“No one knew the lineup until we got to the field,” said Matt Carpenter, who checked to find himself batting seventh, the lowest he had hit in a game he started since July 22, 2015. “It’s just when you’re not producing — it’s a production game, it’s results-oriented, and you’re not going to continue to hit third if you’re struggling. They’re going to move you. I think it was like that: It is what it is. Just go play.”
For the past week as the Cardinals’ offense wheezed and pressure squeezed, Matheny had said he would try anything necessary “to change things up.