The Cardinals Kick Off the Second Half: A Super Simple Guide

The Buzz Around the Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are a baseball team. Even though they didn’t play any games last week, they might have the most "momentum" (that just means good energy and attention) of any team that had time off. Today starts the second half of the season (think of the season like a book split into two parts).

Here’s why people are suddenly paying attention:

• A player named Jordan Walker was on TV for the Home Run Derby (a fun contest where players hit as many home runs as they can) and did amazing things that got everyone talking.
• Even though the Cardinals are supposed to be in a "rebuilding" phase (meaning they are supposed to be bad while training younger players), more fans are watching them than expected.

Where and When the Games Happen

The final 77 games of the year start at a place called Chase Field in Arizona. The Arizona Diamondbacks (another team) will host the Cardinals there for a three-game series (that means they play three games in a row).

A player named Paul Sewald is happy about this because the stadium has a roof, so rain won’t delay the games.

Important Point: There are only two weeks left until the "trade deadline." That’s the last day teams can swap players with each other. The Cardinals might make things interesting by trading, but some St. Louis players might be leaving soon.

The Diamondbacks Host the Cardinals as the MLB Second Half Begins

Even with Jordan Walker winning the Home Run Derby in a dramatic way, some people will watch him in the second half hoping he fails. They want to blame the derby for any struggles. But here’s the thing:

• Before the season, people thought the Cardinals would win about half their games or fewer.
• Right now, they are 5 games above that halfway mark (they’ve won 5 more than they lost).
• They have a good chance to win more games than they did in the last two years.

So the season is already a win for them, but there’s lots of baseball left to make news.

The Diamondbacks want to pass the Cardinals in the standings (the list of who’s winning). They are:

• 1.5 games behind St. Louis
• 2.5 games away from the last Wild Card spot (a way to get into the playoffs without winning your division)

The Cardinals will pitch (throw the ball) in this order:

1. Michael McGreevy
2. Dustin May
3. Andre Pallante

Game Schedule and Matchups

• Game one (8:40pm): Michael McGreevy vs. Merrill Kelly
• Game two (3:10pm): Dustin May vs. Brandon Pfaadt
• Game three (3:10pm): Andre Pallante vs. Eduardo Rodriguez

Both teams are doing better or worse than they thought before the season. For the Cardinals, being better is good! The Diamondbacks have had a tough time:

• They are in a hard division (group of teams).
• They are 12 games under .500 (meaning they lost 12 more than they won) against good teams (19 wins, 31 losses vs teams at .500 or better).

The pitching matchups might make it hard for batters to hit, especially on Sunday when each team uses their best pitcher (called the "ace").

What to Watch in Each Game

Here’s a simple breakdown of the pitchers:

• Michael McGreevy wants to fix his win-loss record (get more wins). His ERA (a number that shows how good he pitches — lower is better) is 3.01. He faces Merrill Kelly, who has been up and down all year.
• Dustin May wants to show he’s good so the Cardinals might trade him for value (or keep him). He pitches game two against Brandon Pfaadt, who has been doing well since coming back to Arizona’s rotation.
• Andre Pallante has won 10 games. He faces Eduardo Rodriguez, a left-handed pitcher ("southpaw") who is having a great comeback after two bad years.

Wrapping Up the Start

It’s awesome that baseball is back! The second half will be full of stories no matter where the Cardinals end up. If you missed it, the author made a "second half primer" (a little guide) with friends Daniel Shoptaw and Ethan Hannaford to keep the good feelings going.

Summary

• The Cardinals have surprising momentum and attention thanks to Jordan Walker’s Derby show.
• They start the last 77 games in Arizona vs. the Diamondbacks for 3 games.
• The Diamondbacks are close behind in the standings and want to catch up.
• Trade deadline is in 2 weeks, so roster changes may come.
• Pitching matchups are set, with McGreevy, May, and Pallante for St. Louis.
• The Cardinals are already beating expectations and the second half looks fun.

FAQ

Q: What is the Home Run Derby?
A: It’s a contest before the season’s midpoint where players hit home runs for fun and prizes. Jordan Walker did great in it.

Q: What does "rebuilding team" mean?
A: It means a team is expected to be not so good while they train younger or newer players for the future.

Q: What is the trade deadline?
A: It’s a date about two weeks away when teams must stop swapping players. After that, no more trades until next season.

Q: Why is the roof in Arizona good?
A: Because it stops rain from delaying the games, which makes player Paul Sewald happy.