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Three things to look forward to in the Cardinals' weekend series with the Reds
The Cardinals are looking to continue their better play of late against the playoff-hopeful Reds
The Cardinals couldn't pull off a sweep against the Braves. They made it interesting in the ninth, coming to within 8-5 and even bringing the tying run to the plate. However, it was not to be, and the Cardinals couldn't overcome a rocky start by Adam Wainwright, who was pitching his final game in his home state of Georgia.
Now, it's time for the team to shift their focus to this weekend. Next, the Cardinals head to Cincinnati for a three-game set with the Reds. These two teams have essentially switched places. The Reds are now the team that is vying for a spot in the postseason, while the Cardinals are in the cellar of the NL Central, at risk of finishing in last place for the first time since 1990.
The 2023 season went south for the Cardinals very quickly, as they started off 10-24 and never recovered from it. Now, here they are in last place in the NL Central and with the second-worst record in the National League at 61-79.
Meanwhile, the Reds are one of baseball's biggest surprises. With stars such as Spencer Steer, Matt McLain, and Elly De La Cruz, they have emerged as a serious threat in the NL Central.
But even with the Cardinals out of contention, this should be a fun series this weekend between two divisional foes, one fighting for a playoff spot and the other looking to play the role of spoiler.
In this piece, we will discuss three things to look forward to as the Cardinals open up this series with the Reds.
Let The Kids Play
As we often hear these days in baseball, it's time to let the kids play.
And so it is. The Cardinals will be sending two of their young starters to the hill in each of the first two games of this series. Tonight, they'll start lefty Drew Rom, who is a native of Kentucky and grew up not too far from Cincinnati. It'll be a homecoming of sorts for Rom.
Rom looked terrible in his first start against the Pirates but bounced back against the Phillies. He also faced the Pirates last weekend and gave up three runs in 4.2 innings. While he wasn't sharp, he didn't implode.
And so, Rom will get a chance to start in Cincinnati tonight and prove his worth against the Reds. It'll be a tall task for sure, but he should be up to the challenge.
Tomorrow, St. Louis will send Zack Thompson to the hill. Thompson is coming off one of the best performances of his career. On Sunday, he faced the Pirates and allowed three runs over seven strong innings. He also recorded six strikeouts.
This is certainly an encouraging sign, and he'll come into Saturday's start with a little extra momentum as he looks to help the Cardinals keep up their improved play.
Jordan Walker's Hitting
Jordan Walker has truly been a revelation at the plate since the month of August. The 21-year-old slugger and outfielder is hitting .370 in his last 15 games with four home runs and 10 RBI and is also slugging .685 in that span.
His average is up to .275 on the year, and he's just five homers away from reaching 20 for the season. Great American Ballpark is a hitter's haven, and it should be interesting to see how playing in Cincinnati for the first time helps Walker as he looks to continue his hot streak.
Playing Spoiler
When a team is out of contention and not playing for a spot in the postseason, that doesn't mean that there aren't still things to look forward to.
The Cardinals played the role of spoiler for a couple of nights in Atlanta, and now have the chance to do the same thing in Cincinnati. Around this time last year, the Reds played a little spoiler against the Cardinals when they came into St. Louis and took two games during a weekend series.
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Now, the Cardinals have a chance to repay the favor, this time in Cincinnati. The Reds are a solid young team without much postseason experience. And while the Cardinals are out of it, they could potentially still impact the playoff race if they win the series at Great American Ballpark.