2020 St. Louis Cardinals season

The 2020 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 139th for the St. Louis Cardinals of the Major League Baseball (MLB), a franchise in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the 129th season for the Cardinals in the National League (NL), and their 15th at Busch Stadium III. They enter the season as defending NL Central champions.

2020 St. Louis Cardinals
National League Central 2nd Place
Major League affiliations
Location
Results
Record30–28 (.517)
Divisional place2nd
Other information
Owner(s)William DeWitt Jr.
General manager(s)Mike Girsch
Manager(s)Mike Shildt
Local televisionFox Sports Midwest
(Dan McLaughlin, Rick Horton, Jim Edmonds, Brad Thompson)
Local radioKMOX NewsRadio 1120
St. Louis Cardinals Radio Network
(Mike Shannon, John Rooney, Rick Horton, Mike Claiborne)
StatsESPN.com
BB-reference
< Previous season     Next season >

On March 12, 2020, MLB announced that because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the regular season would be delayed by at least two weeks in addition to the remainder of spring training being cancelled.[1] Four days later, it was announced that the start of the season would be pushed back indefinitely due to the recommendation made by the CDC to restrict events of more than 50 people for eight weeks.[2]

On June 23, commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implemented a 60-game season. Players reported to training camps on July 1 in order to resume spring training and prepare for a July 24 Opening Day.[3]

On July 1, 2020, it was announced the Cardinals would play the Chicago White Sox on August 13 in the inaugural MLB at Field of Dreams game, replacing the New York Yankees.[4] The appearance in Dyersville, Iowa also replaces the team's canceled trip to London in June for a series with National League Central rivals, the Chicago Cubs.[5] On August 3, MLB canceled the Field of Dreams game due to "logistical problems."[6]

The Cardinals made the expanded playoffs but lost to the San Diego Padres in the 2020 National League Wild Card Series. The Cardinals suffered just their second winner-take-all game loss in the postseason over their last 10 winner-take-all postseason games played dating back to 2002 (2012 NLCS Game 7 being the other).

Regular season

On August 13, the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox were scheduled to play the first ever MLB at Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa. But due to the pandemic and the MLB commissioner announcing the 60-game season and that the AL and NL will play against each other in the same division, the Yankees were taken off the match. On July 1, the MLB announced that the Cardinals will replace the Yankees in the game against the White Sox. The game was subsequently postponed to August 12, 2021, with the White Sox' opponent once again being the Yankees. Also, on June 13–14, the Cardinals were supposed to play against the Chicago Cubs in the London Series. But that was also cancelled due to the pandemic.

Game log


2020 St. Louis Cardinals Game Log, 30–28 (.517)
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Postponement
Bold = Cardinals team member

National League Central
NL Central W L Pct. GB Home Road
Chicago Cubs 3426 0.567 — 19–14 15–12
St. Louis Cardinals 3028 0.517 3 14–13 16–15
Cincinnati Reds 3129 0.517 3 16–13 15–16
Milwaukee Brewers 2931 0.483 5 15–14 14–17
Pittsburgh Pirates 1941 0.317 15 13–19 6–22

If rescheduled games are the difference between the 5–8th seed in the playoffs, they are not played. The Cardinals did not play two games.

National League playoff standings
Division Leaders W L Pct.
Los Angeles Dodgers 4317 0.717
Atlanta Braves 3525 0.583
Chicago Cubs 3426 0.567


Division 2nd Place W L Pct.
San Diego Padres 3723 0.617
St. Louis Cardinals 3028 0.517
Miami Marlins 3129 0.517


Wild Card teams
(Top two qualify for postseason)		 W L Pct. GB
Cincinnati Reds 3129 0.517 +2
Milwaukee Brewers 2931 0.483 —
San Francisco Giants 2931 0.483 —
Philadelphia Phillies 2832 0.467 1
Washington Nationals 2634 0.433 3
New York Mets 2634 0.433 3
Colorado Rockies 2634 0.433 3
Arizona Diamondbacks 2535 0.417 4
Pittsburgh Pirates 1941 0.317 10

Record vs. opponents
2020 National League Records

Source: NL Standings Head-to-head

Team CHC CIN MIL PIT STL AL
Chicago —6–45–56–45–512–8
Cincinnati 4–6—6–47–34–610–10
Milwaukee 5–54–6—5–55–510–10
Pittsburgh 4–63–75–5—4–63–17
St. Louis 5–56–45–56–4—8–10


Opening Day lineup
16Kolten Wong2B
19Tommy Edman3B
46Paul Goldschmidt1B
11Paul DeJongSS
13Matt CarpenterDH
  4Yadier MolinaC
25Dexter FowlerRF
41Tyler O'NeillLF
48Harrison BaderCF
22Jack FlahertyP

COVID-19 outbreak

On July 31, 2020, the Cardinals announced two of their players have tested positive for COVID-19. Their game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee that day was postponed. Following additional positive test results, the rest of the three-game series with the Brewers and the four-game series with the Detroit Tigers were also postponed. It was later revealed that there were six staff members who had tested positive and seven players including Yadier Molina, Paul DeJong, Edmundo Sosa, Rangel Ravelo, Junior Fernández, and Kodi Whitley. Because of the timing of a simultaneous move to the IR list, it is speculated that the seventh player was Carlos Martinez,[7] which he later confirmed on his personal Instagram. [8]

