The Cardinals have announced their roster for their National League Division Series showdown against the Braves, which kicks off in about six hours when Game 1 starter Miles Mikolas squares off against lefty Dallas Keuchel in Atlanta. Here’s their full roster:
Right-handed pitchers
- John Brebbia
- Jack Flaherty (Game 2 starter)
- Giovanny Gallegos
- Ryan Helsley
- Dakota Hudson
- Carlos Martinez
- Miles Mikolas (Game 1 starter)
- Daniel Ponce de Leon
- Adam Wainwright
Left-handed pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Notable absences from the roster include right-handers Michael Wacha and John Gant. Wacha has long been a fixture on the Cardinals’ pitching staff but suffered a mild shoulder strain in his final outing of the season — a performance that could prove to be his final game as a Cardinal. The 28-year-old will become a free agent at season’s end, and his up-and-down season ultimately came to a close with middling end results: a 4.76 ERA, 7.4 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and a 48 percent ground-ball rate in 126 2/3 innings. Wacha was twice demoted to the bullpen but returned to a starting role in each instance. The Cardinals could, of course, explore a reunion this winter, but they have a solid trio in Flaherty, Hudson and Mikolas — to say nothing of Carlos Martinez and perennial wild card Alex Reyes. They’ll also surely consider another deal with Wainwright, if the venerable rotation workhorse wishes to continue playing. Even if the Cards do seek a starter this winter, they may prefer more stability than Wacha can offer.
As for Gant, he opened the season as perhaps the Cardinals’ most reliable reliever, but his 2019 campaign took a sharp turn for the worst in late June. The 27-year-old, acquired in the 2016 swap that sent Jaime Garcia to the very organization the Cardinals will face in this series, carried a sub-2.00 ERA past the midpoint of June. He was torched for four runs in a third of an inning on June 23, however, and seemingly never regained his form. Gant allowed runs in 14 of his final 30 appearances this season, pitching to a 7.11 ERA the rest of the way. He pitched a total of 41 innings through the Cardinals’ first 74 games but logged just 25 1/3 frames from that point forth despite never landing on the IL or being optioned to the minors.
It’s also of note that the 24-year-old Arozarena has cracked the postseason roster. A fairly high-profile signing out of Cuba a few years back, Arozarena split the majority of the season between Double-A and Triple-A, where he posted huge numbers at both levels. He appeared in only 19 games in the Majors as a September call-up, though, and totaled a mere 23 plate appearances in that time. The Cards could’ve opted to bring Tyler O’Neill along to provide some pop off the bench, but they’ll instead opt for Arozarena’s superior speed and defensive versatility, as he’s capable of playing all three outfield spots.
As for the rest of the Cardinals’ rotation beyond Mikolas in Game 1 and Flaherty in Game 2, it’s a bit up in the air. Manager Mike Shildt indicated that Hudson is tentatively in line to start Game 3 but will also be available in relief in Games 1 and 2. If he does come out of the bullpen, Wainwright would get the nod in Game 3 with Hudson potentially starting the fourth game depending on when and how he is used (link via Anne Rogers of MLB.com).
The padres have been to the playoffs in 1984, 1996, 1998, 2005 and 2006.
3 of the 5 times they matched up against the cardinals in 96, 05 and 06 and lost in the division series. The other two times they went all the way to the World Series. I truly enjoy watching the cardinals lose almost as much as I like watching the doyuers lose.
it must have been tough watching the birds win all those championships.
easy to tear down others when your team can’t even make the playoffs.
it’s much more fun to be in the big dance and laugh at you haters.
All those championships? They’ve won 2 in the last 30 plus years. And Cards fans wonder why other fans find them pompous, arrogant and entitled?
2 titles, 4 pennants, 7 LCS, 12 post season appearances since 2000. Unless you’re a Yankees fan, we’re more successful than your team however you slice it.
The first # is all that matters.
In which case, the Cardinals are still more successful than anyone other than the Red Sox or Giants this century. (2000 was technically the last year of the 20th Century, so the Yankees have only won once in the 21st).
Who IS your team? Let us know so we can dog on you.
Derpy Cubs fan (CF) troll probably, given the copious amount of sour grapes he/she is exhibiting. Numbers don’t lie, whether they be lifetime or over virtually and period. I mean the Cubs window likely closed this year and they bet on the wrong horses. Nobody is trading much of anything for Schwarber. Almora, Happ, etc are average at best. Theo has drafted like a billion pitchers and still doesn’t have a home grown one on the 25 man as of 2019. That’s remarkably bad. Lucky you guys capitalized on all those big FA pitcher contracts by winning multiple pennants and WS rings!
Can you imagine this roster under Matheny? There’s no way in the world that Gant would have been left off, regardless of how awful he’s been in the second half. Likely the same for O’Neill and Arozarena.
I could see Mike pressuring the front office to include Wacha…
He would have Randy Choate on the phone as we speak.
You’re wrong. Even under Matheny, the Cardinals have prioritized hot rookies over under-performing more established players on their playoff rosters, such as when Wacha and Wong made the 2013 playoff roster as unproven rookies.
Some blind-squirrel type Cards fan (they exist) was talking a couple of weeks ago about how “Gant won all these games in a row.” Idiots who still don’t get sabermetrics, even the 101 version.
Excited to see my Cards in the postseason. Let’s go Cardinals.
Arozarena is a good inclusion for his value as a pinch runner/defensive replacement for Martinez late in the game.
Martinez is going to be relegated to the bench. He shouldn’t be starting any game.
…unless it’s as a DH in the World Series,but then he wouldn’t need a late-inning defensive replacement anyway.
