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THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Jalin Flores Launches Grand Slam for Peoria St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurJalin Flores gave Peoria something to take from an otherwise rough Sunday afternoon.Flores is the Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day after going 2-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs and a run scored in the Chiefs’ 16-6 loss to Beloit at Dozer Park.His final line: 2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, RThe game was long gone by the time Peoria finally broke through, but Flores made sure the Chiefs did not go quietly.Beloit led 16-0 entering the bottom of the ninth inning before Peoria scored six runs. The big swing came from Flores, who launched a grand slam for his 16th home run of the season.That one swing drove in four runs and pushed Flores to 78 RBIs on the year.Even in a lopsided loss, that matters.Flores has been one of Peoria’s most productive bats, and Sunday was another reminder of the run-production ability he brings to the lineup. The final score was ugly. The pitching line was rough. Beloit hit seven home runs and piled up 19 hits.But Flores still found a way to put his mark on the game.Brayden Smith also had a strong day, going 3-for-4 with a double, a walk and a run scored. Sammy Hernandez doubled, drove in his 31st run and stole his 18th base. Ian Petrutz added a hit and two walks.But the top offensive swing belonged to Flores.Two hits. One grand slam. Four RBIs. Seventy-eight RBIs on the season.That is a Player of the Day line.Not every award comes wrapped in a win. Sometimes the honor goes to the player who gives his club a moment worth remembering on a day when there was not much else to celebrate.That was Flores on Sunday.Peoria took the loss, but Flores supplied the loudest offensive moment in the Cardinals’ system.That earns the spotlight.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Jalin Flores, SS, Peoria Chiefs Final Line: 2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, R The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Jalin Flores, Peoria Chiefs | MLB

MILB Player of the Day: Jalen Flores

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Cooper Hjerpe St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurCooper Hjerpe did not work deep Sunday afternoon, but he gave Memphis the best starting line in the Cardinals’ system and helped set up the Redbirds’ 7-4 win over Durham.Hjerpe is the Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day after working 3.1 innings, allowing three hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out five.His final line: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 KThe walks kept Hjerpe from getting deeper into the game, but the swing-and-miss was there.He struck out five of the 15 batters he faced, threw 60 pitches, 37 for strikes, and kept Durham from putting together the kind of inning that could have changed the game early. It was not a spotless outing, but it was effective enough to give Memphis control.That mattered on a day when the Redbirds were the only full-season Cardinals affiliate to win.Hjerpe left with traffic on the bases, and Brycen Mautz did a big piece of work behind him. Mautz entered and struck out both batters he faced, stranding the inherited runners and keeping Memphis in front.That was one of the quieter but more important moments of the game.The Redbirds bullpen finished the job from there. Matt Svanson allowed a run in the fifth, but Hancel Rincón was excellent, working 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Ryan Murphy covered the final two innings as Memphis closed out the win.The offense gave the pitching staff plenty to work with.Memphis finished with 15 hits, led by multi-hit games from Victor Scott II, Leo Bernal, Thomas Saggese, Colton Ledbetter, Chase Davis and Ramon Mendoza. Bernal hit his 15th home run of the season and drove in his 73rd run. Mendoza added his ninth home run, while Davis drove in two.But the pitching spotlight goes to Hjerpe.Three and one-third innings. Five strikeouts. One earned run. A Memphis win.It was not a long start, but it was the top pitching line on a day when the system needed something to hold onto. Hjerpe missed bats, limited the damage and helped Memphis set the tone before the bullpen carried it home.Sometimes Pitcher of the Day is not about the cleanest-looking box score.Sometimes it is about who gives his club the best chance to win.That was Hjerpe on Sunday.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Memphis Redbirds Final Line: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Cooper Hjerpe, Memphis Redbirds | Springfield Daily Citizen

