After an extended break, Matthew Liberatore takes the mound again Saturday, and the Cardinals need a strong effort amid a run of starting pitching problems.
Liberatore and the Cardinals face the Padres at 6:15 p.m. Saturday as they continue a four-game series at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals have taken the first two games after Friday's 3-0 win.
For the left-hander Liberatore (6-7, 4.13 ERA), it will be his first start in two weeks as the Cardinals sought to give him some extra time off as they monitor his innings.
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On Friday, he told Post-Dispatch Cardinals beat writer Daniel Guerrero the extra rest has helped him feel “rejuvenated” as well as mentally “reset.”
The 25-year-old has thrown just over 100 innings, a big-league career high. It's also about 20 innings short of his professional high-water mark at any level.
Liberatore experienced dips in his velocity in a June start against the Royals. Following the start, Liberatore said he felt out of sync with his mechanics.
In his last outing, Liberatore's average fastball velocity was a season-low 93.3 miles per hour, or 1.7mph slower than it was at its peak in three games earlier in the season.
Since June 1, his ERA is 6.00 thanks mostly to three starts in which he allowed five or more runs.
The Cardinals badly need Liberatore to regain his early season effectiveness to steady a rotation that's been extremely ineffective of late, though Miles Mikolas steadied things with a strong outing Friday.
Liberatore leads the Cardinals with 10 quality starts.
Against lefties, the Padres have fared decently well, ranking better offensively than they do vs. righties.
The Padres will start right-hander Randy Vasquez (3-4, 3.73), a pitch-to-contact starter who is reasonably effective despite some of the lowest strikeout and whiff rates in baseball.
The Cardinals are 54-51 and have won two straight games for the first time since late June. They trail San Diego by 1 1/2 games for the final wild-card spot.
The Padres are 55-49.
How to watch Cardinals vs. Padres
When: 6:15 p.m. Saturday
Where: Busch Stadium in ӣƵ
TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest (); KMOX (1120 AM and 104.1 FM), other stations in the as well as .
Your options to watch: Input your ZIP code and see your choices for watching Cardinals games.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Brendan Donovan, 2B
2. Iván Herrera, DH
3. Alec Burleson, LF
4. Willson Contreras, 1B
5. Nolan Arenado, 3B
6. Masyn Winn, SS
7. Jordan Walker, RF
8. Pedro Pagés, C
9. Victor Scott II, CF
P: Matthew Liberatore, LHP
PADRES
1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
2. Luis Arraez, DH
3. Manny Machado, 3B
4. Jackson Merrill, CF
5. Xander Bogaerts, SS
6. Jake Cronenworth, 1B
7. Jose Iglesias, 2B
8. Bryce Johnson, LF
9. Martín Maldonado, C
P: Randy Vasquez, RHP
Injury report
Lars Nootbaar, OF (left costochondral sprain): Nootbaar continued taking swings Thursday with hitting off a tee and soft toss. He said he has been able to go through baseball activities and has responded well as he nears a rehab assignment, which could begin as early as next week. Updated July 24
Nolan Gorman, 2B/3B (back tightness): Has been making progress and is expected to return before Nootbaar as the soreness in his lower-back subsides. He could also begin a rehab assignment by next week. This is a recurring injury for the young infielder, who also dealt with back soreness in previous seasons. Gorman was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday (retroactive to Friday), a day after he scratched from the Cardinals’ starting lineup for their Friday opener in Arizona because of tightness in his back. Before the first half of the season wrapped, Gorman was unavailable from the Cardinals’ bench on July 13 after his “lower back locked up on him,” Marmol said. Updated July 24
Zack Thompson, LHP (shoulder, lat strain): Lefty starter could begin a throwing program next week, Marmol said. Thompson has been sidelined since the start of March and was transferred to the 60-day injured list in early April. There is no timetable for his return to the mound. Updated July 24
