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The St. Louis Cardinals own the best record in the MLB at 24-12, but have lost six of their last 10 games. A major concern is the lack of production from the first base position.
Matt Adams has seen the most action at first base. Adams is only hitting .243, which has forced manager Mike Matheny to give Mark Reynolds more playing time at first base. Unfortunately for the Cardinals and Matheny, Reynolds is doing even worse than Adams.
Combined, the two are hitting .222 when playing first base, which makes St. Louis the worst in the National League at that position. The team right on the heels of the Cardinals in the division, the Chicago Cubs, ranks first in the same category with a .346 batting average.
It’s not like the power numbers are making up for the lack of average either. While playing first base, Adams and Reynolds have only hit four home runs and are averaging one home run every 36 at bats. The duo has given the Cardinals the worst on base percentage while also racking up the most strikeouts for first basemen in the National League.
This lack of production should worry a Cardinals team that has seen lots of injuries early. With young pitchers being forced to step up for injured ace Adam Wainwright, the offense needs to carry the team. The Cardinals are 6-6 in one-run games. In years past, the pitching staff has been able to salvage these close games. This year, St. Louis needs the offense to be the hero.
