For the slumping Cardinals, returning home after a 1-5 trip, things don't get a whole lot easier.
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ hosts the Phillies for three games beginning Friday at 7:15 p.m. in the Redbirds' first meeting this season vs. a likely National League playoff team.
The Phillies' top three most valuable starting pitchers from last season are all in line to pitch this weekend.
Aaron Nola (0-2, 6.35), a 31-year-old right-hander, takes the mound on Friday for the Phils. Nola, the 24th best starter in baseball last season by Fangraphs wins above replacement, was the least valuable last year of this weekend's three Phillies starters.
Nola has struggled early this season with both his knuckle curve and his four-seamer. Together, those two account for nearly half of his pitches thrown.
Batters are slugging .750 vs. the knuckle curve and 1.250 vs. the four-seamer. Both pitches are about a mile per hour slower so far this year than they were last season.
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Philadelphia has made the playoffs in three straight years and is expected to do so again this season.
In 2024, the Cardinals went 9-17 vs. the eventual National League division winners and 19-26 vs. all NL playoff teams.
The Cardinals will send out right-hander Andre Pallante (1-0, 3.86) and his elite groundball rate.
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ is 5-7 and has lost seven of nine after a 3-0 start.
Philadelphia is 8-4 after Thursday's 4-2 extra-inning defeat in Atlanta that handed the Phillies their first series loss of the season. Impacted by a nearly 3-hour rain delay, the game ended at almost 1 a.m. Eastern time and forced the Phillies to use five relievers.
Chris Roycroft sent down, Roddery Munoz called up
The Cardinals sent down struggling reliever Chris Roycroft (0-2, 7.94) on Thursday and called up Roddery Munoz on Friday.
Munoz, a right-hander, was selected off waivers from the Marlins in the offseason. Last season, in his only big-league stint, Munoz went 2-7 with a 6.53 ERA in 18 appearances, 17 of them starts, for Miami.
The Dominican will turn 25 on Monday.
Break out the rabbit ears
Friday's game, in addition to the usual airing on FanDuel Sports Midwest, also is simulcast on local broadcast television on both KMOV (Channel 4) and Matrix Midwest (Channel 32). throughout six nearby states will also carry the game.
It's the first time since 2010 that a local Cardinals telecast has aired on broadcast television. this season are also set for local broadcast TV.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Lars Nootbaar, LF
2. Jordan Walker, RF
3. Brendan Donovan, DH
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Alec Burleson, 1B
6. Pedro Pagés, C
7. Victor Scott II, CF
8. Thomas Saggese, 2B
9. Masyn Winn, SS
P: Andre Pallante, RHP
PHILLIES
1. Bryson Stott, 2B
2. Trea Turner, SS
3. Bryce Harper, 1B
4. Kyle Schwarber, DH
5. Nick Castellanos, RF
6. Max Kepler, LF
7. Alec Bohm, 3B
8. Brandon Marsh, CF
9. Rafael Marchán, C
P: Aaron Nola, RHP
Injury report
Ivan Herrera, C (knee inflammation): Herrera sustained a bone bruise to his left knee, and that will require at least four weeks to heal. Updated April 11
Nolan Gorman, INF (hamstring strain):Â Cardinals planned to determine at some point this weekend whether Gorman returns from the injured list or goes on a rehab assignment to get at-bats, regain his timing, and test the health of his hamstring. Updated April 11
Zack Thompson, LHP (lat strain): Remained in Jupiter, Florida, to begin a throwing program after a month of limited activity and no throwing. 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 7
