The St. Louis Cardinals are a different team when the ball leaves the yard. They have gone 28-11 in games where they hit two or more home runs this season. But look at the last ten games and the power has vanished. The team has scored just four runs above their opponents in that stretch while hitting only one run below their average.
This gap between their best power days and their current slump defines the season. The Giants visit Busch Stadium on Monday to start a three-game series. According to FOX Sports, the Cardinals enter with a 74-76 record overall and sit fourth in the NL Central. They have a 36-39 mark at home, which is barely above .500.
The Pitching Matchup
Landen Roupp starts for San Francisco with a 4.00 ERA and 139 strikeouts. He has a 9-13 record that shows he can eat innings but struggles to keep runs off the board. Quinn Mathews takes the mound for St. Louis with a 4.11 ERA and only 28 strikeouts in limited action. The line sets the Cardinals as -139 favorites, while the over/under sits at eight runs.
The betting numbers suggest a low-scoring affair where neither pitcher dominates. Roupp allows a 1.28 WHIP, meaning he puts runners on base often. Mathews has a 1.50 WHIP, which is even worse and shows he gives up a lot of contact. Both starters have been hit hard by opposing lineups that know how to wait for a mistake.
Power Numbers Tell The Truth
Jordan Walker leads the Cardinals with 33 doubles and 28 home runs. He has driven in 100 runs while hitting .281 for the season. His numbers prove he is the engine of the offense, but the team needs more help from the rest of the lineup. In his last ten games, Nathan Church has been hot, hitting 13 for 34 with three doubles.
The Giants have their own issues with consistency. Drew Gilbert has 14 doubles and nine home runs, but the team as a whole ranks sixth in the NL with a .407 slugging percentage. They have a 26-49 record on the road, which is a terrible mark for a team trying to climb the standings. Rafael Devers was hitting well with a 13 for 38 run over the last ten games, but he is now on the 60-Day IL with an abdominal injury.
Injury Woes Stack Up
The injury list for both teams is longer than the starting lineup. The Cardinals have six players on the injured list, including JJ Wetherholt with a wrist injury and Peter Strzelecki with a forearm issue. Max Rajcic is out for the season with an elbow problem on the 60-Day IL.
The Giants have a much deeper injury roster with over twenty players sidelined. Matt Chapman and Willy Adames are both on the 60-Day IL with leg and elbow problems respectively. Harrison Bader is out with plantar fasciitis, and Casey Schmitt is dealing with a leg injury. These absences have forced both clubs to call up minor leaguers who are still learning the ropes of the major leagues.
The series starts Monday at 7:45 p.m. EDT. The Cardinals need to find their power stroke again if they want to beat a Giants team that ranks high in slugging. Without the long ball, they are just another team fighting for a playoff spot with a .500 home record.
