July 20, 2024; Cumberland, Ga.; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray has won 10 games heading into Thursday night’s series opener against the National League-leading Chicago Cubs, but he’d gladly turn the calendar back to August.
Gray (10-6, 3.79 ERA) went 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts in July, allowing 18 runs on 32 hits and four walks in 24 innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings in Friday’s 10-8 loss to the Washington Nationals.
It was the third time Gray has allowed at least five runs in four starts in the first season of a three-year, $75 million contract with the Cardinals. But the three-time All-Star and AL Cy Young Award runner-up in 2023 said he feels OK and is confident he can turn things around.
“Physically, I feel good,” Gray said. “I’m just not giving myself a zero right now.”
“I know what I have to do, and I know what I have to do to become a great pitcher. It takes a lot of hard work and energy, but I promise to do it again.”
Gray had a 2.86 ERA and a 5-4 record in 13 starts against the Chicago Cubs, but was just 1-2 with a 4.71 ERA and a 4-4 record in four starts at Wrigley Field.
St. Louis, which finished second in the National League Central, entered the four-game series five games behind first-place Milwaukee. It won its second straight after beating the Texas Rangers 10-1 on Wednesday, led by right-hander Michael McGreevy.
McGreevey, ranked as the team’s 15th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, pitched seven innings against the defending World Series champions, allowing five hits and one run in his major league debut.
“Oh my goodness, it was incredible to watch,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmoll said. “Probably the most impressive thing was how much control he had. You wouldn’t have guessed it was his first time on a major league field. He didn’t make it any more than it was, and he was calm the whole time.”
Rookie left-hander Shota Imanaga (8-2, 2.95 ERA) will make his second start against St. Louis. Imanaga allowed four hits and one run over seven innings, striking out six, in a 5-1 win over the visiting Cardinals on June 15. The Cubs are 15-4 when he pitches, the most wins in starts by an NL pitcher.
Chicago sits 10 games behind first-place Milwaukee and 6 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot after winning a six-game road series against Kansas City and Cincinnati 13-4.
Ian Haff had a two-run homer with three hits, Cody Bellinger went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and third baseman Isaac Paredes, acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline, led Chicago with 2-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored.
The Cubs set season highs in runs and hits (17) and hit nine doubles, their most in a game since 2010.
“We hit a lot of pitches hard and had a lot of good at-bats,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “It was a really good night offensively.”
“It’s good momentum to win on the road and come home for a big series against the Cardinals,” Happ added.
–Field level media
