While the rotation has been thinned by injury and the bullpen repopulated and rearranged due to ineffectiveness, the Cardinals made choices in the first half of the season to meet a challenge just as imposing as any opponent or absence, one lurking in plain sight.
Often it’s right there on the fridge.
The calendar.
The Cardinals reached Thursday’s off day having played 74 games in the previous 77 days. No team in the majors had played as many in those few of days this year. Tommy Edman appeared in 72 of them with, fittingly, 314 plate appearances, more than any other player since April 14.