May
Steven Matz (1-2, 6.18 ERA) pitched in pain in his April 30 loss to the Detroit Tigers, was placed on the 15-day IL on May 3, backdated to May 1 with a strained lower back. Kyle Leahy was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. Matz underwent an MRI on his back on May 2, an off-day for the team. [62]
May 3 begins a six-game homestand, with the first series against the MLB-worst team, Chicago White Sox (6-25, .194; 89 Runs, 173 Runs Against, -84 diff.), only 5-12 at Home, 1-13 Away; 3-25 against .500+ teams) in the AL Central Division. Both teams have the fewest runs in their respective league (109 StL, 89 Chicago), and the second-lowest batting average, StL .221 (.300/.339 .639 OPS) to Cincinnati .217, and Chicago .212 (.276/.326 .602 OPS) to Oakland .207. The Cardinals have 21 homers, last in baseball, while the White Sox rank one better at 22. Sonny Gray (3-1, 1.16 ERA) opens the series, while the White Sox throw Brad Keller, 28 (0-0, 0.00) who signed a minor-league deal in the off-season. Former Cardinals on the White Sox roster are: pitchers John Brebbia and Dominic Leone, shortstop Paul DeJong and outfielder Tommy Pham. [63]
Sonny Gray (4-1, 0.89 ERA) won his fourth game, 3-0, against the White Sox on May 3, with his seven innings of three-hit, one-walk, six-strikeouts pitching. His 0.89 ERA made him the first Cardinals player with 3-plus wins, 30 or more innings pitched, and a sub-1.00 ERA in his first five starts of the season since Al Jackson in 1966. Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson have combined for a 7-3 record and a 2.55 ERA over 99 innings pitched in 2024. [64]
The team lost the final two games and the series to the White Sox, the worst team in MLB (8-26, .235; 100 R, 182 RA, -82) after 5-6 (10 inn.), and 1-5 losses on May 4-5, dropping their last-place record to 15-19, .441; 118 R, 150 RA, -32), 5.5 games behind the division-leading Brewers (20-13, .606). Cardinals, have dropped back-to-back series, and also fell to 1-10 in series finales and 0-6 on Sundays, when RH-reliever Giovanny Gallegos could not record an out in his second straight appearance. [65]
In good news, Dylan Carlson (CF) was activated for Sunday's May 6 game, playing for the first time, missing the first 33 games from his left shoulder sprain on March 25 in Spring Training. Pedro Pagés was optioned to AAA-Memphis. OF/SS Tommy Edman was transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list to make room for RH-reliever Chris Roycroft selected from AAA-Memphis, and RH-reliever Giovanny Gallegos was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. [66]
In another unfortunate string of injuries to key players, the currently best hitter on the team, Willson Contreras (.280/.398/.551; .950 OPS/171 OPS+, 6 HR, 12 RBI) was severely injured from a bat swing by J.D. Martinez (Mets) that fractured his left forearm on May 7. Iván Herrera replaced him in the game, and as the regular catcher. An MRI revealed the fracture, and was placed on the IL on May 8. It is estimated he will miss six-to-eight weeks, with him out until he targeted around the time of the July 16 All-Star Game. Pedro Pagés was recalled to be the backup catcher. [67]
Before the game on May 11, Matt Carpenter (DH) was activated after missing 34 games from his right oblique strain. José Fermín was optioned to make room for Carpenter. [68]
The Cardinals seven-game losing streak (May 4-11; 20 R, 45 RA) at 15-24 (.395) and in last place in the NL Central, nine games behind the Brewers, ended on May 12, at Miwaukee, 4-3, highlighted by the slumping Paul Goldschmidt (27-for-142, 3 Doubles, 2 HR, 11 RBIs 16 W, 51 SO; .190/.277/.254, .530 OPS and 55 OPS+) who smashed only his third HR (a solo, fifth inning), his first since April 22 in Arizona to make the score 2-3, and then the game-tying hit in the sixth, his first time getting two hits in a game in May previously. He got one hit in the ninth in the previous game that broke his longest slump of his career, 0-for-32 in their third loss in the four-game set against the Brewers, salvaging the finale on Sunday, now eight games out of the division lead, at 16-24 (.400). Ryan Helsley picked up his 12th save in 13 opportunities with a perfect ninth inning after starter Miles Mikolas (3-5) gave up all three runs he allowed in the first inning. He yielded six hits and three walks in six innings. [69]
