St. Louis Cardinals’ starters all ready to face Chicago Cubs in Friday’s series opener – MLB News
The St. Louis Cardinals seem satisfied with the rotation’s recent upsurge, enabling the team to solidify its position in the National League Central. For now, up until the Friday, July 27, game scheduled against the Chicago Cubs, the Cardinals rotation has
an ERA of 2.35.
The Cardinals which looked to be constantly struggling in the first-half of the season has done rather too well post All-Star Game, coming down hard on the rival teams. The starters, in this regard, have played a key role to strengthen the Redbirds’ grip.
They now stand third in the National League ranking when it comes to starters’ ERA which is at 3.49. Friday’s game wherein Joe Kelly will have a start on the mound will be crucial in determining the result of the encounter.
It was this recent surge that the team general manager John Mozeliak had welcomed. In his view, the starters have been doing really well lately.
"Our starters have been great," Mozeliak said last week. "I think clearly it takes a little pressure off, in terms of feeling like we have to do something. If you were to go after a starter, who are you really bouncing out? And how are you improving? That's
why I don't think the urgency is quite there for rotational help as maybe it was, say, three or four weeks ago."
When the Friday’s game kicks off against the Chicago Cubs, which will be the opener of three-game series, the Cardinals will have psychological advantage of sweeping the last series against them only last week.
The Cardinals will look for extending the streak against the Cubs. It will be interesting to see how the Cubs respond which have in the past week been unexpectedly good with their performance. While they may have suffered a series sweep against the Redbirds,
their determination to do something different this time round will surely be a key factor in ascertaining the result of the games.
But as the Cardinals’ bullpen too has settled somewhat, the team will certainly pose insurmountable challenges for the rivals in the days ahead as the season progresses.
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