The St. Louis Cardinals remain in the mix for a National League wild-card berth, sitting at 72-72 and four games out of the final playoff spot after taking two of three from the Colorado Rockies over the weekend.
Their next test comes immediately, as they stay on the West Coast to open a series against the San Francisco Giants.
Manager Oli Marmol made one notable adjustment to the batting order before Monday’s game, sliding rookie outfielder Joshua Báez down one spot, via Underdog MLB.
Báez, who had hit sixth on Sunday, will bat seventh and patrol left field against Giants ace Logan Webb.
The rest of the top of the order stays intact, with Brendan Donovan Torres at second, Iván Herrera behind the plate, Alec Burleson at first, and Jordan Walker in right. Leonardo Bernal occupies the designated-hitter slot, followed by Nolan Gorman at third. Thomas Saggese starts at shortstop and Nathan Church covers center. Michael McGreevy gets the ball on the mound.
The move of Gorman into the sixth spot appears tied directly to the matchup with Webb, a right-hander who has given the Cardinals trouble in the past.
Báez’s modest drop in the order is the only other change from the previous day’s lineup. It is a small shift on paper, yet it reflects how Marmol is still experimenting with a young player who has shown both flash and inconsistency since arriving in the majors.
Báez made his debut last month and immediately announced himself with a memorable performance against the Chicago Cubs. The early power display created excitement in St. Louis, but the inevitable cooling-off period followed.
Even so, the 22-year-old has produced seven home runs, four doubles, and 16 RBI in just 73 at-bats. Those numbers keep him in the everyday conversation as the Cardinals try to squeeze every last win out of September.
Whether the lineup tweak helps Báez find a more comfortable rhythm or simply represents another attempt to maximize production against a tough starter remains to be seen. What is clear is that the Cardinals cannot afford many wasted opportunities.
A .500 record with four weeks left is not where most expected them to be, yet it still leaves a narrow path to October. Báez, still learning the league, could be part of that path if his bat stays in the conversation and his defense holds up in left.
Monday’s game against Webb will offer another data point. For a club that has spent much of the season searching for consistency, even a one-spot change in the order can feel like a statement of intent.
The Cardinals will need more than small adjustments if they hope to close the gap, but they will start by seeing whether Báez can contribute from the seventh hole.