On May 13, a season-high eight-runs in one inning (seventh), after trailing 0-4 featured 14 batters, seven hits (four two-strike hits), three walks, and one hit-by-pitch to earn the Cardinals a come-from-behind 10-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels (before gm, 15-26 .366; 170 R, 207 RA; 5-14 Home, 10-12 Road) at Angel Stadium. Cardinals are now 17-24, .415; (146 R, 192 RA; 6-11 Home, 11-13 Road). The two-game win streak was the first consecutive wins since April 26-27 (games 26-27), and the most runs the Cardinals have scored in an inning since May 15, 2023 (10 runs). Nolan Arenado hit a solo HR to start the seventh rally. Paul Goldschmidt was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, giving the Cardinals the lead (5-4) they would hold for the eventual win. For a second consecutive game, the Cardinals erased a deficit of three runs or more. Coupled with the two-game loss streak by the Milwaukee Brewers (24-17, .585; 209 R, 176 RA; 10-9 Home, 14-8 Away), pushed the Redbirds another game closer to the lead, now seven games behind the Brewers, but still in fifth (last) place in the NL Central, at the one-quarter mark of the season's games played (41 of 162). [70]
The Cardinals win on May 14, their third consecutive, gave them the series win against the Angels, and highlighted by their backup catcher--who started the season as a third catcher, Pedro Pagés' first MLB hit. He was previously optioned on May 5, but recalled to be the backup to Iván Herrera after Willson Contreras' injury on May 7. In a key at-bat with the bases full in the third inning with the team leading 2-0, his double after two outs and two strikes on him, he drove in all three runners for a 5-0 lead, in a tight 7-6 win at Angel Stadium. Sonny Gray (5-2, 3.05 ERA, 1.06 WHIP) started the game with a 2.29 ERA but gave up five runs all earned, eight hits including a three-run HR in the fourth, two walks, and striking out nine in six innings, but got his fifth win after Alec Burleson's two-run HR in the top of the seventh broke a 5-5 tie. The three consecutive wins was only the second time this season (Apr. 24, vs. Diamondbacks, 26-27 vs. NY Mets) the struggling Redbirds was able to accomplish as many as three straight wins. [71]
"Harry Caray (top) and Jack Buck clown around in a classic photo taken by the Post-Dispatch's J.B. Forbes photo in 1982, that Chip Caray (top) and Joe Buck have reenacted." --caption on photo
"Holy cow! That's a winner!" The grandson of Cardinals' (1945-1969) broadcaster Harry Caray (25 years), and the son of Cardinals' (1954-1959, 1961-2001) broadcaster Jack Buck (47 years) will unite in the Bally Sports Midwest television broadcast booth on May 24. Chip Caray and Joe Buck will broadcast the game for the one special Friday night. Chip is BSM's lead Cards broadcaster and Buck got his sportscasting start by broadcasting the Birds in 1991, before going on to immense national success. “I think it will be a blast,” Buck said. Caray said, "Any time you have a chance to spend time with a guy like Joe it’s great, our families are so intertwined in the history of the Cardinals." The Cards are off the day before the Buck-Caray game, then their next two contests are to be shown exclusively by national networks, Fox and then ESPN. BSM general manager Jack Donovan said, adding that Harry and Jack still are regarded two of "the best play-by-play announcers of all time. ... The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Buck and Caray will be working without a former player in the booth, just as their family predecessors did when they were together — albeit on radio, not TV. And just like in the old days, Caray will be the lead singer. Donovan said the plan is for them to take turns doing play-by-play, but no details have been set. Both announcers say the primary focus will be on the field, not the broadcast booth, although there will be no reporter working that night. "The game comes first," Caray said. "This will not be about Chip or Joe. But I’m sure we’ll be talking about his father and my grandfather." Both had humorous responses when asked about being paired now. "He went on to superstardom, I’m just calling local baseball," Caray quipped. "We'll fumble our way through," Buck joked. It has been 55 years since Harry Caray and Jack Buck last formed one of the most legendary local baseball broadcast teams in history, broken up when Caray was fired after the 1969 season following a 15-year partnership across two stints that began in the 1954 season. But it worked out tremendously for both. Caray eventually attained immense regional and national success broadcasting the Chicago Cubs, especially on television in the 1980s, and his departure vaulted Buck to the No. 1 role in the Cardinals' radio booth. Caray (1998) and Buck (2002), who both died more than two decades ago, ended up in the broadcaster's portion of baseball's Hall of Fame. Many fans will certainly will be drawn to modern nostalgia, which sets up as a highlight telecast in what despite a recent uptick so far has been another bleak Cardinals season. [72]
