SAN DIEGO — No matter what the Cardinals saw from Luken Baker in his limited swing in the majors, the starting lineup has been tempered by the reality that his minutes will be limited and sporadic at best. If he is even eligible to participate, why is his performance different from previous years? ?
Baker, a big-time rookie who hit 33 home runs in Class AAA this season, started all three games of the weekend series at Petco Park and scored the Cardinals’ only RBI in Sunday’s ugly loss. Baker’s two-run homer hurt pitcher Michael Wacha’s batting lineup, making it the first baseman’s second home run in the major leagues and giving him a hit in every game against San Diego. More playtime will follow.
“I’m going to go there every day, so I’m going to judge now, what is it like?” manager Oliver Marmol said. “I want to run Baker quite a bit to get him into that rhythm.”
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Baker, 26, started three consecutive games for the first time in his major league career. Previously, he bounced between levels, earning a spot start at designated hitter or first base when the regulars were off. In 10 of his first 24 games, he appeared as a mid-game or late-game substitute, and in nine of those games he appeared in just one at-bat. For a rookie who could have played the same position as current National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt, or a lower DH in the power rankings, there wasn’t a lot of playing time.
Season-ending injuries to Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Alec Burleson left last week with playing time, but the plan is to see how Baker uses it.
“I think the first few times I came here, I was trying to do a little bit too much and prove that I was a little too much,” Baker said. “It (playing time) makes things a lot better and makes it a lot easier to adapt to what I’m seeing and what I’m feeling. Before playing the last few days, whether I’m going to play or not. , I feel like I have a better routine of getting ready every day.”
In his first at-bat Sunday, Baker saw two pitches from Wacha — a fastball that set up a plunging changeup, and a plunging changeup. Baker ran out to the middle of the field. In his second at-bat, he grounded out with a fastball. But in his third at-bat as a starter, he looked for the pitch he knew Washa had prepared for him to see.
Washa dropped a changeup on a one-on-one pitch, and Baker jumped on the ball that floated too high and hit a two-run homer over the right-center field wall. Marmol agreed with the explanation that Baker has a rhythmic ability. It comes from a swing that has been adjusted through use. Playing time can help with that rhythm. Power is up to him.
“I know I belong here,” Baker said. “I earned my way here. There’s nothing left to do but be yourself.”
Lots of promotions, no Gomez.
In the final weeks of the season, the Cardinals placed several regulars on injured reserve, ruling out the return of regulars from Arenado to Nolan Gorman and Burleson to Tyler O’Neal. However, despite roster turnover, one of the most prolific power hitters in the minors over the past two years failed to advance.
Moises Gomez, who hit 30 home runs for the second consecutive year with the Cardinals, remained in Class AAA Memphis this season, but other outfielders and right-handed hitters on the 40-man roster, including Baker and Juan Yepez, have made strides recently.
Team selection provides a window into whether Gomez fits into their future.
Gomez, 25, played in 130 games with the Triple-A Redbirds, hitting 30 home runs and 79 RBIs, with 178 strikeouts in 510 at-bats. A year ago, he set a Cardinals minor league record with 39 home runs and 94 total RBIs for the top two teams. He posted a .995 OPS in 2022, but that has dropped to .750 this season. His on-base percentage decreased from .371 to .293, and his slugging percentage decreased from .624 to .457.
Factors that keep Gomez in the minors include the Cardinals’ prioritization of defense in the outfield and recent efforts to limit playing time for players competing for roles and players expected to start in 2024.
“Is Gomez coming in and going to play against (Lars) Nootvaar and Walker?” No,” Marmol explained when asked about the slugger’s absence from the majors. “Is he going to play (Richie) Palacios against the right side? Probably not. Is he going to go DH over Baker? Because you have to look at some of the players that are there every day. I don’t know if the at-bat was really there.”
The Cardinals’ promotion of Irving Lopez and addition of him to the 40-man roster ahead of the series in San Diego is tied to their preference for infielders who can start at multiple positions, including third, which makes him gave them an advantage in promotion. Outfielder Michael Ciani was also promoted ahead of Gomez due to his speed and defensive ability.
Romero returns home
Jojo Romero, a left-handed reliever who the Cardinals hope will be part of their 2024 late-season pitching options, has returned to his home near Los Angeles to deal with family issues. That interrupted his rehab schedule, allowing him to return to the bullpen during this week’s series in Milwaukee.
Romero planned to simulate two innings in a bullpen session over the weekend to see how his injured knee would respond to long practices and breaks between innings.
The Cardinals have not ruled out the possibility of Romero returning for the final series of the regular season, but there is limited opportunity for him to test his knee in the bullpen.
extra base
Macyn Wynn’s knuckleball home run on Friday night made him the youngest Cardinal to hit a home run in San Diego since the longtime Padres fixture.
Wynn hit his home run at the age of 21 years, 185 days, making him slightly older than Garry Templeton, who hit a home run against his future team for the Cardinals at 21 years, 159 days. Albert Pujols hit his first home run in San Diego when he was 21 years and 230 days old, then he hit another home run when he was 21 years and 231 days old, and then again when he was 21 years and 232 days old.
● With Drew Lom starting Sunday, the Cardinals recorded their 64th home run by a left-handed pitcher this season, the first since 1995 when they had 70.