CINCINNATI • As the trench of their trouble deepens, the Cardinals and manager Mike Matheny have rearranged everything from the lineup to the routine, pushing batting practice earlier, making it later, or nixing it altogether, as they did Wednesday.
The most revealing moves of all remain in the games.
A day after giving up an out to get back a run on a replay challenge, Matheny removed Lance Lynn from a one-run start against the Reds for a pinch-hitter in an attempt to extend their lead. The move was a big bet on the bullpen to handle four innings and a clear indication of how the team feels about its offense.