(Today's game in Chicago has been postponed due to weather.)
ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - They have identical records, 43-45. Both are well behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central, nine games back. But this weekend, the St. Louis Cardinals have an opportunity to put the Chicago Cubs, a team on the verge of being sellers, out of their misery.
And the once first-place Cubs, who swept the Cards at Wrigley Field a month ago, have a chance to do it again and play spoiler to the season of their biggest rival.
Yes, it's that big of a series.
Let's start with the Cubs. They're back to where they were at the start of the season, a team that sold Yu Darvish to the Padres for prospects, a franchise hanging onto most of its 2016 championship core when it's becoming more apparent that the window has closed. Kris Bryant, Wilson Contreras, Javier Baez – and maybe to a lesser extent, eternal Cub Anthony Rizzo – could be on the move. Closer Craig Kimbrel would certainly help someone out there. The Cubs need to rebuild and reload.
The Cardinals? They could use a reliever. And a starter. And another bat in the lineup, perhaps a power source that can bat lefthanded and play in the outfield.
But if the Cardinals go into the All-Star Break with, let's say, a worst-case scenario of a 43-48 record and 12 games out of first? It's likely over.
Best case? The Cardinals find steady offensive production, stay healthy and sweep the Cubs, the Reds win three straight in Milwaukee, and it's a six-game lead for the Brewers at the break. With 10 more games on the schedule between the Cards and Brewers, it's possible. A long shot, but possible (see 2011).
In the world championship season of 2011, general manager John Mozeliak pulled off a trade that didn't exactly made headlines on SportsCenter, but it was effective and fueled a comeback. (Down 10 1/2 games in August, the club rallied to overtake the Braves for a wild card spot in the National League.)
Mozeliak sent struggling center fielder (but promising prospect) Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays --along with pitchers Trever Miller, Brian Tallet and P.J Walters -- for outfielder Corey Patterson and pitchers Octavio Dotel, Edwin Jackson and Marc Rzepczynski. Dotel and Rzepczynski became major cogs in the bullpen. Jackson provided enough innings as a starter to hold down the rotation and eventually found himself spraying champagne in a World Series-winning clubhouse.
That's the kind of deal that probably works best for an organization that is not interested in trading their future for short-term help, especially with such a big climb ahead of them. There's no guarantee that one person can help this team now, but a wholesale change could be in order. Especially with an immediate need for pitching and no return of Jack Flaherty or Miles Mikolas on the horizon.
That's the Cardinals' biggest need/want: A starting pitcher who can throw strikes, record outs and log innings. Wade LeBlanc, Friday's starter at Wrigley Field, went 5 2/3 scoreless frames in his last outing. Saturday's starter, Kwang Hyun Kim, is capable. He went seven scoreless in his last start. Adam Wainwright, who will go Sunday, has been the most consistent starter since Flaherty's oblique injury sidelined him for a good portion of the season.
Johan Oviedo was optioned to Memphis (AAA) on Friday morning to make room for bullpen help and the Cardinals don't really need a fifth starter until the Cubs come to Busch Stadium July 19-22. Will they be in a position to add impactful pitching by the July 30 trade deadline?
It really depends on the result of this series at Wrigley Field.
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