Fansided

Tyson Ross could be the catalyst Cardinals need for late season push

By Geoffrey Godfrey

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 12: Tyson Ross #38 of the San Diego Padres plays during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PETCO Park on July 12, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 12: Tyson Ross #38 of the San Diego Padres plays during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PETCO Park on July 12, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /
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The Cardinals now sit just four games out of the Wild Card. With Tyson Ross just claimed, is this the beginning of a run of the Wild Card?

Tyson Ross, the 31-year-old starting pitcher, has an all time ERA of 3.99, 41 wins and over 750 Ks. The moment he walks into the clubhouse he will boast more wins and strikeouts than any other Cardinals starting pitcher who is not on the DL.

He will come with more starts than the other five current starting pitchers combined as he has started 134 games. The current five starters of Mikolas, Flaherty, Gant, Weaver and Gomber combined have 114 starts.

The Cardinals have endured a season no one expected, as the rest of the NL Central seemingly blew past them the first half of the season. With an injury riddled team, manager change, and a GM vs. starting outfielder public back and forth, it has been anything but a normal season for the red birds.

Ross this season has not been in the best of form since July 1. Holding an ERA of 5.4 and 8.8 in July and August, combine that with a 1-4 record and it looks bleak. However, in April, May, and June combined, he held a 5-5 record with a 3.32 ERA in 16-games.

If the Cardinals can get him back to the form he was in the first three months of the season they got a bargain on the waiver-wire.

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When the rotation is healthy, we could see them start Martinez, Ross, Wacha, Mikloas, and Flaherty.

That kind of rotation would be sure to give them solid footing going into September just a few games back of the wildcard. This is a young team, with even more youth waiting in the wings for the September call-up. The addition of Ross could be just the catalyst they need to kick off a strong run to the playoffs.

Currently, the Cardinals have eight starting players or rotational pitchers on the disabled list, with the strong addition of the once All-Star, this could be a sleeping giant.

However, if they do make it to the playoffs, Ross will not add much extra value. Since 2010 when he first came into the league he has never pitched in a playoff game.

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