Postcard from Cardinals spring training camp for Saturday, March 14, 2026
Result: Cardinals 7, Marlins 7 (tie, eight innings)
Weather: Cloudy, 83 degrees
By Rob Rains
JUPITER, Fla. – All of the work Nolan Gorman did during the off-season came together on one swing in the Cardinals’ game on Saturday.
The result of the swing was a home run. A year ago, it probably would have been a different result, Gorman said.
“There was a time the past couple of years that I might swing and miss at that pitch just from the barrel being too far under my hands,” Gorman said.
Gorman dedicated his workouts over the winter to trying to adjust where he puts his elbows to give him more space to swing, putting himself in a better position to hit, and land in a better position.
Gorman also had a single, and following the home run, completed a cycle in his last two games. He reached base in six consecutive plate appearances.
“Consistently hitting the ball hard is more important especially right now, but the results are always nice,” he said.
Another difference in Gorman’s game this spring has been a reduction in his strikeouts. When he struck out in his third at-bat on Saturday it was only his fifth strikeout in 34 plate appearances.
“I think it comes down to getting my front foot down on time to allow myself to create that space as I’m going to the ball, as I’m sequencing properly with my lower half,” Gorman said.
Manager Oli Marmol has noticed the difference.
“The approach is there, the swing is there, the adjustments are coming into play, that’s what you like to see,” Marmol said. “He continues to take some really productive at-bats and I’m glad we actually have a little more time down here to allow him to kind of get into the grove and feel really good about it.”
Here is how Saturday’s game broke down:
High: Gorman’s homer was his third of the spring, tying him for the team lead.
Low: Ryan Fernandez retired only one of the five hitters he faced, allowing three hits and a walk, leading to four runs.
At the plate: Nathan Church had two hits, one of them a bunt single, and drove in a run … Jose Fermin, starting again in center field, also had two hits and scored a run … Yohel Pozo struck out in his fourth at-bat, the first time he has struck out in 31 plate appearances this spring … Minor-leaguer Tai Peete, who started as the DH, doubled in two runs and Jeremy Rivas also had a two-run double in a four-run eighth inning.
On the mound: Andre Pallante allowed one run in five innings, giving up three hits, walking three and striking out four … Matt Svanson worked a scoreless inning … After working five consecutive scoreless innings, Packy Naughton allowed his first run of the spring, on a home run, but recorded two more strikeouts.
Worth noting: The game was called after eight innings because of rain … Ramon Urias, who has been dealing with soreness in his elbow, missed his fifth consecutive game … After getting rained out of his start in a minor-league game on Friday, Hunter Dobbins pitched on Saturday, doing everything except covering first base.
Up next: The Cardinals will begin their final week in Florida on Sunday playing the Nationals in Jupiter. Matthew Liberatore will make his next to last start of the spring. There are seven games left on the spring training schedule before the team breaks camp after the game on March 22.
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