As they head out for the first road trip of the season, several trends favor the Cardinals this weekend. أغر؟´«أ½ faces the Red Sox at 1:10 p.m. Friday (أغر؟´«أ½ time) at Fenway Park in Boston's home opener.
Recently, Redbirds rolling at Fenway
The Cardinals have won three straight and four of five at Fenway Park, sweeping a three-game set in their last visit, in 2023.
أغر؟´«أ½ is 8-6 all-time in regular-season games at Fenway Park with an on-base plus slugging percentage of .846.
أغر؟´«أ½ is 14-11 overall vs. the Red Sox in regular-season games.
Red Sox struggling in openers and all season
The Red Sox have lost four straight home openers and five of six. That trend has continued well beyond the season's first game. Boston is 77-85 at home over the past two seasons and .500 at home from 2019-24, the reports.
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A couple of Cardinals collecting hits vs. Boston
Two of the Cardinals' best hitters early, Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Arenado, have put up some of their best numbers vs. the Red Sox. Arenado has a 1.104 career on-base plus slugging percentage vs. Boston, while Nootbaar's is (1.149).
Arenado was the subject of offseason trade talks with Boston before the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman.
Boston's Buehler being bombarded
Taking the mound for Boston will be right-hander Walker Buehler (0-1, 8.31), who last season was one of MLB's worst starters among those who reached the 70-inning mark and has gotten off to a poor start this season, giving up four earned runs in 4 1/3 at Texas last week in his debut. Buehler, will be making his first start at Fenway Park as a member of the Red Sox. Fenway was baseball's second-most hitter friendly park last season, behind Colorado's Coors Field.
Fellow righty Erick Fedde takes the mound for the Cardinals after permitting just two hits and one run in six innings vs. the Twins last week.
The Cardinals are 4-2 while the Red Sox are 3-4.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Lars Nootbaar, LF
2. Willson Contreras, 1B
3. Brendan Donovan, 2B
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Alec Burleson, DH
6. Ivan Herrera, C
7. Jordan Walker, RF
8. Victor Scott II, CF
9. Masyn Winn, SS
P: Erick Fedde, RHP
RED SOX
1. Jarren Duran, LF
2. Rafael Devers, DH
3. Alex Bregman, 3B
4. Triston Casas, 1B
5. Trevor Story, SS
6. Wilyer Aybar, RF
7. Kristian Campbell, 2B
8. Carlos Narvaez, C
9. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
P: Walker Buehler, RHP
Injury report
Nolan Gorman, INF (hamstring strain): Before the start of the weekend series at Fenway Park, the Cardinals placed Gorman on the 10-day injured list due to hamstring pain. The injury happened Tuesday in the 10th inning, and his stint on the IL begins Wednesday. The Cardinals expect him to require five to 10 days to recover, and Gorman has already been cleared for activities such as throwing and hitting. To take his place on the active roster the Cardinals promoted Thomas Saggese. Updated April 4
Zack Thompson, LHP (lat strain): Remained in Jupiter, Florida, to begin a throwing program after a month of limited activity and no throwing. Thompson went through multiple checkups and scans to monitor the healing of a tear in his lat on the left side, and they did not show any setback to delayed Thompson's scheduled move to the injured list. Updated March 29
