veteran pitcher Adam Wainwright to the active roster could throw a wrench in the Cubs’ plans
Cardinals Make Surprising Roster Move Ahead of Weekend Series Against Cubs
The Chicago Cubs’ must-win weekend just got a little more challenging thanks to a last-minute roster change by their bitter rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals.
By Oliver Vandervoort
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The rivalry between the Cubs and Cardinals may not receive as much attention as the one between the Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers, but it is still one of the most intense in all of baseball. And this weekend, it will be reignited as the two teams face off in a crucial series for the Cubs.
The Cubs are currently trailing the Brewers in the standings and need to win this series in order to keep up with their division rivals. However, the Cardinals, who are not in contention for the playoffs, have just made a move that could complicate things for the Cubs.
Veteran pitcher Adam Wainwright has been added to the Cardinals’ active roster, giving them a strong arm on the mound for the upcoming series. This unexpected move could throw a wrench in the Cubs’ plans and make their must-win weekend even more challenging.
The Bitter Rivalry Between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals Continues as They Face Off This Weekend
As the Milwaukee Brewers dominate the headlines, the intense rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals is often overlooked. However, this weekend’s series is a crucial one for the Cubs as they try to keep up with the Brewers. Meanwhile, the Cardinals may be out of the running, but their recent signing of Jorge Alcala shows they are still determined to play spoiler.
Alcala was recently claimed off waivers from the Boston Red Sox, who had designated him for assignment earlier in the week. The Cardinals had several open spots on their 40-man roster after making some deadline deals. However, since Alcala is out of options, the team will have to make a corresponding move once he joins the team.
This move is just the latest in a series of roster changes for the Cubs’ rival, who had high hopes of competing for the NL Central crown at the start of the season. Despite a strong start, injuries and poor performance led the front office to make the decision to sell.
On July 31, the Cardinals made several trades, including sending closer Ryan Helsley to the Mets and relievers Phil Maton to the Rangers and Steven Matz to the Red Sox. In return, they received six Minor League players.
Alcala began the season with the Minnesota Twins but was traded to the Red Sox in June. While his overall season ERA is not impressive (6.64), he did show improvement during his time in Boston. In 22 games with the Twins, he had an 8.88 ERA, but with the Red Sox, he had a 3.31 earned run average.
One thing Alcala has excelled at this season is striking out batters. In a combined 40 2/3 innings pitched, he has recorded 46 strikeouts. This should be a concern for Cubs fans, as their team has struggled with strikeouts against pitchers who are not known for their strikeout abilities.
