Chris Paddack Still Winless With Miami and the Cardinals Are Coming to Town

Chris Paddack is running out of runway. The Miami Marlins right-hander is 0-3 with a 5.59 ERA to start the season, and Tuesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals feels like a must-moment for his job security. If he doesn't figure it out fast, the Marlins have top prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling waiting in the wings, and they're only a phone call away.

Paddack Needs a Win Against a Cardinals Team Heating Up

Here's the weird part: Paddack has actually been solid against St. Louis historically. He's 1-0 with a 1.32 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals, though that only adds up to 13 2/3 innings. The last time he faced them was back in 2021. But his overall résumé is rough. Last season with the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers, he went 5-12 with a 5.35 ERA. This slow start in Miami is the opposite of what he needed.

The Cardinals will counter with Dustin May, a 28-year-old right-hander the team signed to a one-year, $12.5 million deal in December. May is 2-2 on the season with a 6.98 ERA overall, but he's been better lately. He's 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA against Miami in his career, and in his last two starts, he's allowed just four runs, three earned, over 12 innings. His first two outings for St. Louis were rough (13 runs on 17 hits in 7 1/3 innings), but he's trending in the right direction.

Cardinals Rookie Making His Mark Early

The Cardinals' 23-year-old second baseman JJ Wetherholt is off to a solid rookie start. St. Louis' seventh overall pick in 2024, Wetherholt is hitting .228 with three homers, 11 RBIs, four steals and a .730 OPS in 22 games. He moved from shortstop in the minors to second base because the Cardinals have Gold Glove winner Masyn Winn at short. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol loves his consistency. "He's been very steady, regardless of what the night before looked like," Marmol said. "Positive or negative, he's the same guy every day."

On the Cardinals' offensive side, outfielder Jordan Walker is riding a 15-game hitting streak, just two games shy of his career high of 17 from his rookie year in 2023. St. Louis was 5-0 before dropping Monday's opener 5-3, so they'll want to bounce back.

Marlins Finding Some Offensive Swagger

Miami isn't rolling over. The Marlins beat St. Louis on Monday, ending the Cardinals' winning streak. Shortstop Otto Lopez hit a go-ahead double in the sixth and scored twice, while designated hitter Liam Hicks went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Second baseman Xavier Edwards also chipped in solid at-bats. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough is getting contributions across the lineup, with Lopez sporting a .945 OPS, Hicks at .929, and Edwards at .905.

Tuesday night in Miami, Paddack gets his shot to finally get in the win column. If he doesn't deliver, the clock is ticking.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.