Division-shaking week of contrast lifts Cardinals ahead of Brewers in N.L. Central
On the morning of August 1st, everything was fine in Milwaukee.
The Brewers had spent the entire month of July in first place in the NL Central and extended their lead to 3.0 games over the Cardinals thanks to a streak of seven wins in nine games. The offense rolled, with at least six runs scored in six of those seven wins. And they had the strongest back-of-the-bullpen 1-2 in baseball with All-Stars Josh Hader and Devin Williams, with both relievers averaging more than 14 strikeouts per nine innings. They were the clear leaders in the division.
All is not well in Milwaukee on the morning of August 9th.
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The Brewers have lost five of their last six games, battling the Reds and Pirates, two teams at the back of the Central who have spent the days leading up to the Aug. 2 trading deadline figuring out which key players to send away in exchange for those interested could help years later. They are now second in the NL Central, a full two games behind the Cardinals. And the worst thing is that they no longer have quarrels. That, folks, was amazing.
A year before the free hand, the left reserve, who has 125 saves, 15.8 K/9 and 2.54 ERA/2.63 FIP since the start of the 2018 season, was traded to the Padres on Aug. 1. The Brewers traded Hader to San Diego in exchange for a package featuring Padres closer Taylor Rogers – who had 28 saves and a 4.35 ERA – as well as respected prospects Robert Gasser and Esteury Ruiz and pitcher Dinelson Lamet, who was put on the waiver and by was claimed by the Rockies. The Brewers took another step to replace Hader, trading for reliever Matt Bush, who had a 2.95 ERA with Rangers this season.
Right now, we’re pointing out what every Brewers fan already knows: all five losses since Hader’s trade have been either one or two runs, and two have been walk-off mode.
In those five losses, Milwaukee-Reliefs gave up 11 earned runs (15 total). In the walk-off loss in Pittsburgh on August 3, Williams gave up a solo homer in the ninth inning by Bryan Reynolds. The next day, the Pirates scored twice in the 10th in front of Bush thanks to the magic runner, a double, two intentional walks and a wild pitch that Reynolds used to hit the winning run.
Fellow Brewers newcomer Rogers gave up the starting gun in game eight against Cincinnati on Sunday, a game Milwaukee eventually lost 4-2 in 10 innings. The Reds scored twice in the 10th against Williams; The magic runner crossed the plate with an infield single from Aristides Aquino and a throwing error from third baseman Mike Brosseau, then a sacrificial fly. It’s not Williams’ fault, of course, but it’s an example of how everything seems to have fallen apart over the past week.
The truth is, you have a hard time imagining a deadline trade that backfired so quickly and so spectacularly. Maybe it will work in the long run. For now, though, the unnecessary — remember Hader wasn’t set to become a free agent until after the 2023 season, and the Brewers have consistently maintained that the trade isn’t a financial necessity — is the remodeling of an open-plan office, which was the team’s greatest strength looks like a series of disastrous decisions by General Manager David Stearns. It’s only early August, of course, but it’s amazing how quickly the division has turned around.
Because while the debacle is happening at the Brewers, the opposite happened at the Cardinals. You won’t find a better week for St. Louis.
FAGAN: DeJong delivers in clutch for Cardinals
St. Louis has won seven straight games, including all six since the close, beating the Cubs and the Yankees. The Cardinals traded for two starting pitchers; Jose Quintana conceded just one hit in his brilliant six-inning debut, and Jordan Montgomery conceded just two hits in his five-inning debut, shutting his former team — the Yankees — out of the contest. And that’s the other thing: While the Brewers lost two out of three to the Reds, the Cardinals swept the Yankees, who entered the series with the best record in baseball.
| cardinals | brewer | |
| Won Lost Record | 6-0 | 1-5 |
| runs scored | 34 | 26 |
| runs allowed | 17 | 30 |
Third baseman Nolan Arenado went 10 to 21 with three homers and eight RBIs against the Cubs and Yankees — he was named NL Player of the Week — and fellow cornerstone player Paul Goldschmidt hit .389 with two homers and six RBIs. Oh, and long-fighting shortstop Paul DeJong has returned with a bang after spending months in the minors and raising questions about whether he’d ever wear a Cardinals jersey again. He had the biggest hit on Friday night — a two-run double in the eighth inning of a 4-3 win over the Yankees — and provided some much-needed respite on Sunday with his three-run homer in the eighth inning the Cardinals fielded , 12-8. They won 12:9.
“Earlier in the year I might have dreaded an opportunity like this, but now I’m grateful for an opportunity like this after everything that’s happened this year,” DeJong told reporters Friday night. “I’m just really happy to be back here and contributing as I am.”
It’s also no coincidence that the Cardinals are winning now that Yadier Molina is back after missing a few months with a knee problem. He spent most of his time working his way back in his native Puerto Rico. St. Louis hasn’t lost in the six games since returning to the clubhouse, and the Cardinals are suddenly back where they spent so many days in Molina’s 19 years with the club: first place in the NL Central.
What a difference a week – and range-shattering trade – makes.