St. Louis Cardinals: Takeaways From the Opening Series

Apr 2, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (18) pitches to a Chicago Cubs batter during the fifth inning of opening night at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (18) pitches to a Chicago Cubs batter during the fifth inning of opening night at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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St. Louis Cardinals
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Adam Wainwright is on a mission to bounce back from a miserable 2016 season. Lance Lynn is determined to prove he hasn’t missed a beat after sitting out all of last year because of Tommy John surgery. Both made their season debuts for the St. Louis Cardinals in the Opening Series.

Neither finished six innings, and neither recorded the quality start statistic, but Adam Wainwright and Lance Lynn turned in quality starts for the St. Louis Cardinals in games two and three. Wainwright pitched five innings, allowed two runs on three hits, and struck out six. Lynn pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowed two runs on five hits, and struck out four.

Neither surpassed the 100-pitch count, which is something they’ll be expected to do with regularity this season. But most importantly, both gave their team the opportunity to win.

Wainwright wasn’t helped by an offense that mustered only a single unearned run against Chicago starter Jake Arrieta. Lynn exited with a lead in the sixth inning but could only watch from the dugout as it quickly disappeared in the seventh.

The Cardinals’ rotation is a bit of an unknown entering the season. All five pitchers have high ceilings, but the four after Martinez all have something to prove after last year. Mike Leake and Michael Wacha follow Wainwright and Lynn, and both will look to make strong debuts in the footsteps of the top three in the rotation.