Inside The Cardinals

Ex-Cardinals First-Round Pick From Paul Goldschmidt Trade Helps Yankees Seal Game 1

The former St. Louis hurler is excelling in his new role

Nate Hagerty

Oct 5, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; The New York Yankees stand for the National Anthem before the game against Kansas City Royals during game one of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; The New York Yankees stand for the National Anthem before the game against Kansas City Royals during game one of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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The St. Louis Cardinals missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year in 2024 and must watch former players fight to win a World Series for other franchises.

For instance, Sunday's matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will showcase former homegrown hurler Jack Flaherty, who is due for a generous payday this winter.

Saturday night's matchup involving the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals brought back old memories as well after a former Cardinals first-round pick helped his team seal their first victory this postseason.

Yankees right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver logged his first career postseason save Saturday night after sitting down four consecutive batters against the Kansas City Royals to close out the final 1 1/3 innings of game one of the American League Divisional Series.

Weaver logged a 15-17 record with a 4.79 ERA, 238-to-83 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .281 batting average against and a 1.45 WHIP throughout the first three seasons of his career while pitching for the Cardinals.

The 31-year-old was part of the Paul Goldschmidt trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks in Dec. 2018, along with former Cardinals catcher Carson Kelly and second baseman Andy Young.

Since moving from the rotation to the bullpen with the Yankees this season, Weaver has looked like a completely different pitcher -- logging a 7-3 record with a 2.89 ERA, 103-to-26 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .176 batting average against and a 0.93 WHIP in 84 innings pitched for the Bronx Bombers.

Six years removed from being a Cardinals starter, Weaver seems to have found his stride in a closing role. Could the Yankees' newest high-leverage hurler be another player St. Louis should've never moved on from?

More MLB: NL West Rival Reportedly 'Could Try To Trade' Ex-Cardinals $22.5 Million Hurler

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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