Cardinals and Rays Face Off Amid Disappointing Seasons

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays meet Thursday in a pivotal three-game series at George M. Steinbrenner Field, with both teams aiming to salvage a tumultuous season.

The Cardinals, sporting a 63-65 record, have struggled but recently managed to secure a series win against Miami. Despite their underwhelming performance, they remain hopeful for a playoff push, sitting five games back in the Wild Card chase.

Meanwhile, the Rays enter the matchup with a 61-66 record, following a disappointing sweep against the New York Yankees. They are 6.5 games behind the second and third Wild Card spots, creating urgency in their remaining games.

Thursday’s pitching duel features the Cardinals’ Sonny Gray (projected) against Tampa Bay’s Joe Boyle. Gray has been a reliable asset, while Boyle, a 25-year-old rookie, has demonstrated a mixture of strikeouts and walks in his limited appearances.

On Friday, the teams are set to face off again, with Adrian Houser taking the mound for the Rays against Miles Mikolas for the Cardinals. Then, on Sunday, Ryan Pepiot will pitch for Tampa Bay against St. Louis’s Matthew Liberatore.

Nolan Arenado, the Cardinals’ veteran, has struggled this season, with a disappointing batting average of .235. However, he remains optimistic about turning things around before the season closes. “I hope to be light hitting soon,” said Arenado.

As both teams seek wins to regain momentum, the upcoming series is crucial for their playoff aspirations. The combination of talented pitching and the quest for better performance will play a significant role as they face off under the Florida sun.

The only certainty in this matchup is that one team will move closer to a .500 record.