The biggest speed bump for the Cardinals’ lineup has been strikeouts, with 15 on Sunday, 17 on Monday, and a league-high 64 through five games. In an absurdly and misleadingly small sample size, they’re on pace for more than 2,000 strikeouts this season.
As Shildt tinkered and tested different lineups during spring training, he auditioned Dexter Fowler at No. 2 and Goldschmidt third, but circled back to a look spreading through baseball. On Tuesday night in Cincinnati, two former National League MVPs hit second: Joey Votto for the Reds and reigning player of the week Christian Yelich for the Brewers.