LH-reliever Matthew Liberatore, 24, tried to be an effective (fifth) starter, but in his three starts in 10 innings, he posted a record of 1-2, 8.10 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, with opposing batters hitting .341 against him, after Steven Matz went on the injured list on May 1. This third start was in a series-ending 3-11 loss on Sunday May 19, with the Cardinals (20-26) now 0-6 in potential series-sweeping games this season, entered the day having won five of six games and a chance to sweep a series for the first time this season, which they failed to do. Liberatore threw a season-high 70 pitches and pitched only into the fourth inning (recording no outs in the fourth), allowing four runs, six hits, a home run to ex-Cardinal Tyler O'Neill, one walk, and three strikeouts in three innings. As a reliever, Liberatore has posted a 3.78 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and opposing hitters have batted .232 against him, with an OPS of just .650. Manager Oliver Marmol said the Cardinals do need to reassess their options for a fifth starter. [73]
On May 20, RH-reliever Ryan Loutos, 25, was selected to the 40-man roster, and promoted from AAA-Memphis. His first appearance will make him the first Washington University graduate to play in the majors since former Cardinals' general manager and infielder Dal Maxvill last played in 1975, for the Oakland Athletics. In four seasons in the farm system, he has a 5.04 ERA with 200 strikeouts in 175 innings, pitching in 121 games. At AAA-Memphis to begin the 2024 minor league season, he posted a 1.72 ERA and struck out 18 batters in 15⅔ innings of relief. He entered the team’s system as an undrafted free agent in July 2021, and had forgone a software engineering job with Morningstar, Inc., a financial services company. Chris Roycroft was optioned to Class AAA following the Sunday May 19 series end. First baseman/outfielder Alfonso Rivas III was DFA'd to clear a 40-man roster spot [74]
CF Michael Siani's first career HR (as the No. 9 hitter in the lineup), a three-run blast in the fourth inning earned him more RBIs with that single swing than he had previously (2) in his big league career (now 6). That decisive HR in pushing the 2-0 lead to 5-0, gave the fourth-place Cardinals (after win 21-26, .447; six games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee, 27-20 .574) the cushion to win a 6-3 decision over the visiting Baltimore Orioles that had a (29-15 .659, R 221, RA 163 +58 record; second in the NL East, two games behind the Yankees). It was 80 years after they were the Cardinals' opponents in the "Streetcar World Series", and 70 years after they left St. Louis as the old St. Louis Browns following the Browns' 1953 season, to become the new Orioles. Sonny Gray (6-2, 2.87) won after 5.2 innings with a no-hitter into that inning, and 88 pitches (31 in the sixth), giving up his own three-run HR (1 earned run), after SS Masyn Winn gave up an uncharacteristic two consecutive errors, one going back for a shallow left-center flyball that dropped between him and the two OF'ers, and the other from a grounder off his glove. The subsequent HR cut the lead from 5-0 to 5-3, before the Redbirds added a seventh-inning insurance run by Masyn Winn's infield hit. Ryan Helsley saved his 14th game. [75]
For only the third time all season (49 games), the Cardinals (23-26, .469; R 189 RA 232, -43) enjoyed a three-game winning streak, and their first three-game sweep of one opponent, on May 20-22, against the visiting, high-powered Baltimore Orioles. The Baltimore birds arrived 29-15 (.659), and left at 29-18 (.617), R 229, RS 177 +52, outscored 14-8 by the St. Louis birds team. The second-and-third games were marred by rain delays, that made the middle game (May 21) suspended overnight after a 1:31 rain delay in a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning, until finished in the Wed. May 22 11:15am start time, that ended with a 3-1 win. The third game starting at 12:46pm, lasted 3 hours, 57 min. including a 1:25 rain delay (2:32 game length time), with a satisfying come-from-behind 0-3 deficit win, 5-4 for the first sweep by the Redbirds this season, and the first time the Orioles had their streak of 106 consecutive regular-season series of two or more games without being swept since May 2022, swept away. The highlight was the "Little League" HR by Brendan Donovan in a three-run sixth inning from his double, that drove-in the tying runs, and then advanced