It’s an “interesting gamble” in my book. With Inciarte unavailable, Atlanta doesn’t have that outfield flexibility at all.
I actually like the roster build. I was afraid both Gant and O’Neill would be on it, but intelligence prevailed. I sure hope Hudson isn’t needed in relief and makes the game 3 start, though.
im sorry, but second half stats or not, how are you including Bader over O’Neill and Cabrera over Gant?
What? O’Neill over Bader? Are you high?
okay, forgive me for thinking the one that can actually hit may be the better choice.
Which would be valid if O’Neill could actually hit.
O’Neill’s last 57 PA: .157/.246/.176.
Neither of them can hit, but Bader can twirl his bat. He won the tiebreaker.
Bader since returning from AAA: .222/.322/.413 for a .735 OPS and a 96 wRC+
Still not that good, but his defense and speed make up for it.
Bader’s defense is vastly over rated.
Wrong
Wrong
13 defensive runs saved. Dude, who IS “your team” so we can kick you in the nads?
Wrong.
My guess is CFAP aka PlotThickens aka NickStevens maybe aka Cardinals17 is a Cardinals fan who hates Mozeliak and Jon Jay.
Maybe I’m the Lone Ranger? Or Batman? I could even be Mayhem from Allstate? Got any more guesses?
Gant shoulder strain. Another in the long list of ruined relief pitchers in today’s game. If I was a pitcher, I would hate to be relegated to bullpen duty. Especially with this club.
Gant pitched 163 innings combined between the Majors and AAA last year, mostly as a starter. Naturally, this season he was often pitching multiple innings early in the season as a hybrid long reliever / setup man, then his workload was deservedly reduced in the second half for a total of 66.1 IP. How can you say he was overused?
CFAP thinks he knows everything…when in fact he does not
39 games Gant was used in the 1st half. Once they realized he was toast, they cut him back to 25 in the 2nd half. How do I know he was overused? Unlike Cards81 assessment of me, I KNOW THE GAME AND WATCH IT. A 2nd half ERA of 6.65 told me he was not right. A WHIP of 2.03 with 21 K to 19 BB told me that too. His location was bad. He was hurt. I’m not a genius, but I can see what is real.
Then you should know that Bader’s defense isn’t overrated.
Sabremetric defensive formula is extremely flawed. So he’s fast. That doesn’t mean he runs good routes to the ball or gets good jumps on the ball etc. It simply means he can cover his mistakes better than most. He likes to be dramatic and dive all over the field. That hot doggedness does nothing for me. He’s slightly above average on the eye test.
Just because Gant’s performance declined doesn’t necessarily mean he was overused or hurt. There are plenty of possible explanations. Meanwhile, his inning totals clearly indicate he was not overused.
Sure, Bader is no Jim Edmonds when it comes to routes or jumps, but like you said his speed and glove more than make up for it. When you combine the two factors, Bader still makes better plays (the routine or spectacular) than any other CF in the game right now, so he’s still a deserving Gold Glove CF despite his issues.
Now if he also learns to become elite with his routes and jumps, he might be the next coming of Willie Mays (defensively speaking)!
Lol, slightly above average based on the eye test. You kill me man. He was second to only Byron Buxton in out percentage on five star catches. As in, all of the catches with extremely low catch probability. A slightly above average centerfielder doesn’t make those plays, this is just straight-up denial.
There’s no other possible explanations when watching a pitcher decline mid season like Gant did. None. He’s either worn out or hurt. Or he got busted at an east side strip club and is worried the media will find out. Then those horrible media hounds like Bernie Miklasz, Derrick Goold and Randy Karraker will really tear him apart. Not.
If you look at the full season stats, then no Bader wouldn’t deserve it, but he has hit much better since his found his stroke during his demotion to AAA.
Steve, you are doomed.
It won’t matter that much. With the days off Flaherty should be in line for a game seven. Of course there may not be a game seven, so then only one start by the Red Bird ace will hurt.
there will definitely not be a game seven
Well maybe the Red Birds can close it out at home, but most likely it will take 2 great starts from Flaherty to put St. Louis over the top.
2 and 5. 5 is in Atlanta, if needed.
So is 2. Your point?
It’s a 5 game series. Flaherty in games 2 and 5.
Flaherty would be pitching on short rest in Game 5. The Cardinals may not want to risk that, plus it would allow him to start Game 1 of the NLCS if the Cardinals get there.
Game 2 is Friday. Game 5 is Wednesday. 5 days and 4 days rest. If it goes 5 you don’t save him for the next round.
Yeah mybad on the 7, I knew that as you can tell from the rest of the comment, but Flaherty would not be pitching on short rest due to the 2 days off.
Glad to see you were a good sport about it. Had to poke fun.
Oh, you’re right. Never mind.
Nope, really couldn’t tell … seemed like you were clueless there
There is absolutely NOT going to be a game 7…it is only a 5 game series! Flaherty is setup to pitch 2 and 5 if there is a game 5.
Did the 5 game series go over your head? Or is this new math you learned somewhere us Earthlings don’t know?
Braves in 4
Braves in 9
Cardinals in 7 with Flaherty winning game 7!
I think Cardinals in 4 if Mikolas wins today.. Ita sets the table for Flahrity to do what he does tomorrow and the 2 chances at home
If Mike Matheney was Manager…..I have no doubt he’d start Matt Carpenter and have him bat leadoff
But he isn’t manager anymore so you can move on.
If Matheny was still manager they would be playing golf today.
St Louis Cardinals are my pick to win the World Series. #Scoutseyes