Cardinals Face Rangers in Final Game of Tough Road Trip

ARLINGTON, Texas — The St. Louis Cardinals, with a record of 32-24, are wrapping up a challenging road trip with a series against the Texas Rangers, starting Friday. After a day off, the Cardinals aim to finish May strong, coming off a series victory against the Baltimore Orioles.

The 27-30 Rangers are in the midst of a homestand after facing the Toronto Blue Jays. Currently in fourth place in the American League West Division, Texas has struggled recently, losing eight of their last ten games and suffering seven shutouts this season.

On the pitching front, the projected starters for the series are Jack Liberatore for the Cardinals against Jack Leiter on Friday at 7:05 p.m. Central. Saturday features pitcher Sonny Gray facing Patrick Corbin, with the series concluding on Sunday with a matchup between Erasmo Fedde and Jacob DeGrom.

Leiter, only 25 years old, has shown inconsistency with a 17.7% strikeout rate and 12% walk rate. Meanwhile, Corbin, 35, offers a mixed bag with a 3.75 ERA but a concerning 5.00 FIP. DeGrom, the seasoned 36-year-old right-hander, has maintained a striking 27.4% K rate despite recent fluctuations in performance.

Despite their pitching strength, the Rangers’ offense has struggled significantly this season, ranking 24th in MLB in Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+). Key hitters include Corey Seager, who recently returned from injury, and Josh Smith. However, overall, their run production has lagged by about 80 runs compared to the Cardinals.

Globe Life Field, where the games will take place, is known for its neutral park factor, slightly favoring home runs but suppressing triples. This venue will host a team that excels in pitching but struggles to score runs.

The Cardinals have benefitted from time off to reset their bullpen after a rain-affected game in Baltimore. Notable player updates include a slump for Willson Contreras contrasted by an impressive performance from rookie shortstop Masyn Winn, who currently has a wRC+ of 116.

Cardinals’ minor league depth appears promising as Drew Rom, Quinn Mathews, and Tink Hence are performing well and could support the team in future matchups.