Cardinals next four games are against the Brewers

If it feels like the Cardinals just played the Brewers, they sort of did. The Cardinals entered play on 4/20 at 6-9 after just having swept the Pirates. Alex Crisafulli previewed that series and the Cardinals won three of four moving them oh so close to .500 on the season. Since that time, the Cardinals have won three of five to put them right at 12-12 while the Brewers swept the Reds and lost two of three to the Braves to put them right at 13-13 before this four-game set in St. Louis.

FanGraphs really likes the Cardinals’ chances in this series with tonight’s game with the lowest winning percentage for the Cardinals at 58.3%. The Brewers are a little banged up at the moment. Ryan Braun is day-to-day with arm issues. He has hit very well early on this season with a 146 wRC+.

Braun’s meager totals are small potatoes compared to Eric Thames, who has been fantastic so far this season with a 219 wRC+. Thames did have a hamstring issue, but played in the weekend’s games, but did not record a home run. That likely wouldn’t be notable for most players, but Thames has now gone homerless in four straight games, the second time he’s done that this season. The only other time he was hoemrless that long, he followed it up with six homers in five games.

As for the rest of the team, Orlando Arcia still shows promise and gotten decent results of late. Hernan Perez has less promise, but has gotten very good results early in the season. The team has gotten surprisingly good production from the catcher position in Jett Bandy and Manny Pina. Travis Shaw and Domingo Santana have been decent while Jonathan Villar and Keon Broxton have been awful.

In tonight’s game, Zach Davies will get the ball for Milwaukee. Davies has pitched better than his 6.57 ERA indicates as his peripherals have been nearly league average. The Cardinals got to him for four runs when they played a few weeks ago, but Davies is coming off his best start of the season, throwing five shutout innings against the Reds with six strikeouts and just one walk. Michael Wacha will go for the Cardinals.

On Tuesday, Wily Peralta pitches for the Brewers. Peralta hasn’t been any good in several years and hasn’t done anything to make people think he’s any different this season. The Cardinals scored six against him in four innings when they matched up recently and Peralta did not strike any batters out. That is one of just four starts of at least four innings and no strikeouts this season, per Baseball-Reference Play-Index, witht the other starts being made by Alex Cobb, Kendall Graveman, and Jaime Garcia. Carlos Martinez will get the start for St. Louis.

Wednesday night, Chase Anderson goes for Milwaukee. Anderson has been the Brewers most effective starter this season, due in no small part to giving up just one homer in 30 innings. His strikeout and walk numbers are decent and he pitched six solid innings against the Cardinals, striking out six against one walk but the Cardinals scored three runs on the Brewers bullpen as the Cardinals won 4-1. He wasn’t great his last time out with just two strikeouts against three walks against the Braves. The Cardinals leading hitter (min. 10 PA), Adam Wainwright, will go for St. Louis.

Thursday afternoon, righty Jimmy Nelson—who sounds more like a lefty to me for some reason—will pitch for the Brewers. Nelson started the season with two strong performances, but hasn’t gotten decent results over the last three, striking out eight against 10 walks with 16 runs in 15.2 innings. He walked six in his game agains the Cardinals earlier this year. Lance Lynn will take the mound for St. Louis. Since giving up three homers against the Nationals, Lynn has given up just two runs in his last 19 innings.

Tonight, May 1, 7:15 pm CT, Fox Sports Midwest

Tuesday, May 2, 7:15 pm CT, Fox Sports Midwest

Wednesday, May 3, 7:15 pm CT, Fox Sports Midwest

Thursday May 4, 12:45 pm CT, Fox Sports Midwest