Mike Shildt Needs to Put Jose Martinez in the Lineup for NLCS Game 3 to Spark the Offense
By Chris Russo
After a rough first two games at home, the St. Louis Cardinals need an offensive jolt as they try to save their season against the Nationals, with the series shifting to the nation's capital.
The Nationals' starting pitching was outstanding in Games 1 and 2, but nothing excuses the Cardinals lackluster offense, whose best hitter in that stretch wasn't even a starter. The Cards plated just one run in two games at home, and now head to D.C. in a two-game deficit.
Mike Shildt says #STLCards will consider starting Jose Martinez in Game 3. He has two of the team's four hits in the series. "You can't ignore the fact he's taken good at-bats ... It's good to know that Jose is in a good place and taking good at-bats."
— Cardinals Magazine (@CardsMagazine) October 13, 2019
Manager Mike Shildt will likely be making the right move if he puts Jose Martinez in the Cardinal lineup in Game 3. The biggest thing to take away from the note above is not that Shildt is considering starting Martinez, but the fact the team only had four hits in the first two games.
Martinez provided probably the biggest highlight of the series for the Cardinals so far (excluding the one run they've scored). He broke up Anibal Sanchez's no-hitter in the eighth inning in Game 1. Also, guess who drove in that lone run for the Cardinals?
We'll have what he's having! pic.twitter.com/hZOup7BZ1z
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) October 12, 2019
It's almost as if the Cardinals went to sleep after their monster first inning in Atlanta in Game 5 of the NLDS. The Cards went scoreless in the 23 innings between the third inning of that game and Martinez's hit on Saturday
If Shildt decides to start Cafecito Monday, then perhaps we'll get to see at least one more game at Busch Stadium this year.