Postcard from Cardinals spring training camp for Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Result: Mets 6, Cardinals 1
Weather: Partly cloudy, 86 degrees
By Rob Rains
JUPITER, Fla. – One of the competitions in the final stretch of spring training games for the Cardinals will be to see who can come away with the final spots in the bullpen.
The team has four spots in the bullpen already decided – lefthander JoJo Romero and righthanders Riley O’Brien, Ryne Stanek and Matt Svanson. They likely will fill the three openings with a left-hander and two right-handers.
Packy Naughton, a non-roster candidate for the lefthanded job, remained perfect for the spring with a 1-2-3 inning on Tuesday in the loss to the Mets in Port St. Lucie.
Naughton, coming back after missing almost two years because of arm and elbow injuries, has not allowed a run in five innings this spring. He has struck out six and not allowed a walk.
The leading candidates to win the final righthanded spots appear to be George Soriano, acquired from the Nationals right at the start of spring training, and Chris Roycroft. Soriano has allowed only one unearned run, also with no walks, in four innings. Roycroft has worked five scoreless innings this spring with five strikeouts and no walks.
Also still in the competition are Ryan Fernandez, Matt Pushard and Scott Blewett.
Here is how Tuesday’s game broke down:
High: Non-roster outfielder Nelson Velazquez hit his second homer of the spring.
Low: O’Brien’s four walks came in just 2/3 of an inning as only 11 of his 27 pitches were strikes. He also threw a wild pitch.
At the plate: The homer from Velazquez was one of only three hits for the Cardinals … Victor Scott II had a double, but then got picked off second … Scott and Yohel Pozo were the only players in the lineup expected to be on the opening day roster … After hitting two homers on Monday, Chase Davis struck out three times … The team was 0-of-9 with a runner in scoring position.
On the mound: Minor-league pitcher Jared Shuster got the start in the bullpen game, allowing seven hits and four runs in three innings … Pushard gave up a run and three hits in one inning … Blewett worked a scoreless inning.
Worth noting: Davis was one of three players reassigned to the minor leagues along with pitchers Max Rajcic and Bruce Zimmerman. The moves left 43 players in camp.
Up next: The Cardinals will be on the road again on Wednesday, taking on the Nationals in West Palm Beach. Dustin May will get the start.
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