Preview: Cardinals at Pirates

[April 05, 2016]  Pittsburgh acquired David Freese during the offseason to provide infield depth, but he may wind up being a key cog as the Pirates host the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday in the second contest of their season-opening three-game series. Freese, who is playing third base while Jung-Ho Kang recovers from a knee injury, made a splash in his debut with spectacular defense and a pair of hits in Pittsburgh's 4-1 victory Sunday.

“Whatever my role is, I’m here to do that,” Freese, who was the 2011 World Series MVP as a member of the Cardinals, told reporters in spring training. “If it’s to play third, play first, pinch-hit, I’m all for it.” St. Louis was going to use Tommy Pham in left field and Matt Holliday at first base against left-handers, but those plans are at least temporary shelved after Pham was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a strained cage muscle. Holliday, who played his previous 1,614 games exclusively as a left fielder or designated hitter, was at first base for one inning Sunday before replacing Pham in left. Jonathon Niese makes his Pirates debut after arriving via trade with the New York Mets and opposes Michael Wacha, who won't have an innings restriction in 2016 after working 181 1/3 last season.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
 

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (2015: 17-7, 3.38 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Jonathon Niese (2015: 9-10, 4.13)

Wacha yielded eight earned runs, 25 hits and four walks while striking out 10 in 17 2/3 spring innings covering five starts, but pitched five shutout frames in his final tuneup. “It was a timing adjustment,” manager Mike Matheny told reporters about the 24-year-old Iowa native's turnaround. “Sometimes it’s a matter of subtraction rather than addition (to a pitcher’s motion). That’s what it was. He just didn’t have the feel and to have him pull it all together on his last day here, that was perfect timing.” Wacha is 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA in seven games (six starts) versus Pittsburgh.

Niese, who was traded for second baseman Neil Walker, is 3-1 with a 3.47 ERA in four starts at left-handed pitching-friendly PNC Park. The 29-year-old Ohio native, who is 4-3, 3.10 in nine turns against St. Louis, is 41-41, 3.94 at night and 20-20, 3.85 during the day in his career. Niese was knocked around for 14 runs and 18 hits in 15 spring innings over four starts while walking four and striking out nine.

WALK-OFFS

1. A pair of Cardinals made their major-league debuts Sunday as RHP Seung Hwan Oh walked two in a scoreless inning while OF Jeremy Hazelbaker took a called third strike in a pinch-hitting role.

2. The Pirates and Gregory Polanco agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $35 million that could keep the outfielder under club control through 2023.

3. Cardinals RHP Jordan Walden, who missed most of 2015 with a right rotator cuff injury, is expected to miss a few more months with a right lat strain.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Pirates 2

[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.