MiLB Pitcher of the Day: Cooper Hjerpe

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Farm Report: Memphis Picks Up only Win Behind 15 Hits,&nbsp; St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurSunday was not a great day in the win-loss column, but Memphis made sure the system avoided a sweep.The Redbirds beat Durham, 7-4, behind a 15-hit attack. Cooper Hjerpe gave Memphis the top pitching line of the day, while Jalin Flores supplied the loudest swing with a grand-slam-style four-RBI homer in Peoria’s ninth inning.The full-season affiliates finished 1-3.One other note before we get into the farm: Quinn Mathews is being called up to pitch Game 1 of today’s doubleheader in Cincinnati, adding a big-league storyline to a system already moving arms through Memphis.Memphis Redbirds — Triple-A Overall Record: 67-53 Second Half: 20-25, 8th in the International League West, 8.0 GB Streak: W1Memphis 7, Durham 4Memphis bounced back with a 7-4 win over Durham, and the Redbirds did it with traffic all afternoon.The Redbirds finished with 15 hits, scoring in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth innings.Cooper Hjerpe earned Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day honors after working 3.1 innings, allowing three hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out five.His final line: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 KThe walks kept Hjerpe from working deeper, but the swing-and-miss was there, and he left the game with Memphis in position to win.The bullpen did enough from there. Brycen Mautz came in and struck out both batters he faced, stranding inherited traffic. Hancel Rincón was excellent, working 2.1 scoreless innings with one hit allowed and three strikeouts. Ryan Murphy allowed two runs over the final two innings, but Memphis had already built enough cushion.Offensively, Leo Bernal hit his 15th home run of the season and drove in his 73rd run. Ramon Mendoza added his ninth home run and RBI No. 45. Chase Davis continued to swing the bat well, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.Colton Ledbetter went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Victor Scott II had two hits and his 10th double. Thomas Saggese also had two hits and stole his eighth base.Takeaway: Memphis got production up and down the lineup, and Hjerpe’s start set the tone before the bullpen finished the win.Springfield Cardinals — Double-A Overall Record: 58-55 Second Half: 27-18, tied for 1st in the Texas League North Streak: L2Northwest Arkansas 6, Springfield 5Springfield had the bats working, but the Cardinals could not climb all the way back.The Cardinals scored three runs in the first inning and finished with 10 hits, but Northwest Arkansas scored four in the fourth and held on for a 6-5 win.Rainiel Rodriguez had a strong day, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI, lifting his average to .300 and his OPS to .911. Jesús Báez went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Won-Bin Cho added two hits and drove in a run.Tai Peete doubled, walked and scored twice. Josiah Ragsdale doubled, drove in a run and scored. Deniel Ortiz added an RBI, and Tre Richardson III had a hit.On the mound, Braden Davis allowed six earned runs over five innings. He walked three, struck out five and gave up two home runs.The bullpen was outstanding. Andrew Schultz, Domenic Picone, Randel Clemente and Sandro Santana combined for four no-hit, scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.Takeaway: Springfield’s bullpen gave the Cardinals every chance to rally, but the fourth inning was the difference. The Cardinals remain tied for first, but the streak has slipped to two losses.Peoria Chiefs — High-A Overall Record: 55-58 Second Half: 23-24, 5th in the Midwest League West, 5.5 GB Streak: L3Beloit 16, Peoria 6Peoria had a miserable afternoon until the ninth inning finally gave the Chiefs something to take from it.Beloit led 16-0 before Peoria scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth. The rally was too late to change the outcome, but it did produce the top offensive line in the system.Jalin Flores earned Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day honors after going 2-for-5 with his 16th home run, four RBIs and a run scored.His final line: 2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, RFlores drove in four runs with one swing and pushed his season RBI total to 78.Brayden Smith also had a strong day, going 3-for-4 with a double, a walk and a run scored. Sammy Hernandez doubled, drove in his 31st run and stole his 18th base. Ian Petrutz had a hit and two walks.The pitching side was rough. Peoria allowed 19 hits, 16 runs and seven home runs. Nate Dohm allowed six runs over three innings, including four home runs. Bobby Olsen allowed five runs in two-thirds of an inning. Dylan Driessen did strike out two in a scoreless ninth.Takeaway: Flores gave Peoria a late offensive headline, but the game was long gone before the ninth-inning rally.Palm Beach Cardinals — Low-A Overall Record: 56-58 Second Half: 23-25, 2nd in the Florida State League East, 8.0 GB Streak: L1Daytona 12, Palm Beach 2Palm Beach took another tough loss at Daytona, falling 12-2 after the Tortugas broke the game open late.The Cardinals were within 2-2 after the top of the sixth, but Daytona scored six runs in the bottom half, then added three more in the seventh and one in the eighth.Ryan Mitchell had the best offensive day for Palm Beach, going 3-for-5. Matthew Miura doubled, drove in both Cardinals runs, walked and stole his 18th base. Alexander Frias doubled and scored, while Trevor Haskins added his 22nd double.On the mound, Payton Graham gave Palm Beach 3.2 innings, allowing two runs, only one earned, with three walks and five strikeouts. Alan Reyes followed with 1.1 scoreless innings.After that, the game got away from the bullpen. Kaden Echeman, Dallis Moran and JR Fordham combined to allow 10 runs over the final three innings.Takeaway: Palm Beach had the game tied in the sixth, but Daytona’s late innings turned it into a runaway.Quick Hits: 10 Players, 10 Stats 1. Jalin Flores, Peoria: 2-for-5, home run, four RBIs, run scored.2. Cooper Hjerpe, Memphis: 3.1 innings, three hits, one earned run, three walks, five strikeouts.3. Leo Bernal, Memphis: 15th home run, 73rd RBI and ninth stolen base.4. Chase Davis, Memphis: 2-for-4 with two RBIs.5. Colton Ledbetter, Memphis: 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored.6. Ramon Mendoza, Memphis: Ninth home run and RBI No. 45.7. Rainiel Rodriguez, Springfield: 2-for-4, two doubles, RBI, now hitting .300.8. Brayden Smith, Peoria: 3-for-4, double, walk, run scored.9. Matthew Miura, Palm Beach: Double, two RBIs, walk and stolen base No. 18.10. Hancel Rincón, Memphis: 2.1 scoreless innings, one hit, three strikeouts.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day Jalin Flores, SS, Peoria ChiefsFlores gets the honor after supplying the biggest offensive swing of the day.His final line: 2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, RThe game was already out of hand, but Flores’ ninth-inning homer gave Peoria something to take from a rough afternoon and pushed him to 78 RBIs on the season.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Memphis RedbirdsHjerpe did not work deep, but he had the top starting line of the day and helped Memphis get the system’s only win.His final line: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 KThe five strikeouts stood out, and the bullpen made the lead hold.The Final Word Sunday belonged to Memphis, because the Redbirds were the only affiliate to win.Memphis had 15 hits and enough pitching to beat Durham. Springfield lost by one despite 10 hits and a dominant bullpen. Peoria was buried early before Jalin Flores gave the Chiefs a late four-RBI swing. Palm Beach was tied in the sixth before Daytona broke it open.The farm went 1-3.The big-league note is just as important: Quinn Mathews is getting the call to start Game 1 of today’s doubleheader in Cincinnati.That is the farm report.