As the Cardinals prepared to return to play against the Chicago Cubs again on August 7, three additional members of the Cardinals tested positive for COVID-19.[9] As a result, the three-game series against the Cubs was postponed.[10] A day later, the Cardinals three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates was also postponed.[11] It was later announced that the players were Austin Dean and roommates Ryan Helsley and Lane Thomas. Additionally, one other staff member had newly tested positive bringing the team total of positive tests to 17, including 10 players.[12] Austin Gomber was added to the Covid IL due to contact tracing even though he has not tested positive and returned to play on August 19.[13]

On August 13, it was announced that the Cardinals' season would resume that Saturday with a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. Multiple doubleheaders would be added throughout the season to try to make up as many lost games as possible.[14] As part of a series of roster and staff changes, former third base coach Jose Oquendo returned to the team as an addition to the coaching staff while assistant coach Willie McGee opted out for the season due to personal health concerns.[15] Third base coach Pop Warner returned to the club in time for the August 27 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Cardinals took the unusual step of renting 41 cars and having staff and players drive from St. Louis to Chicago in their own cars to avoid any further outbreaks.[16] The Cardinals returned to play on August 15 with a doubleheader against the White Sox.[17] After finishing the three-game series against the White Sox, the Cardinals played two doubleheaders in three days against the Cubs.[18] In the second game of each doubleheader, the Cardinals were the designated home team.[19] As a result, the Cardinals played eight games in five days.[20] They finished that stretch with a 4–4 record.

Molina was activated and returned to the lineup on August 20 and many of the others affected were expected to return to the team within a week. [21]

Roster
See also: St. Louis Cardinals all-time roster and List of St. Louis Cardinals coaches
2020 St. Louis Cardinals
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Manager

Coaches

  • 88 Patrick Elkins (run production)
  • 90 Roberto Espinoza (bullpen assistant)
  • -- Joey Prebynski (run prevention)
  • 87 Russ Steinhorn (coach)
  • 76 Kleininger Teran (bullpen catcher)


Debuts

The following players made their Major League Baseball debuts during the 2020 season

Postseason

Game log
2020 Postseason (1–2)

Wild Card Series roster
2020 St. Louis Cardinals
NLWCS Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Manager

Coaches

  • 88 Patrick Elkins (run production)
  • -- Joey Prebynski (run prevention)
  • 76 Kleininger Teran (bullpen catcher)

Minor league system and first-year player draft

Teams
See also: List of St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliates, St. Louis Cardinals minor league players, and Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Division Manager W–L/Stats Standing Refs
AAA Memphis Redbirds Pacific Coast American–South
AA Springfield Cardinals Texas North
A+ Palm Beach Cardinals Florida State South
A Peoria Chiefs Midwest Western
A (SS) State College Spikes New York–Penn Pinckney
Rookie Johnson City Cardinals Appalachian West
GCL Cardinals Gulf Coast East
DSL Cardinals Dominican Summer Boca Chica North

References
  1. Mark Feinsand (March 12, 2020). "Opening Day delayed at least 2 weeks; Spring Training games cancelled". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  2. "Opening of regular season to be pushed back". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. March 16, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  3. Feinsand, Mark (June 24, 2020). "Play Ball: MLB announces 2020 regular season". MLB.com. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  4. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29395335/cardinals-replace-yankees-field-dreams-game-white-sox
  5. "MLB London series 2020 between Chicago Cubs and St Louis Cardinals cancelled due to coronavirus". Evening Standard. April 1, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2020..
  6. West, Jenna. "Report: MLB Cancels 'Field of Dreams' Game". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  7. "Carlos Martinez among Cardinals with COVID-19". FanSided. August 1, 2020. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  8. https://www.instagram.com/p/CEDCbyGH4ko/?igshid=1i4y6xfzuyimk
  9. "Cubs-Cards series postponed after positive tests". ESPN.com. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  10. "Cardinals series vs. Cubs postponed as COVID-19 outbreak grows; series vs. Pirates reportedly in jeopardy". CBSSports.com. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  11. "Pirates-Cardinals series this week postponed". ESPN.com. August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  12. "Cardinals series against Pirates postponed as COVID-19 outbreak grows to 10 players, 17 total affected on team". ksdk.com. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  13. https://www.rotoballer.com/player-news/austin-gomber-lands-on-covid-19-il-has-not-tested-positive/766005
  14. Schaeffer, Brenden. "Cardinals to return to play Saturday with doubleheader in Chicago". KMOV.com. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  15. Producer, Dan Greenwald, Digital Content. "Willie McGee opts out of rest of 2020 season". KMOV.com. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  16. Gregor, Scot (August 14, 2020). "Ready or not, Cardinals head to Chicago in 41-vehicle caravan". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  17. "Rust? What rust? Cards sweep DH from Sox". MLB.com. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  18. "Sox, Cards to play doubleheader after Friday's game postponed". NBC Sports Chicago. August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  19. "Cubs listed as road team vs. Cardinals on historic Wrigley Field scoreboard". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  20. "Cubs vs. Cardinals - Game Recap - August 19, 2020 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  21. https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/molina-returns-to-active-roster-and-lineup-as-part-of-a-series-of-roster-moves/article_378e0686-9d84-5dd8-9c05-69fc764e8c53.html
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