If the Cardinals harbor hopes of contending for a division title, games against other National League Central contenders carry extra weight, and those are few in the season’s early months.
St. Louis hosts Milwaukee, widely projected as the division’s No. 2 team, for three games beginning Friday at 7:15 p.m.
The Brewers, along with the Cubs, are the two teams seen as most likely to claim the NL Central crown. St. Louis is already 5 1/2 games off the division lead.
Last season, St. Louis squandered its early chances, dropping its first six games to eventual division winner Milwaukee. The Redbirds trailed in the NL Central race by nine games before they had played their 40th game.
Three of four Cardinals series are against division foes, but this is the Cardinals’ only series vs. either Milwaukee or Chicago in the season’s first two-plus months.
Friday’s starter, left-hander Matthew Liberatore (1-2, 3.60), is also seeking to continue seizing his opportunity this spring and cement a spot in the starting rotation.
So far, so good for Liberatore. Among MLB starters, he ranks in the top 15 in wins above replacement, and both his expected ERA and his fielding independent pitching indicate he should be faring a bit better than he is.
Milwaukee’s .630 team on-base plus slugging percentage vs. lefties is more than 100 points worse than its OPS vs. right-handers.
The Brewers will start right-hander Chad Patrick (1-1, 2.11), a 26-year-old rookie who attended college at Division II Purdue-Northwest.
The Cardinals are 10-15 overall and 8-4 at home. The Redbirds went 1-6 on their just-completed road trip vs. the Mets and Braves.
Milwaukee is 13-13 overall and 4-9 on the road. The Brewers’ loss Thursday in San Francisco was their third in a four-game set there.
Game airs on Matrix
Friday’s game, in addition to the usual airing on FanDuel Sports Midwest, also is simulcast on local broadcast television on Matrix Midwest (Channel 32). Numerous other local television stations throughout the Cardinals footprint in six nearby states will also carry the game.
It’s one of several games this season are set for local broadcast TV on Matrix.
Roster move
Before the game, the Cardinals optioned right-hander Ryan Fernandez to Triple-A Memphis and recalled fellow righty Riley O’Brien.
Fernandez has an 11.42 ERA and has allowed five total earned runs over his last three outings on the recent road trip.
Local line
On Thursday, the Brewers optioned struggling reliever Bryan Hudson (Alton High) to Triple-A.
Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin, who attended college in St. Louis at Washington University, will make his first trip here since his call-up last week. He bats ninth and plays third Friday.
Lineups
P: Matthew Liberatore, LHP
Injury report
Brendan Donovan, UT (rib subluxation): After missing two games due to the soreness in his torso caused by a displaced rib, Donovan returned to the lineup Friday. Updated April 25
Ivan Herrera, C (bone bruise): Catcher and Cardinals are targeting the start of a rehab assignment Thursday. He has advanced to running sprints, taking batting practice, and doing all of his catching drills. He said he feels more comfortable and has not had any pain in the injured knee. He’ll advance to running the bases and cutting this weekend, and if he does that well without issue he’ll report to an affiliate Thursday. Updated April 25
Zack Thompson, LHP (lat strain): Lefty is making strides on his throwing program back in Jupiter, Florida, and he’s nearing a schedule that will start to resemble spring training. Thompson went through multiple checkups and scans to monitor the healing of a tear in his lat on the left side, and they did not show any setback to delayed Thompson’s scheduled move to the injured list. On April 7, Thompson was transferred to the 60-day IL. Updated April 23
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