Farm Report: Memphis Picks Up only Win Behind 15 Hits,

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Báez Makes History at Wrigley St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThere are debuts.There are dream debuts.And then there is what Joshua Báez did Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.In his first Major League game, in one of baseball’s most historic ballparks, against the Chicago Cubs, wearing a St. Louis Cardinals uniform for the first time, Báez did something no player in Major League Baseball history had ever done.He homered in his first three big-league at-bats.Not one.Not two.Three.Báez launched three home runs, drove in five runs, and powered the Cardinals to an 8-4 win over the Cubs in a game that instantly became one of the most unforgettable debuts in franchise history.The Cardinals did not just get a win.They got a jolt.They got a moment.They got a memory.And maybe, just maybe, they got a glimpse of what their future can look like when elite raw power finally arrives in St. Louis and announces itself with authority.Báez wasted no time.In the top of the first inning, JJ Wetherholt got the Cardinals moving, and Alec Burleson brought him home with a fielder’s choice to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead. That alone was important after the Cardinals were shut out Friday afternoon.Then Báez stepped to the plate for the first time in his Major League career.Matthew Boyd threw him a fastball.Báez turned it around.The ball exploded off his bat and carried deep into the Wrigley Field bleachers in center field, a 449-foot blast on the first pitch he ever saw in the Major Leagues. Burleson scored ahead of him, and the Cardinals had a 3-0 lead.That would have been enough for a story.First Major League at-bat.First Major League pitch.First Major League home run.At Wrigley Field.Against the Cubs.But Báez was just getting started.The Cubs answered in the bottom of the second when Michael Conforto hit a three-run homer off Michael McGreevy, tying the game at 3-3. It could have taken the air out of the Cardinals’ dugout. It could have turned Báez’s first-inning blast into a nice moment inside another frustrating afternoon.Instead, Báez came back up in the fourth and did it again.This time, he drove a ball over the left-field wall for his second home run of the day and the second home run of his Major League career.Two at-bats.Two home runs.Cardinals 4, Cubs 3.By then, it was already historic territory. Only a handful of players had ever homered in their first two Major League at-bats. Even fewer had done it in the same game.But the third at-bat is where the day moved from remarkable to ridiculous.In the sixth inning, with Burleson aboard and the Cardinals clinging to a one-run lead, Báez came to the plate again against Boyd.By this point, everyone in the ballpark knew what had already happened.Boyd knew.The Cubs knew.The Cardinals knew.The fans at Wrigley knew.Báez knew.And then he did it again.Báez drove a two-run homer to right field, his third home run in his first three Major League at-bats, pushing the Cardinals’ lead to 6-3 and sending the afternoon into baseball history.There are very few times in this game when everyone watching understands they have just seen something that has never happened before.This was one of those times.Joshua Báez, in his Major League debut, had hit three home runs in his first three at-bats.The Cardinals’ dugout erupted. Wrigley Field, home of one of the Cardinals’ oldest rivals, had no choice but to acknowledge what had just happened. This was not just a Cardinals moment. This was a baseball moment.Báez had arrived.Loudly.Blaze Jordan followed later in the sixth with a solo home run to left-center, stretching the Cardinals’ lead to 7-3. It was Walker’s 408-foot shot and another reminder that St. Louis still has young power capable of changing games quickly.Alec Burleson added one more in the eighth, driving a solo home run to left-center to make it 8-3. Burleson had already driven in the first run of the game and scored twice ahead of Báez home runs. His late blast put the finishing touch on a Cardinals offense that needed this kind of afternoon badly.The Cubs added a run late, but the game belonged to Báez and the Cardinals.McGreevy deserves credit for keeping the game steady after Conforto’s three-run homer tied it in the second. He gave the Cardinals six innings, allowing three