to third on the throw from the outfield, then came all the way around to score on their catcher's throwing error trying to nab him at third base. That gave the Cardinals a 4-3 lead, with a critical insurance run the next inning in a previous double that extended his hit streak to 13 games, from Masyn Winn's second HR of the season, a line shot down-the-LF-line, making it 5-3, before the first save in his career by Ryan Fernandez who gave up their fourth run in the ninth. The win pushed the team along with the Brewers' loss (28-21, .571) to only five games behind, and into third-place ahead of the Pirates (23-27 .460), after their late-night loss. After their same-day and next day's (May 23rd) loss, now only three games behind the second-place Chicago Cubs (27-24 .529; R 218, RA 219, -1) who the team's next series opponent at Busch Stadium, May 24-26. The latter two games (Sat-Sun) to be nationally televised at 6pm CDT on Fox, and ESPN, respectively. The 106 regular-season series streak the Orioles started after their May 15, 2022 (738 days ago) series-sweep losses at Detroit is now the third-longest in history, trailed only by the second-best 115 sweep-less regular-season series of two-plus decisions by the 1906-1909 Chicago Cubs, and the still-record 124 straight regular-season series of two-plus decisions without a sweep by Stan Musial and the St. Louis Swifties-era 1942-1944 St. Louis Cardinals. [76] [77]
The eagerly-awaited broadcast combo of Chip Caray with the return of Joe Buck on May 24th was a washout because of rain that made the game a postponement about an hour-and-a-half after the scheduled start time, until its reschedule on July 13. But the way Bally Sports Midwest’s telecast filled the bulk of that time was a disappointment for many tuning in not only for Buck’s homecoming to his career roots but to hear him work with BSM lead Caray. They did reminisce on the pregame show, but it was abruptly ended with a series of commercials, and then viewers were switched to typical rain-delay canned filler programming--all non-Cardinals related. Buck last did a local Cards telecast in 2007 before turning to his now-elite national sportscasting career. In the time the two were on the air together, they were highly entertaining and informative. It was a field of gold that quickly was shuttered. [78]
On the team's 50th game on May 25 (24-26, .480), they won a thrilling day game with no rain in the forecast, against their arch-rivals Chicago, 7-6. In a seesaw game that saw the Cardinals take a lead and lose it, and the Cubs take a lead and lose it, only to take it again, the Cardinals trailed by a run entering the bottom of the eighth inning. Alec Burleson scored the seventh and ultimately deciding run from first base, on a triple by Lars Nootbaar, with a deft head-first slide into home and touch with his fingers, that beat the throw, and as the replay on the scoreboard and in the officials in New York City showed after the Chicago challenge, their catcher did not transfer the ball from his barehand to his glove-hand tag, for a 7-4 lead. Chicago scored two in the top of the ninth to make the final score. The attendance of 45,071 was the highest since the April 4 home opening day's 47,273. [79]
On May 26, the club (25-26, .490) swept the abbreviated two-game series against the Cubs (27-26,.509), nationally televised on ESPN, with their third consecutive one-run win (now 8-6 in one-run games), 4-3, with Paul Goldschmidt's first two-HR game in 2024 (5th and 6th; .222/.298/.345 .643 OPS), driving in all four runs, now with 21, with his two-run HRs. Sonny Gray (7-2, 2.60) got his team-leading seventh win throwing five scoreless innings in 74 pitches, giving up only one hit and walking two. He said the stressful fifth inning and the heat got to him and felt less sharp, after striking out his last two batters on his sweeping slider for eight strikeouts. Ryan Helsley earned his MLB-leading 17th Save, for the Cardinals' longest winning streak in 2024, with five, and 10 of their last 12. The game was delayed for 2 hrs, 33 min. by rain, hail, and a tornado warning. In their past 12 games—as they finally leaped out of last place, the Cardinals have also experienced 8 hrs, 12 min. of rain delays, not including the Friday May 24 game postponed by rain, to be played as the second game on July 13. The team crept to within four-and-one-half games behind the division-leading Brewers (30-22, .577). [80]
The team lost its five-game winning streak on May 27 (25-27) to the Cincinnati Reds, 1-3. Lance Lynn (2-3, 3.45) took the loss, pitching six innings, giving up three runs, but only one earned, five hits (one HR).
