San Diego Padres supervisor Mike Shildt is having fun with his return to St. Louis.
“It is good to come back again,” mentioned Shildt, who managed the Cardinals to a few postseason berths earlier than getting fired after the 2021 season. “Lots of people that you simply need to see and plenty of good relationships, plenty of actually, actually good reminiscences and folks. However largely, it is concerning the Padres coming in and enjoying good baseball.”
The Padres did that Monday evening whereas profitable 7-4 within the opener of a four-game collection, with Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill every driving in three runs. San Diego will bid for its fourth victory in 5 video games when the groups meet once more Tuesday evening.
The Padres obtained an emotional raise over the weekend watching pitcher Yu Darvish and slugger Fernando Tatis Jr. edge nearer to a return. Each are anticipated to come back off the injured record sooner or later in September for the playoff push.
“It is getting actual,” Merrill mentioned. “We’re getting all the way down to crunch time, and we’re getting our boys again, so we’re all excited.”
San Diego will begin Dylan Stop (12-10, 3.43 ERA) on Tuesday. The precise-hander took a hard-luck loss in his final outing whereas permitting three runs, two earned, on 9 hits in 6 1/3 innings in opposition to the New York Mets. He struck out seven batters and walked one.
Stop did not face the Cardinals earlier this season when the groups met. In his solely earlier profession begin in opposition to them, on July 7, 2023, he allowed 5 runs on 11 hits in six innings throughout a no-decision. Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer in opposition to him in that contest.
The Cardinals on Tuesday will give the ball to Miles Mikolas (8-10, 5.19 ERA), who started his profession with the Padres in 2012 and 2013.
Mikolas is coming off a powerful efficiency in opposition to the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday: six shutout innings with simply two hits allowed in a recreation St. Louis ultimately gained 3-0. He struck out three and walked one.
“Going into the tip of the season, I do know we now have plenty of video games which can be in opposition to groups which can be both going to be within the playoffs or attempting to scrap their means there,” Mikolas mentioned. “So each base, each play, each bag, each pitch issues this time of yr.”
He credited some mechanical fixes for his success on Thursday.
“I believe I have been hiding the ball just a little bit higher in my supply … so it retains guys just a little extra sincere on the fastball,” Mikolas mentioned. “I believe it helps my motion on the sinker as effectively. It helps make them two very completely different pitches, one which’s holding the road as a lot as potential after which one the place it is simply type of operating and staying down within the zone and getting beneath the barrel.”
Mikolas earned a 5-2 victory over the Padres on April 2. He allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings whereas hanging out 4 and strolling one.
He’s 3-2 with a 2.55 ERA in seven profession begins in opposition to his former workforce.
–Area Degree Media
