Three things to look forward to in the Cardinals' weekend series with the 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.