If he didn’t coin the phrase years ago Mike Maddux certainly popularized it this spring as the Cardinals budgeted how they were going to manage their rotation coming back from 2020’s abbreviated schedule and radically reduced workloads.
“Honor the off days,” Maddux said.
“Honor the off days,” manager Mike Shildt echoed.
Whenever the schedule permitted, pitchers would get the extra day off.
Now that the schedule does not, the Cardinals will invent one.
As the Cardinals return home to start a stretch of 17 games in 17 days, they will insert rookie Johan Oviedo into the rotation this coming week as a sixth man.