runs, none earned, on five hits. He walked two, struck out six, and kept the Cubs from turning the second inning into something worse.That mattered.Because once Báez gave the Cardinals the lead again, McGreevy held it.The Cardinals’ bullpen carried it from there, and St. Louis walked out of Wrigley Field with an 8-4 win, evening the weekend series and giving the club the kind of spark that can travel beyond one afternoon.Still, every part of this game will be remembered through Báez.He was called up because the Cardinals needed impact. They needed power. They needed a reason for fans to look at this roster and see something more than frustration, missed chances and deadline questions.He gave them all of that in one day.The first swing was thunder.The second was confirmation.The third was history.Báez came into the day after hammering Triple-A pitching for Memphis, where his power had already become one of the defining stories of the Cardinals’ farm system. The raw tools were never the question. The swing-and-miss had been part of the profile, but so was the kind of damage that very few players in the organization could match.Saturday, there was no adjustment period.There was no soft landing.There was no easing into the Major Leagues.There was only baseball’s biggest stage, one of the sport’s greatest rivalry settings, and a young hitter who looked like he had been waiting his whole life for the moment.Maybe he had.And maybe that is why it felt bigger than one game.This was a reminder of what player development is supposed to produce. Not just prospects on lists. Not just names to debate. Not just theoretical tools and future value grades.Impact.The kind that changes a scoreboard.The kind that changes a dugout.The kind that changes the mood around a club.The Cardinals have had too many games this season where the offense disappeared. Friday at Wrigley, they were shut out. Saturday, they hit five home runs and scored eight runs.That is what Báez brought into the building.A jolt.A spark.A lightning strike.Whatever word fits, the Cardinals needed it.And in his first Major League game, Joshua Báez delivered one of the greatest debuts the sport has ever seen.Three home runs.Five RBIs.A Cardinals win at Wrigley Field.History in red.That’s a winner.Key StorylinesBáez Makes MLB HistoryJoshua Báez became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit three home runs in his MLB debut. He homered in each of his first three at-bats and drove in five runs.First Pitch, First HomerBáez’s first Major League swing came on the first pitch he saw from Matthew Boyd. He drove it 449 feet to center field for a two-run homer, giving the Cardinals a 3-0 lead in the first inning.Second At-Bat, Same ResultAfter the Cubs tied the game in the second, Báez answered in the fourth with a solo home run to left field, putting St. Louis back in front, 4-3.The Third One Made HistoryBáez’s third home run came in the sixth inning, a two-run shot to right field that gave the Cardinals a 6-3 lead and completed the first three-homer debut in MLB history.Blaze Jordan followed the Báez show with a solo home run in the sixth inning. His 408-foot shot stretched the Cardinals’ lead and kept the pressure on Chicago.Burleson Does His PartAlec Burleson drove in the Cardinals’ first run, scored twice ahead of Báez home runs, and added a solo homer in the eighth. He was right in the middle of the offense all afternoon.McGreevy Settles InMichael McGreevy gave the Cardinals six innings and kept the Cubs quiet after Michael Conforto’s three-run homer tied the game in the second. He allowed three runs, none earned, and struck out six.Five-Homer AfternoonThe Cardinals hit five home runs in the win: three from Báez, one from Jordan and one from Burleson. After being shut out Friday, the offense answered in a historic way.Series EvenedThe win evened the weekend series at Wrigley Field after the Cubs shut out the Cardinals in the opener. St. Louis now has a chance to take the series Sunday.Bottom LineJoshua Báez made history.The Cardinals needed a spark, and the rookie gave them one of the greatest debuts Major League Baseball has ever seen.Three home runs in his first three big-league at-bats.Five RBIs.A win at Wrigley Field.Cardinals 8, Cubs 4.That’s not just a winner.That’s history. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Joshua Báez, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Báez Makes History at Wrigley

