Cardinals Weekly Watch: Braves, Brewers matchups to test St. Louis

With the opening series against the Toronto Blue Jays in the rearview mirror, the St. Louis Cardinals turn their attention this week to a key three-game home series against the National League East powerhouse Atlanta Braves as well as the first road trip of the 2023 campaign, a three-game set in Milwaukee against the Brewers.

The matchups feature the Cardinals, the defending National League Central champions, taking on the five-time defending National League East champion Braves as well as the Brewers, the team that won the 2021 NL Central and came the closest (7.0 games back) to St. Louis in last year’s division chase.

After so much excitement surrounding Opening Day and the debut of Jordan Walker, the Cardinals now settle into the grind of the regular season against two opponents with strong pitching and lineups. Last season, St. Louis went 3-4 against Atlanta while posting a 10-9 mark against Milwaukee.

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Here’s what St. Louis Cardinals fans should be watching for this week:

April 3 vs. Atlanta Braves

Projected Pitching Matchup: Jake Woodford vs. Charlie Morton

Woodford was a surprise bright spot for the Cardinals last season, posting a 2.23 ERA/3.13 FIP/1.117 WHIP in 48.1 innings across 27. He started just one game for the Cards in 2022, and it was impressive. In the first game of a doubleheader against the Cubs, Woodford scattered four hits and allowed just one run in 5.1 innings of work. He also impressed in spring training, posting a 2.04 ERA in 17.2 innings.

April 4 vs. Atlanta Braves

Projected Pitching Matchup: Steven Matz vs. Dylan Dodd

Matz comes into the 2023 season as a question mark for the Cardinals after an injury-plagued first season in St. Louis. However, he looked sharp in spring training, striking out 17 in 17.2 innings while logging a 1.53 ERA and 0.74 WHIP. If St. Louis could get that kind of pitching from Matz in 2023, it would not only cement the back end of the rotation but also give the Cards a strong pitching core to match up top to bottom against their National League rivals.

April 5 vs. Atlanta Braves

Projected Pitching Matchup: Miles Mikolas vs. Max Fried

Both Opening Day starters get their second start of the season in this matinee game, and it should be a pitching duel worth watching. Fried was a thorn in the side of the Cardinals in his only start against them last year, throwing six shutout innings and allowing just five hits.

April 7 at Milwaukee Brewers

Projected Pitching Matchup: Jack Flaherty vs. Brandon Woodruff

The strength of the Brewers is their rotation, and the three games in Milwaukee will test exactly how the new-look St. Louis rotation matches up against them in 2023. With his second start of the season, Flaherty will take the mound for the ninth time in his career at Miller Park, a place that has not treated him well in the past (5.84 ERA and eight homers allowed, the most of any stadium outside St. Louis).

April 8 at Milwaukee Brewers

Projected Pitching Matchup: Jordan Montgomery vs. Eric Lauer

After being acquired by the Cardinals at last season’s trade deadline, Montgomery faced the Brewers twice and fared well, striking out 14 in 11.0 innings while carving out a 3.27 ERA. Montgomery has never pitched at Miller Park, and will likely face Lauer, who struggled against St. Louis in 2022. In three matchups last season, the Cardinals belted four homers off Lauer in 22.0 innings on his way to a 5.29 ERA.

April 9 at Milwaukee Brewers

Projected Pitching Matchup: Jake Woodford vs. Freddy Peralta

Peralta faced the Cardinals just once in 2022, and St. Louis batters stung him for seven hits and six runs over just 3.0 innings. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado have hit Peralta well in the past, combining to go 13-for-33 with five homers. Woodford, meanwhile, was successful against the Brewers in 2022, hurling 4.2 innings over three relief appearances.