Result: Marlins 11, Cardinals 5
Weather: 84 degrees, partly cloudy
By Rob Rains
JUPITER, Fla. – On the day when he was officially named the starting pitcher for the Cardinals on opening day, Sonny Gray could not get out of the second inning on Sunday – or the third, or the fourth, or the fifth.
“That’s the most spring training game I’ve ever been a part of,” Gray said. “Probably never happened before and won’t ever happen again. It was weird. The goal was to get five ups, it was just a roundabout way of getting there.”
Thanks to the re-entry rule in spring training, Gray was allowed to come back into the game – three times – after leaving in the second. He was pulled again an inning later after allowing two walks, a home run and a single sandwiched around two strikeouts.
Gray came back again to pitch the fourth but faced only four batters, giving up two singles and a double with one strikeout, before again coming out of the game. He came back again to start the fifth inning and faced two batters, before this time leaving for good.
“It’s spring training, it doesn’t matter,” Gray said. “It ultimately doesn’t matter. When the regular season starts, that’s what matters. Then you will see where you’re at.”
The results made it a long day for Gray in what has been a difficult spring. He was charged with eight runs, walked five and saw his spring ERA rise to 13.97, retiring only nine of the 19 hitters he faced.
Gray will have one more start this spring before the March 27 game against the Twins at Busch Stadium.
“In talking to Sonny he’s confident that he is in a good spot and I trust him as much as anybody,” said manager Oli Marmol.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
High: Luken Baker hit his team-leading fourth home run.
Low: Victor Scott II and Michael Siani were both picked off first base on back-to-back plays.
At the plate: Ivan Herrera and Siani were the only Cardinals with a two-hit day … Herrera and Brendan Donovan each singled in a run and Masyn Winn also added a sacrifice fly.
On the mound: The Cardinals used three minor-leaguers to get out of the innings that Gray didn’t finish, with Andre Granillo also coming back into the game … Matthew Liberatore worked the final three innings without allowing a run on three hits while striking out two. He lowered his spring ERA to 1.42.
Roster moves: The Cardinals cut their roster to 31 players after the game, with Matt Koperniak and Thomas Saggese the most prominent players reassigned to the minor league camp. The other 11 players sent out were infielders Michael Helman, Cesar Prieto and R.J. Yeager, outfielders Nathan Church and Ryan Vilade, catchers Gavin Collins, Wade Stauss, Chance Sisco and Yohel Puzo and pitchers Michael Gomez and Granillo.
Worth noting: The opening day start will be the fourth for Gray, his first with the Cardinals, and first since he was with the Reds in 2020. Gray was supposed to start on opening day last season before a spring training injury knocked him out of that assignment … Phil Maton threw a live batting practice on Sunday and how he recovers will determine his next assignment, most likely a game on the back fields … Jordan Walker, after returning to the lineup on Saturday, was on the back fields on Sunday so he could get in multiple at-bats in the controlled setting. He is expected back in the lineup for Monday’s game … Marmol said he intends to have his 26-man roster that will begin the season set by the end of the spring camp next Sunday. The Cardinals will fly to Memphis on Monday March 24 for a game against their Triple A affiliate on their way to St. Louis.
Up next: Erick Fedde, who has allowed seven runs in his 10 innings this spring, will get the start on Monday when the Cardinals play the Nationals in West Palm Beach.
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