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Game Day Preview: After Báez Makes History, Cardinals Go for Series Win at Wrigley St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurHow do you follow one of the greatest Major League debuts anyone has ever seen?For Joshua Báez, the answer is pretty simple.Play another baseball game.One day after becoming the first player in Major League history to hit three home runs in his MLB debut, Báez and the St. Louis Cardinals return to Wrigley Field this afternoon looking to take the series from the Chicago Cubs.First pitch is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. CT, with the game nationally televised on ABC and available through the ESPN App.Right-hander Hunter Dobbins will start for St. Louis against Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera.St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Hunter Dobbins, 2-3, 3.40 ERA, 42 strikeouts Chicago Cubs: RHP Edward Cabrera, 5-4, 5.10 ERA, 65 strikeoutsThe Cardinals enter Sunday at 62-61 after Saturday’s unforgettable 8-4 victory.Chicago is 72-52.And after 12 meetings between the longtime rivals this season, everything comes down to one more afternoon.The season series is tied 6-6.Today’s winner takes it.More importantly for St. Louis, a victory would move the Cardinals two games above .500 and keep them moving in the right direction in a crowded National League Wild Card race.St. Louis begins the day 3½ games behind Arizona, San Diego and Philadelphia, who are tied for the final three Wild Card positions. Miami also sits between the Cardinals and that group.There is work to do.But there is also time to do it.And Saturday certainly provided something worth building upon.Joshua Báez arrived at Wrigley Field as one of the most powerful young hitters in the Cardinals organization.He left it with his name in the Major League record book.Báez homered on the first Major League pitch he saw.Then he homered again.Then, because apparently two home runs were not enough for one afternoon, he homered a third time.Three home runs in his first three Major League at-bats.Nobody had ever done it before.Báez finished 3-for-4 with three home runs and five RBI as the Cardinals rebounded from Friday’s one-hit shutout and beat the Cubs 8-4.His first home run may have been the most spectacular.Matthew Boyd challenged Báez with a 93.4 mph fastball, and the Cardinals rookie drove it 449 feet to center field at 108.6 mph.First pitch.First swing.First Major League home run.Welcome to the Show.The second came on a full-count changeup in his next plate appearance.The third went the opposite way into the right-field seats.That may have been the most encouraging swing of all.Power hitters can pull mistakes.The ability to stay on a pitch and drive it out of the ballpark to the opposite field suggests something more than raw strength.Báez did not simply arrive swinging from his heels.He adjusted.He worked a full count.He used the entire field.He showed the power Cardinals fans have heard about all season, but he also showed some of the development that made the organization believe he was ready for this opportunity.Now comes the next challenge.The Cubs have seen him.They have video.They have scouting information from Saturday.They will begin adjusting immediately.That is Major League Baseball.Báez will eventually see fewer pitches in the areas where he did damage Saturday. He will see more breaking balls away, more fastballs above the strike zone and more pitchers attempting to discover whether they can make him chase.His response to those adjustments will tell us much more about the kind of Major League hitter he becomes than one extraordinary afternoon.That is not meant to diminish what happened Saturday.Nothing could.Three home runs in a Major League debut deserves to be enjoyed.But today is a new game.Báez does not need another three home runs.He does not need another home run at all.He simply needs another good day of Major League at-bats.The Cardinals need the same from the rest of the lineup.Saturday was not entirely the Joshua Báez Show, even if nobody would blame you for remembering it that way.Alec Burleson drove in the first run of the game with a groundout and later added his 20th home run of the season.Blaze Jordan also homered.St. Louis finished with five home runs after managing exactly one hit in Friday’s 3-0 loss.That is quite a turnaround.It is also a reminder of how dangerous this lineup can look when several young hitters produce at the same time.Báez is 23.Jordan Walker is 24.JJ Wetherholt is 23.Blaze Jordan is 23.Masyn Winn is 24.Iván Herrera is 26.The Cardinals have spent much of this season talking about building for the future.Increasingly, that future is standing in the Major League batter’s box.Saturday offered a glimpse of what it might look like.Today provides another.The Cardinals should resist the temptation to treat Báez as some sort of instant savior.That would be unfair to him and unnecessary.He does not need to carry this lineup.What his arrival can do is lengthen it.A lineup containing Walker, Burleson, Herrera, Wetherholt, Blaze Jordan and now Báez gives opposing pitchers more places where one mistake can become damage.That changes an inning.It changes bullpen decisions.It changes how aggressively a pitcher can attack the hitter directly in front of him.That is where Báez can immediately help even on days when he does not hit three home runs.While most of the attention will understandably remain on the Cardinals rookie, Dobbins has the more important job this afternoon.He has to get outs.The 26-year-old right-hander enters with a 3.40 ERA through nine Major League appearances, including six starts.His record does not tell the whole story.Dobbins has pitched well in his last two outings and received little reward.He worked 6⅓ innings against the Yankees on Aug. 4, allowing only two earned runs on four hits.Six days later against Philadelphia, he allowed one earned run over five innings while striking out six.He took the loss.That has been a familiar problem for several Cardinals starters this season.Pitch well.Wait for the offense.Hope something