey allowed 5 runs in 17 1/3 innings, and he pitched six scoreless innings in his ultimate outing. He’s ranked because the No. 15 prospect out of St. Louis by MLB Pipeline.
The Rangers made a transfer on the commerce deadline to bolster their bullpen on Tuesday by buying rookie left-hander Andrew Chafin from the Detroit Tigers.
The Cardinals additionally made a last-minute transfer, sending outfielder Dylan Carlson to the Tampa Bay Rays for reliever Sean Armstrong.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado ought to be again within the Cardinals’ beginning lineup Wednesday after resting Tuesday.
–Scene-level media