Philadelphia Phillies vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Predictions June 1st 2024

Phillies Turn to Ranger Suarez in Rematch vs. Cardinals

The Philadelphia Phillies, the principal group in Significant Association Baseball to arrive at 40 wins this season, will look for their third successive triumph as they proceed with their three-game series against the meeting St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.

On Friday, previous Cardinal Edmundo Sosa assumed a vital part, homering and driving in two runs, while Bryce Harper contributed two hits in the Phillies’ 4-2 win. Johan Rojas added a RBI single, and Brandon Swamp contributed with a twofold and a RBI groundout. Notwithstanding being without Trea Turner, who is sidelined with a stressed hamstring, the Phillies have proceeded with their triumphant routes in the MLB.

“It’s been a big group effort,” Marsh said in a postgame interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “A lot of teams would panic. We’ve got some depth here.”

Sosa has stepped up significantly in Turner’s absence, showcasing the team’s depth and resilience.

“It’s hard to do what he’s doing,” Marsh said of Sosa. “He wasn’t getting much (playing time) at the beginning of the year. … That’s just a tribute to this team.”

Manager Rob Thomson praised his team’s consistent effort and performance, “They’ve played hard and played well every day,” Thomson added.

Pitching Matchup

The Phillies will rely on left-hander Ranger Suarez (9-1, 1.75 ERA) on Saturday. Suarez was undefeated this season until his last start, a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday. He allowed five runs (four earned) on four walks and three hits in six innings.

“The first two innings, I didn’t have command of my changeup or my curveball,” Suarez said. “My fastball wasn’t going for strikes either. I think that was the game right there. When I finally was able to adjust, which I did, we were already five down.”

Suarez has a 1-0 record with a 1.50 ERA in one career start against St. Louis.

Cardinals’ Struggles

Brandon Crawford and Nolan Arenado provided the Cardinals’ offense in Friday’s loss with each hitting a home run. However, St. Louis managed only three hits and went 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position, leaving three on base.

Cardinals rookie Masyn Winn saw his 18-game hitting streak end, flying out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning.

Manager Oliver Marmol expressed respect for Crawford’s performance, noting the challenge of staying sharp when not playing every day.

“When you’re not playing every day, and you’re a guy that’s played a long time… To do what he’s doing for this club is very difficult,” Marmol said. “A lot of respect for that.”

Cardinals’ Pitching and Injury Updates

Right-hander Sonny Gray (7-2, 2.60 ERA) will start for the Cardinals. Gray was impressive in his last outing against the Chicago Cubs, allowing just one hit with eight strikeouts and two walks in five scoreless innings in a 4-3 win.

“With the (rain) delay, it was a long day,” Marmol said. “Sonny’s got a pretty extensive routine and throughout the day just couldn’t get his lower half loose during that game once it started. I didn’t want to push through it, so I called it for him. He did his job.”

Gray holds a 2-1 record with a 2.81 ERA in six career starts against the Phillies.

The Cardinals will be monitoring the health of their roster closely. Left fielder Brendan Donovan was scratched from Friday’s game due to neck stiffness and is listed as day-to-day. Outfielder Lars Nootbaar was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Thursday, with a strained oblique. Infielder Jose Fermin was recalled from Triple-A Memphis to fill the roster spot.

Conclusion

As the Phillies hope to proceed with their series of wins and gain by major areas of strength for them to the season in the MLB, Officer Suarez will mean to return from his last excursion and convey a strong presentation. The Cardinals, then again, will depend on Sonny Dim to keep them serious and trust their offense can offer more help. With the two groups exploring wounds and setup changes, Saturday’s down vows to be a captivating matchup in the MLB. Devotees of the MLB will observe near check whether the Phillies can keep up with their force or on the other hand in the event that the Cardinals can turn their fortunes around.