Cardinals Set To Square Off Against Former Homegrown Hurler In NL Central Matchup

The former St. Louis hurler is making his return to Busch Stadium

Sep 19, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Jake Woodford (44) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals' season is coming to a close, with 11 games left to play and only two against a National League Central rival.

The Cardinals are finishing their divisional matchups from 2024 by taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates in a four-game series at home. Having won the first two games, St. Louis hopes to keep the momentum going.

Wednesday night's matchup should be exciting, with a former Cardinals homegrown hurler scheduled to take the mound against the team that drafted him for the first time in his career.

"Jake Woodford will start for the Pirates tomorrow," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Noah Hiles reported late Tuesday night following the Cardinals' hard-fought 3-1 victory over the NL Central foe.

St. Louis neglected to re-sign Woodford after last season when he posted a 2-3 record with a 6.23 ERA, 29-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .314 batting average against and a 1.74 WHIP in 47 2/3 innings pitched.

Woodford landed with the Pirates earlier this season after being designated for assignment by the worst team in baseball, the Chicago White Sox.

The 27-year-old logged a 10-7 record with a 4.29 ERA, 119-to-63 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .269 batting average against and a 1.37 WHIP throughout four seasons pitched for the Cardinals as a starter and reliever.

The former St. Louis draft pick hasn't had much success since signing with Pittsburgh in June, so it's good that the organization passed on a reunion when they had the chance to re-sign him. Hopefully, Wednesday night will be busy for the Cardinals' offense.

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