happens.Saturday proved what the equation looks like when something actually does happen.Michael McGreevy surrendered a three-run homer to Michael Conforto in the second inning, briefly allowing Chicago to erase St. Louis’ early 3-0 advantage.Báez answered with his second home run.Then his third.The Cardinals kept adding.McGreevy no longer had to pitch like every mistake might cost him the game.Starting pitchers notice that.So do opposing hitters.Dobbins would certainly appreciate similar support.He faced the Cubs on July 27 at Busch Stadium, allowing four runs on seven hits in 5⅓ innings.That gives Chicago some familiarity with him.It also gives Dobbins information he did not have the first time.Pitchers make adjustments, too.Dobbins does not overpower hitters with one dominant pitch. His success depends upon sequencing, location and keeping hitters from becoming comfortable in the box.He must stay ahead.Chicago is too disciplined to continually pitch from 2-0 and 3-1 counts.Pete Crow-Armstrong can change a game with his speed and power.Seiya Suzuki remains one of the most dangerous hitters in the Cubs lineup and provided Friday’s decisive three-run homer.Alex Bregman brings experience and another dangerous right-handed bat.Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, Ian Happ and the rest of the lineup give Cubs manager Craig Counsell very few empty at-bats.Chicago has scored 641 runs this season and owns a plus-107 run differential.That is not an accident.This is a good baseball team.Dobbins cannot give it additional help.Walks become runs.Poor defense becomes runs.Extra outs become runs.He must make the Cubs earn everything they get.Chicago will counter with Cabrera, who returns to the rotation after missing time with a left hamstring/adductor strain.His overall numbers are not impressive.A 5.10 ERA should not intimidate the Cardinals.His stuff should get their attention.Cabrera has a fastball capable of sitting in the upper 90s and reaching 99 mph. When he commands it, his velocity can overwhelm hitters and make his secondary pitches considerably more effective.His problem before going on the injured list was consistency.Cabrera posted a 3.27 ERA across his first seven starts before struggling to a 7.55 ERA over his next seven.Injuries interrupted his season, but his rehab work suggests the Cardinals should expect something considerably better than a pitcher carrying a 5.10 ERA.Cabrera threw five no-hit innings for Double-A Knoxville in his final rehab start Tuesday.He struck out seven.He walked one.He threw 43 strikes among 64 pitches.His fastball had been sitting around 97-98 mph and reaching 99 during his previous rehab appearances.Across his final two rehab outings, he allowed one hit over nine innings while striking out 15 and walking one.That sounds less like a struggling pitcher and more like somebody ready to return.The Cardinals need to make sure his first Major League inning back is uncomfortable.Cabrera has not worked a full Major League workload recently.That matters.St. Louis should make him throw pitches.That does not mean standing at the plate with the bat on the shoulder while 98 mph fastballs cross the middle of the strike zone.Aggressive does not mean reckless.Patient does not mean passive.The Cardinals need to identify pitches they can drive and force Cabrera into longer counts when those pitches do not appear.His workload may be limited.Make Chicago reach the bullpen earlier than Counsell wants.That becomes especially important because the Cubs have considerably more rotation depth following their trade deadline additions and the return of injured pitchers.Chicago added Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes.Cabrera is returning.The Cubs are preparing their roster for October.The Cardinals sold at the deadline and then decided to keep hanging around the Wild Card race anyway.That makes this afternoon a fascinating contrast.One club was built to contend immediately.The other is becoming younger while trying to discover whether its young players can keep it relevant.So far, they have.The Cardinals have won six of their last 10.They have played themselves back above .500.And despite everything that has happened this season, they remain close enough to the postseason that scoreboard watching still matters.Three and a half games is not an impossible deficit in mid-August.It is also not something that disappears on its own.The Cardinals must win.Then win again.That is why today matters beyond Báez.Saturday was history.Sunday is standings.The Cardinals cannot spend the afternoon admiring what happened yesterday.They have a series to win.The season series against Chicago is tied 6-6.There will not be another Cardinals-Cubs regular-season game after today.One game decides it.For a rivalry that has produced more than a century of memorable baseball, that seems appropriate.There is also the Wild Card.A win moves St. Louis to 63-61.A loss drops the Cardinals back to .500.That difference may look small on paper.In August, with three teams tied for the final Wild Card positions and another club standing between St. Louis and those teams, every game becomes increasingly expensive to give away.Dobbins needs to keep the Cardinals close.The offense needs to make Cabrera work.The defense needs to protect every out.And Joshua Báez needs to do something considerably more difficult than hitting three home runs in his debut.He needs to begin becoming a Major League player.There will be strikeouts.There will be adjustments.There will be days when those baseballs that disappeared into the Wrigley Field seats Saturday turn into routine fly balls.That is baseball.What Saturday demonstrated is the ceiling.What begins today is the career.Nobody should expect another three-home-run afternoon.But after what we watched yesterday, nobody is going to look away when No. 22 steps into the batter’s box, either.Saturday belonged to Joshua Báez.Sunday belongs to the Cardinals.Win the game.Win the series.And keep the Hunt for a Red October moving forward. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Hunter Dobbins, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

