Brandon Moss, with just one hit in his past 41 at-bats, gets the day off for the first of three Cardinals games against the soon-to-be division champion Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium.
Jeremy Hazelbaker, who's in a slump of his own, takes over in left field and Randal Grichuk moves into the cleanup spot for the first time in September.
All-Star shortstop Aledmys Diaz, who is back from his minor-league rehab assignment and cleared to play, is not in the Cardinals lineup for the 7:15 p.m. game.
Hazelbaker hasn't gotten a hit since Aug. 23, but with limited playing time, he's 0 for 14 in that span.