How Cardinals geared spring training

JUPITER, Fla. — That same tone Sonny Gray helped set with the emphatic bullpen sessions and demonstrative fundamental work early in spring training, the Cardinals will trust their new right-hander to do for the season as they prep him to be the opening day starter.

The Cardinals have set his spring training pitching schedule for the purpose of naming Gray their opening day starter. If he remains on schedule, the centerpiece addition of the winter will make his Cardinals’ debut at Dodger Stadium against the Dodgers on March 28. An official announcement from the club is expected in the near future.

For Gray, it will be his fourth career opening day start.

For the Cardinals, it will be a rarity.

Weather permitting, for only the third time since 1910 the Cardinals will have a first-year Cardinal as their opening day starter. The last time it happened was 2008 when Kyle Lohse, a free-agent added during spring training, started opening day – but he was not the announced starter. A rainout the day before shifted the official opening day away from Adam Wainwright’s scheduled start to Lohse’s just a few weeks after signing. Before him, the only other first-year Cardinals to start opening day were Darryl Kile (2000), Andy Benes (1996), Vic Willis (1910), and Jack Taylor (1904).

That means, for context, the Cardinals never had a first-year pitcher start opening day while they called Sportsman’s Park home, per research by the team’s media relations.

Gray finished second in the voting for American League Cy Young Award this past season. The right-hander went 808 with a 2.79 ERA in 184 innings for Minnesota before leaving as a free agent and choosing the Cardinals ahead of other suitors. Gray, 34, signed a three-year, $75-million deal that includes a team option for 2027 that would make him the first ever $100-million free-agent pitcher signed by the Cardinals.

In his three previous opening day starts, Gray is 2-0 and has allowed a total of one run in 22 innings. It was a solo homer hit by C.J. Cron on opening day 2020. Gray started two opening days for Oakland and then opening day in that shortened 2020 season for Cincinnati.

Gray’s first opening day start came in his second big-league season as he pitched six scoreless innings against Cleveland for the A’s to begin 2014. The A’s lost the game, 2-0, on runs scored in the ninth. The next season, Gray began the season with eight shutout innings against Texas for an 8-0 Oakland victory. Gray pitched six innings and struck out nine in his start for the Reds to open 2020.

Whether he’s throwing a bullpen session, working on bunting drills, or facing hitters for the first time, Gray’s outings have drawn a crowd and he’s put on a compelling show with his command, direction, and narration of what he wants to accomplish.

The schedule the Cardinals set this week – the first with the full squad at spring workouts – revealed their plan for Gray’s debut and how they could roll out their rotation.

Gray faced hitters in live batting practice Sunday ahead of other members of the rotation. Miles Mikolas followed Monday with his first live batting practice session against teammates, and newcomer Kyle Gibson threw his live BP on Tuesday.

The Cardinals open their 2024 regular season with eight games in eight days before their first off day, and that begins with a four-game series in LA and a three-game series in San Diego. The Cardinals have discussed going with a six-man rotation for the opening stretch of the regular season, and they are still discussing how to arrange the rotation after Gray. The appearance of Mikolas and Gibson for live batting practice gives some indication, but Cardinals could adjust.

Gray’s regular-season debut with the Cardinals will come on the same day the Dodgers introduce Shohei Ohtani to his new home crowd. While likely to DH that day, Ohtani will not pitch as he’s recovering from elbow surgery. The Dodgers will have already played two games in Korea before hosting the Cardinals for their opening day.

The Cardinals officially announced that Zack Thompson and Matthew Liberatore will start Saturday’s Grapefruit League openers. In a curious wrinkle to their exhibition schedule, the Cardinals will start with a split-squad doubleheader, playing afternoon games at Roger Dean Stadium and also against the Mets in Port St. Lucie, Florida. It has not yet been decided which lefty will start the road game.

Asked if he might make it a competition of some sort, manager Oliver Marmol deadpanned that he would just likely pick one.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Benjamin Hochman joins baseball writer Derrick Goold from the Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla., immediately after the team’s first full-squad workout of spring training. Hochman suggests that the tone he wants to see from the team as it readies for the 2024 season is “restoration,” as in restoring what eroded during the 91 losses and last-place finish of 2023. Goold suggests that fans should watch for “urgency” and how it manifest even in the drills of spring but certainly the crispness of play. It’s an urgent year for the Cardinals, especially if they insist on drawing a line that the losing season is over and they’re continuing contending not fading into a rebuild. Video is from Feb. 19, 2024.

Pitcher Sonny Gray wants to be an ‘open book’ for his new Cardinals teammates and coaches

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Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado eager to let his actions speak: ‘I have something to prove again’

Cardinals’ highly touted prospect Tekoah Roby will introduce himself in big-league camp

Hochman: How one day, pitching for Mizzou, changed career of Cardinals starter Kyle Gibson

Hochman: Even if the 2024 Cardinals crack the playoffs, are they built to make the World Series?

Photos: Cardinals Spring training full-squad workouts in Jupiter on Feb. 20

An early morning fan arriving to watch spring training walks outside the fence along the outfield as the shadow of a palm tree fills the scene at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Max Rajcic throws to live batters at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Catcher Willson Contreras works on blocking technique with Pedro Pagés in the bullpen at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

The visor of catcher Willson Contreras reflects the Florida sunshine as Contreras takes batting practice at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Nolan Gorman fields a ball and throws to first base during fielding drills at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Catcher Willson Contreras works in the batting cage at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Catcher Aaron Antonini does drills against a wall at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Pitcher Tink Hence stretches at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Lars Nootbaar takes batting practice at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Catchers head to the field for day two of full squad workouts at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

First base coach Stubby Clapp uses his fungo bat to hit grounders to fielders during drills at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Starting pitcher Lance Lynn talks with a teammate during practice at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Alfonso Rivas tosses to first base during fielding drills at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Starting pitcher Sonny Gray does drills against a wall at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Paul Goldschmidt takes batting practice at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Dylan Carlson walks to the batter’s box for a few swings at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Pitcher Max Rajcic shakes hands with catcher Iván Herrera after throwing to live batters at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Brendan Donovan throws to first base during fielding drills at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch

Brendan Donovan putts a baseball back to the batting practice pitcher at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch