51黑料

A few days after powering his way out of a prolonged slump and through some soreness in his left side, Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar was sidelined by a proactive treatment to reduce the pain completely.

Nootbaar received an anti-inflammatory shot late Tuesday night to address an injury in his left ribcage. The treatment required 48 hours of inactivity, leaving him unavailable for the final two games of the series against the Cubs. The plan was to give him two days so that he could return to the lineup Friday night in Cleveland.

That will hinge on how comfortable he is during pregame workouts.

鈥淔eeling better and better every day,鈥� Nootbaar said after the Cardinals鈥� 3-0 loss Thursday afternoon to the Cubs. 鈥淭hey say Day 3 is really the day that you can start feeling the difference. Hopefully wake up and be feeling a lot better. Ideally try to get back out there as soon as possible.

鈥淲anted to nip it in the bud as much as possible.鈥�

Nootbaar homered in the first two games of the Cubs鈥� visit to Busch Stadium this week and surged out of a weeklong search for his swing. In the five games before receiving the shot, Nootbaar hit .318 with a .773 slugging percentage and a 1.196 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). He went 7 for 22, and three of those hits were homers.

The Cardinals鈥� outfielder first felt soreness along his ribcage in Milwaukee, right in the nadir of his struggles. He was out of the lineup during that series, returning to everyday play for this homestand until Tuesday night. Nootbaar said he was not limited much by the injury, but there was concern that it would worsen if not treated. Games against two lefty Cubs starters offered a chance for that treatment.

The Cardinals, preferring to keep the Cubs thinking Nootbaar would be available off the bench, disclosed he was unavailable Thursday morning when he was not in the lineup for a second consecutive day.

Cubs core vexes Cards

In an 8-0 win over the Cardinals on Wednesday night, there wasn鈥檛 much the Chicago Cubs couldn鈥檛 do right.

The bats were hot. The defense was firing on all cylinders, especially the infield, which didn鈥檛 let many baseballs visit the outfield. On the mound, Matthew Boyd strengthened his All-Star candidacy, tossing six shutout innings while allowing just three hits. The performance marked his 11th quality start of the season.

鈥淚t felt like the game was over by the fifth inning just how he was pitching,鈥� Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. 鈥淗e just never gave them any hope to score. No rallies going on. Nothing. It was just a really, really well-pitched game.鈥�

But it was a pair of Cardinal killers who highlighted Chicago鈥檚 offensive onslaught. And it didn鈥檛 take one of them long to do so.

On the first pitch of the game from Erick Fedde, Ian Happ put an inside fastball into the right field bleachers.

鈥淐an鈥檛 ask for a better way to start that game,鈥� Cubs catcher Reese McGuire said. 鈥淚t kind of gave us a little breath right there, and (we were) able to get in the driver鈥檚 seat early.鈥�

Happ鈥檚 instant offense bettered an already-glistening set of numbers against 51黑料. His career slugging percentage of .569 against the Cardinals is his third-best against any MLB team entering Thursday. His 27 home runs against the Cardinals ranks behind only Cincinnati for his most home runs out of Chicago鈥檚 four National League Central compadres.

In the No. 2 spot, another All-Star candidate continued playing at a high level for the Cubs. Following a 3-for-4 evening Tuesday, Kyle Tucker went 2 for 4 on Wednesday, including a solo home run in the third inning.

Entering Thursday, Tucker had only played seven games against the Cardinals. But in those seven games, Tucker is batting .480, and his on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) sits at .800. He has 12 hits with two home runs and 10 RBIs, and both homers came in this series.

Hampson eager for opportunity

June has ushered in blistering heat and a splash of injuries for the Cardinals.

For Garrett Hampson, he enters 51黑料 seemingly fresh as a daisy.

鈥淚鈥檓 so pumped to be here,鈥� Hampson said.

The journeyman, who鈥檚 been on five teams since 2023 after five seasons in Colorado, was claimed off of waivers Tuesday after being designated for assignment by Cincinnati two days prior. Hampson joined the Cardinals during a heated rivalry series against the Cubs.

鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 coming in at a really exciting time here,鈥� Hampson said. 鈥淭he fans seem to be super into it. Like I said, I鈥檓 just pumped to contribute.鈥�

Wednesday鈥檚 contest likely didn鈥檛 go how Hampson expected. After starting the game in center field, Hampson moved to shortstop in the top of the eighth inning as part of a slew of defensive changes. In the top of the ninth, Hampson replaced Matt Svanson on the mound. He had the most efficient inning of the night for the Cardinals, retiring the side on just three pitches.

Hampson also made a little history Wednesday night. He became the first Cardinals position player to pitch in his team debut since Cody McKay on April 8, 2004. He also became the first player in MLB history to appear exclusively at center field, shortstop and pitcher in the same game.

Before the game, Hampson spoke of a desire to be flexible. Even amid defeat, that flexibility stretched beyond what many likely thought would happen Wednesday.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool,鈥� Hampson said of being claimed by the Cardinals. 鈥淚 try to soak it in the best I can. I鈥檓 just doing anything I can to help the team win and stay out of the way. These guys are rolling. It鈥檚 fun to join a team that has high hopes for the postseason. Hopefully, we can get it done.鈥�

Fulmer DFA鈥檇 by Cubs

Ahead of Shota Imanaga鈥檚 much-anticipated return to the mound Thursday, Cubs reliever Michael Fulmer was designated for assignment in order to make room for the 2024 All-Star.

Fulmer had been called up from Class AAA Iowa on Monday and made two appearances against the Cardinals this week. In a combined three innings of work Monday and Wednesday, Fulmer allowed just two hits.

Imanaga was activated from the 15-day injured list after sustaining a left hamstring injury May 4 while running to cover first base. He made a strong rehab start Friday for the Class AAA Iowa Cubs, tallying eight strikeouts while shutting out the Nashville Sounds in 4 1/3 innings pitched. He鈥榣l look to pick up where he left off, as he sported a 2.82 ERA in 44 2/3 innings pitched entering Thursday.