51黑料

What if I鈥檇 told you the homestand would end up being a bust?

Tough to imagine.

But the Cardinals proceeded to lose the next four games, so they finished the homestand 鈥� the longest of the season 鈥� with a frustrating 3-6 record (1-2 vs. the Royals, 2-1 vs. the Dodgers and 0-3 against the Blue Jays).

There are still plenty of positives with the 2025 Cardinals, who have at least made this a relevant summer with their winning record and positive run differential. But the sweep by the Blue Jays was a harsh reminder about the fragility of a season 鈥� and puts more pressure on this team to win ballgames (and series, plural) on the road. For instance, this very next series 鈥� at division-rival Milwaukee.

Following the homestand, here are five thoughts about the Birds:

1. Lars Nootbaar鈥檚 first at-bat Wednesday was an indication that he鈥檚 lost some of that Lars luster. After being granted a ball to start the count (due to a pitch-clock violation), he stuck out on the first three pitches 鈥� and on the third strike, he swung way above the strike zone. Nootbaar went 0 for 5 on Wednesday 鈥� and that was after getting the previous day off.

The likable left fielder is slumping at the worst time 鈥� considering, after all, he bats leadoff and the Cards have four games at Milwaukee and four at home, later this month, against first-place Chicago. Nootbaar is 1 for his last 24 in his past six games (and only three walks 鈥� something he excelled at earlier in the year). And sure enough, he ended Wednesday鈥檚 game with, yup, a strikeout swinging (at a ball outside the zone).

鈥淲ith a young group, you鈥檙e going to have your ups and downs, and every guy鈥檚 going to go through some version of this, right?鈥� Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. 鈥淎nd I have to say, probably one of my favorite parts of the job is walking alongside these guys when this is happening. We鈥檝e had some people model this well for us in the past. ... When they failed, they failed well. ... Noot is in the middle of the grind right now. It鈥檒l end at some point when we鈥檒l move on to some move on to somebody else. That鈥檚 how the game works. But right now it鈥檚 on there, and it鈥檚 good to come alongside of them, and I want to see him get through this.鈥�

2. So the Cardinals have carved an identity, even within losses 鈥� and that鈥檚 their 鈥渒eep battling late鈥� mentality. It happened in the lone win against Kansas City (6-5). In the classic Saturday win against the Dodgers (2-1). And even in the first two games against the Blue Jays, albeit both losses.

So that鈥檚 something.

Still doesn鈥檛 change the fact that the pitching was poor in the first two Toronto games (five runs and 10 runs allowed in the first two games).

And Cardinals pitchers have allowed nine hits in 10 consecutive games 鈥� the longest streak since 10 games in 2004. And in the 2025 team鈥檚 past 10 games, they鈥檝e allowed 114 hits 鈥� most in a 10-game stretch since 2017.

Good news: The Cards have an ace. Not sure if all of 51黑料 agrees, but Sonny Gray is one. And they sure could use him shoving on Thursday at Milwaukee. Gray has a 7-1 record and a 3.35 ERA. And since the Phillies game (his worst start on May 14), he has allowed just three runs in 25 innings.

He鈥檚 third in the National League with his 5.78 strikeouts per walk.

He鈥檚 fifth in the National League with just 1.67 walks per nine innings.

3. The Cardinals entered this series 19-8 at home 鈥� and hadn鈥檛 been swept at home in a series three games or longer since April ... of last year (April 19-21 in 2024 vs. Milwaukee). The sterling Busch record sure took a dent, due in part to the three-game sweep to Toronto. The nine-game series is tied for their longest of the season 鈥� Aug. 8-17 with the Cubs, Rockies and Mets in town.

4. Sure looks like grand time for Granillo. Righty reliever Andre Granillo, 25, has a 1.82 ERA in 18 games at Class AAA Memphis. And in his 29 2/3 innings, he has tallied 46 strikeouts. He鈥檚 not on the 40-man roster. Obviously, every move must have an accommodating move, but perhaps the Cardinals will reevaluate Chris Roycroft鈥檚 role after this latest call-up.

5. With a line-drive single in Wednesday鈥檚 first inning, Masyn Winn extended his hit streak to seven games (and he has a hit in 17 of his past 21 games). But he only got two or more hits in one of the seven (that was two in the Saturday win against L.A.). For the season, Winn is hitting .271 with a .746 on-base plus slugging percentage 鈥� and his OPS+ is 111, which is above the league average of 100.

And Winn has proven hit to work counts into his favor 鈥� and then produce, particularly in 2-1 counts (.333).

Interestingly, Winn is 15 for 65 (.231) in the less-pressured eighth spot in the lineup but entered Wednesday at 41 for 136 (.301) when hitting second.

鈥淚 feel like he lights up when he鈥檚 up there (in the order),鈥� Marmol said.