St. Louis Cardinals’ Edward Mujica praised for his instrumental role in bullpen – NLCS News
St. Louis Cardinals' manager Mike Matheny on Monday, October 15, lauded reliever Edward Mujica for his impressive performance in the bullpen as he added to the team’s strength as National League Championship Series progresses. Mujica has come to be an essential and strong part of the bullpen ever since his acquisition.
He was acquired on July 31 from the Miami Marlins for Minor League infielder Zack Cox, a decision that did not probably attract much attention. But as the season progressed, Mujica grabbed the camera's eye and critical reviews by the game pundits.
He had 18 straight scoreless appearances since his induction, making the Cardinals’ bullpen one of the strongest in the National League Central. His arrival actually brought massive changes in the Cardinals, helping them stage a comeback in the second half of the season after the first half remained lacklustre.
With Mujica around, it has also helped ease the pressure from the rotation.
"He is someone who we identified as the right fit, not only from a statistical sense, but also on who he was as a person and the teammate he was," General Manager John Mozeliak said before the Cardinals took on the San Francisco Giants in Game 2 of the NLCS.
He added, "After I made that trade, I remember I got a couple of texts from other GMs, and they said, 'Great guy.' That was really the key for us, because it was such a seamless transition for him into the seventh-inning role, and he really dominated at it."
The Cardinals won Game 1 of the NLCS 6-4. Mujica had an important role to play in the win as he pitched confidently as the reliever. For him, the confidence that manager Matheny has reposed in him keeps him going.
Mujica said, "He told me what was going to be [the role] for me. And I tried to put my mind in that situation.”
In the remainder of the games in the playoffs, it has to be seen how Mujica maintains the quality performance that he has exhibited throughout the regular season, especially after his arrival in the St. Louis Cardinals.
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