JUPITER, Fla. — One of the biggest decisions the Cardinals have to make this spring is who will become the starting left fielder. It’s too early to make that call, but Dylan Carlson’s bid appears to be getting stronger by the day.
Carlson reached base in each of his first three plate appearances on Saturday with a walk, a bloop single and a double that ignited a three-run seventh and carried the Cardinals to the win over the Nationals.
That extended Carlson’s streak of reaching base to eight consecutive plate appearances before he finally was retired in his final at-bat, the first out he had made since Tuesday. The 21-year-old is now hitting .500 for the spring and also has drawn four walks.
He was not aware of his streak of reaching base, partly because it has been spread over three games and four days.
“It felt like I had been getting on a lot but I wasn’t really too aware of it,” Carlson said.
His teammates, and manager, are watching and taking notice of what Carlson is accomplishing. He got the start in center field on Saturday.
“I’m not surprised at all,” said shortstop Paul DeJong. “He has no fear. He comes up here and plays his game. He has all the tools you need to be a big-leaguer right now. … He’s doing great with his expectations. He feels everybody around him knows how good he can be and how he can impact this team and it’s not fazing him in the slightest. Props to him.”
Manager Mike Shildt just appreciates the way Carlson has gone about his job.
“You’re just seeing a good player,” Shildt said. “We use the word consistent a lot – consistent approach, consistent technique. You’re seeing a good player with a plan and the ability to execute it. It’s just going out and trusting his approach and playing.”
Carlson said he has just concentrated on one simple goal this spring.
“There’s so much stuff I learn every day,” Carlson said. “I ask a lot of questions. They (the veterans) probably get tired of it honestly. … I try to just keep it as simple as possible. Literally I just try to find a way to get better every day, wherever that leads me. I’ve been able to find a lot of ways to get better.”
Here is how Saturday’s game broke down:
High: In his first start of the spring, Carlos Martinez worked three hitless innings. He did issue three walks, but also recorded four strikeouts.
Low: Jake Woodford allowed all three Washington runs in the seventh, including a two-run homer.
At the plate: DeJong became the first Cardinal to hit two home runs this spring with his solo shot in the second off Patrick Corbin as he hit in the cleanup spot. Eight other players have hit one home run … Tommy Edman had two hits and two RBIs … Andrew Knizner contributed a sacrifice fly.
On the mound: Three relievers expected to make the team, Tyler Webb, Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos, followed Martinez to the mound and combined for four scoreless innings. Helsley had to pitch around two walks in his two innings of work.
Off the field: Yairo Munoz likely will miss about a week because of a sore hamstring, the result of trying to beat out an infield hit … The Cardinals decided to give Matt Carpenter an extra day off as a result of the back tightness he experienced earlier this week. He is expected to play on Sunday … Because of the larger than normal number of pitchers in camp, the Cardinals had several of them throw live batting practice to the extra hitters on Saturday, including top prospect Matthew Liberatore … Mikes Mikolas, who will begin the regular season on the injured list because of a sore arm, will start playing catch about March 11, Shildt said … Justin Williams did not play on Saturday, meaning Austin Dean is the only Cardinal to appear in each game of the spring.
Up next: The Cardinals will play the Astros in West Palm Beach on Sunday. Austin Gomber is the scheduled starter, to be followed by John Gant, Junior Fernandez and Kodi Whitley.
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Here are the postcards from rearlier in the week
Postcard from Cardinals camp for Friday, Feb. 28
Weather: 61 degrees, sunny
Result: Mets 3, Cardinals 2
It wasn’t a perfect outing, and he ended up as the losing pitcher, but there were multiple reasons to be encouraged about Alex Reyes and his performance for the Cardinals on Friday against the Mets.
After struggling with his command in his first appearance of the spring, Reyes showed much better control in his second outing – except for one pitch, which ended up being a game-winning home run for the Mets in the eighth inning of the game in Port St. Lucie.
Before that, Reyes got a ground out and a swinging strike for a strikeout. He also had another strikeout to end his scheduled one-inning appearance.
Here is how Friday’s game broke down:
High: Daniel Ponce de Leon, fighting for a spot on the pitching staff as either a starter or reliever, turned in three scoreless innings, allowing two hits, not walking anybody and striking out four.
Low: In his first game of the spring, Andrew Miller struggled with his control as he issued a walk, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch.
At the plate: Paul Goldschmidt hit his first home run off the spring, off Mets’ starter Marcus Stroman … The other run for the Cardinals came on a pinch-hit home run by Austin Dean in the eighth … The Cardinals had only four other hits, two by Harrison Bader, who raised his spring average to .357 … The Cardinals were hitless in seven at-bats with a runner in scoring position.
On the mound: Adam Wainwright allowed one run in three innings in his second spring start, both coming in Port St. Lucie. If the current pitching rotation stands, each of Wainwright’s first four starts of the spring could come on the road against the Mets.
Up next: Carlos Martinez will make his first spring start and second appearance on Saturday when the Cardinals host the Washington Nationals in Jupiter.