After Báez Makes History, Cardinals Go for Series Win at Wrigley

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Alexander Frias Homers as Palm Beach Saves the Night St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurAlexander Frias gave Palm Beach the kind of box-score line that stood out on a rough night across the Cardinals’ farm system.Frias is the Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day after going 1-for-3 with a home run, an RBI, a run scored, a walk and a stolen base in Palm Beach’s 4-1 win over Daytona on Saturday night.His final line:1-for-3, HR, RBI, R, BB, SBThat is power and speed in the same night.Frias hit his first home run with Palm Beach, reached base twice, scored a run and added his fourth stolen base. On a night when offense was hard to find across the system, his swing helped the Cardinals snap their four-game losing streak and produce the only full-season affiliate win of the day.Palm Beach needed it.Memphis lost. Springfield was shut out. Peoria was swept in a doubleheader.Palm Beach saved the night.Frias was not alone in the win. Matthew Miura had another strong game, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Trevor Haskins hit his 12th home run of the season. Sebastian Dos Santos had two hits, a walk, a run scored and his 16th stolen base. Heriberto Caraballo added a triple.But the Player of the Day spotlight goes to Frias.A home run. A walk. A stolen base. A Palm Beach win.That is a clean, complete offensive contribution.The Cardinals also got strong pitching, led by Jefferson Moran, who worked five scoreless innings and allowed only three hits. Yadiel Batista covered three innings, and Jesús García finished the ninth.Palm Beach has had a tough week, but Saturday was a needed reset. The Cardinals got the early lead, added insurance, pitched clean baseball and closed out Daytona.Frias helped set the tone.His power showed up. His speed showed up. And Palm Beach got back in the win column.That earns the spotlight.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Alexander Frias, RF, Palm Beach Cardinals Final Line: 1-for-3, HR, RBI, R, BB, SB The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Alexander Frias, Palm Beach Cardinals &nbsp;| MLB

MiLB Player of the Day: Alexander Frias

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle 

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle is dedicated to preserving Cardinals history, covering today’s game, and following the next generation through the minor leagues. Written in the tradition of the old beat writers, it’s baseball with perspective — steady, faithful, and rooted in a lifelong love for the game.

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle, Ray Mileur

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Báez Makes History at Wrigley

After Báez Makes History, Cardinals Go for Series Win at ...

MiLB Player of the Day: Alexander Frias