The Redbirds would rebound the next night in Cincinnati, by winning 7-1. Masyn Winn extended his hitting streak to 17 games, tying Albert Pujols and Jordan Walker. Nolan Arenado connected for a 2-run HR to put the Cardinals up 3-1 in the top of the fourth, and Nolan Gorman hit his own 2-run HR in the top of the seventh, to give St. Louis a 6-1 lead. Kyle Gibson (4-2, 3.60) earned the victory by throwing six innings of one-hit, one run ball, not giving up the first hit until he allowed a leadoff HR in the fifth.
On May 29, The Cardinals and Reds played the rubber game, with Cincinnati sending Frankie Montas (2-4, 4.60) to the mound, and St. Louis sending Andre Pallante (1-1, 3.94) for his first start since July 31, 2022 against the Washington Nationals. The Cardinals (27-27, Home 13-12, Away 14-15; R 213 RA 248 -35), at the one-third (54) games played of the 162-game season, beat the Reds, 5-3, getting to the coveted .500 level for the first time since April 16 (9-9). Masyn Winn extended his hitting streak to 18 games (25-for-68, .368), now second all-time for Cardinals rookies, right behind Joe McEwing's 25-game streak in 1999. The game was Winn’s first three-hit day of his career, his seventh multi-hit game during a streak that dates to May 5. The only player in Cardinals' history aged 22 years or younger with a longer hitting streak than Winn has a statue out front of Busch Stadium: The immortal Stan Musial hit in 22 straight games at 22 years old, in 1943. [81] Pallante picked-up his first win of the season with help of a new pitch, a two-seam fastball that consistently ran in on the hands of righties and kept them from leaning out over the plate, [82] and Ryan Helsley earned his 18th Save. The Cardinals won seven out of their last eight (.875), and 12-of-15 (.800). With the Cubs (28-29, .491; R 244 RA 254 -10) losing to the Brewers (33-23, .589; R 282 RA 230 +52) on the Cardinals' (Thu.) May 30 off-day, the Redbirds jumped over them for second place one-half game ahead, and only five games behind the team from Milwaukee. The Cardinals go to Philadelphia, to play the best team in the National League and presently all of MLB, the Phillies (39-18, .684; R 299 RA 206 +93); one-half game better than the NY Yankees (39-19, .672; R 279 RA 182 +97), to close out May.
The May 29th game caused another injury, the second major one to OF Lars Nootbaar this season, this time a left oblique strain from a swing in the seventh inning, that was not revealed until an MRI taken on the May 30 off-day. He was placed on the 10-day IL on May 31, retroactive to May 30. He is estimated to be out for several weeks. He was slugging .520 over the past 14 games. INF Jose Fermin was recalled to take his place on the active roster. [83] [84]
The loss on May 31, also ended the 18-game hitting streak for Masyn Winn that stretched back to May 9 (Game #37) to May 30 (#54). In that span Winn hit .368, .389 on-base percentage, and .559 slugging percentage for a .948 OPS. During the stretch, Winn took over the lead in line drive rate, edging Dodgers’ perennial MVP candidate Mookie Betts, at least for now. Winn also continued to play strong defense that has him among the leaders at shortstop for Defensive Runs Saved and a percolating candidate for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. The 18-game streak surpassed the 17-game streak teammate Jordan Walker had in 2023, but short of the 25-game record now-special assistant to John Mozeliak, Joe McEwing set in 1999. [85]
After the club lost its final game for May on the 31st in the first-game of the series to the Phillies, 2-4, it's record for May was: 13-12 (.520) scoring 107 runs, but giving up 117 runs for -10 run differential. They were 8-5 at Home, 5-7 on the Road, with a 5-4 (.555) record against teams with a better-than .500 won-loss record. Now in second-place, trail division-leading Milwaukee (34-23, .596) by six games, with Chicago (28-30, .483), in third place, a half-game behind the Cardinals.
SUBTOTALS for 2024 season: 27-28 (.491), scoring 215 runs, giving up 252 for a -37 run differential. DAY 8-16, NIGHT 19-12. Against AL teams, 11-7, NL Teams 16-21. Home 13-12 (.520, RS 102, RA 117), Road 14-16 (.467, RS 113, RA 135). In one-run games, 8-6.
Attendance: 931,867 (5th of 15) in 25 home games, Average: 37,275 [86]
