Left-hander Jordan Montgomery of the St. Louis Cardinals has been impressive in his recent starts, boasting a 4-1 record with a 1.66 ERA over his past seven outings. Montgomery relies heavily on his slider, a pitch that opposing hitters find intimidating due to its movement and the challenge of facing it coming downhill from Montgomery’s tall frame.
The Cardinals are hoping that Montgomery can continue his strong performance as they visit the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Montgomery has been a bright spot for the struggling Cardinals, who recently broke a losing streak with a 3-0 shutout victory against the Miami Marlins. In his last start, Montgomery allowed only an unearned run over 6 2/3 innings against his former team, the New York Yankees.
Montgomery’s effective sinker has been a key factor in his recent success, consistently generating strikeouts. He has recorded at least six strikeouts in each of his last five starts, showcasing the effectiveness of his signature pitch.
Both the Cardinals and the White Sox are looking to gain momentum as they head into the All-Star break. The Cardinals, last year’s National League Central champions, currently find themselves in last place, 15 games below .500. Meanwhile, the White Sox, who had high expectations for the season, are also struggling, sitting 15 games below a winning record.
In their previous doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays, the White Sox had moments of solid play but ultimately fell short, losing both games. Despite the losses, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol expressed encouragement for reliever Aaron Bummer, who gave up several hits in the 11th inning of the first game. Grifol emphasized that these outcomes are part of the game, and the team must persevere.
For the second game of the series, the White Sox will send right-hander Dylan Cease to the mound. Cease, who has not recorded a win since May 23, has had a no-decision in each of his past seven starts. He has never faced the Cardinals in his career.
On the other hand, Montgomery holds a 2-0 record with a 2.22 ERA in four career starts against the White Sox. However, he hasn’t faced Chicago since being traded to the Cardinals from the Yankees in August 2022. In his last encounter with the White Sox on May 14 of the previous season, Montgomery pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits before exiting the game without a decision.
Photo credit – BallparkBlueprints.com / Chicago, IL