St. Louis Cardinals

Ryan Helsley delivered a flawless performance, securing a save in the Cardinals' narrow 4-3 victory over the Brewers. He threw 12 pitches over a clean inning, allowing no hits or walks while striking out two.

Fantasy Impact: This outing underscores Helsley's role as a reliable closer for St. Louis, further solidifying his fantasy value. With a season ERA now improved to 1.42 and a WHIP standing at 0.84, his consistency in high-pressure situations makes him a top-tier option in all fantasy formats. His impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of 10.50, coupled with a strong K/9 rate, should keep him in the elite tier of fantasy relievers, assuming he maintains this level of performance.

Paul Goldschmidt went 2-for-5 in the Cardinals' narrow 4-3 victory over the Brewers, contributing significantly with a home run and two RBI.

Fantasy Impact: His performance today, while impactful, does little to alleviate concerns about his sluggish start to the season. With a batting average lingering around the Mendoza Line at .197 and a concerning strikeout rate of .319, fantasy managers might be growing impatient. However, his power stroke today, marking his third homer of the season, could hint at a potential turnaround. Owners should keep an eye on any signs of sustained improvement but might want to explore trade options if his high strikeout rate continues.

Nolan Arenado will not be in Sunday’s lineup against the Brewers. (Source: Jeff Jones on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Arenado will get a day off for rest, per Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol. Fantasy managers should expect Arenado to return against the Angels on Monday.

Kyle Gibson struggled with control, allowing two earned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out seven over five innings in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Brewers.

Fantasy Impact: Despite a decent strikeout count, Gibson's inability to limit walks and a relatively high pitch count early in the game led to another suboptimal outing. His season ERA now sits at 3.67 with a WHIP of 1.20, which are respectable numbers, but his 4.56 FIP and low strikeout-to-walk ratio suggest potential underlying issues. Fantasy managers should be cautious, as his performance indicates a risk of volatility, particularly in leagues where walks are heavily penalized.

Lars Nootbaar went 3-for-5 with two RBI in the Cardinals' 5-3 loss to the Brewers.

Fantasy Impact: Despite the team's defeat, Nootbaar's performance was a bright spot, delivering three hits and driving in a couple of runs. This game could be a turning point for Nootbaar, who has struggled with a batting average of just .198 over 26 games this season. His ability to put the ball in play and contribute to the team's run production in this game might hint at an upward trend, especially considering his low .222 BABIP suggests some degree of bad luck with balls in play so far. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on him in case this marks the beginning of a hot streak.

Dylan Carlson is missing from the lineup for the St. Louis Cardinals against the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday. (Source: St. Louis Cardinals on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: Carlson will receive the night off for regular rest, with Alec Burleson starting in right field and batting fifth against the Brewers for manager Oliver Marmol Saturday.

Matt Carpenter (oblique) is back in the lineup for the St. Louis Cardinals against the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday. (Source: St. Louis Cardinals on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Carpenter returns after being activated from the injured list earlier in the day, occupying the designated hitter spot and batting seventh for manager Oliver Marmol against the Brewers Saturday.

Nolan Gorman returns to the lineup for the St. Louis Cardinals against the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday. (Source: St. Louis Cardinals on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: Gorman is back after being used only as a pinch-hitter Friday night, starting at second base and batting eighth against the Brewers for manager Oliver Marmol Saturday.

Lance Lynn allowed four earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five over 4 2/3 innings in Friday's 11-2 loss to the Brewers.

Fantasy Impact: This outing inflates his ERA to 3.79 and WHIP to 1.41 for the season, which are concerning trends for fantasy managers relying on him as a stable rotation piece. His strikeout rate remains decent at 8.5 K/9, but the elevated FIP of 4.40 suggests he's been somewhat fortunate thus far. Given these mixed signals, Lynn's fantasy stock might be more volatile than previously anticipated, making him a risky play in all but the deepest of leagues.

Willson Contreras (forearm) came through surgery well earlier this week and is likely to miss 10 weeks for recovery. (Source: John Denton on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Contreras originally sustained a forearm fracture this past Tuesday, May 7 when he was struck by a swing from Mets' designated hitter J.D. Martinez. Contreras is obviously a tough loss for the Cardinals, as he's been one of the best bats so far this season, posting a .950 OPS with six homers and 11 doubles through 31 games. Contreras hopes to be back around the All-Star break.

Sonny Gray endured a rough outing, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out six over five innings in Thursday's 7-1 loss to the Brewers.

Fantasy Impact: This performance was a stark departure from his stellar season stats, which boasts a 2.29 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP after this one. The three home runs given up in this outing could shake the confidence of fantasy managers relying on his previously dominant form. However, given his strong performance metrics prior to this game, including an impressive 11.2 K/9 and a 2.74 FIP, it might be wise to chalk this up as a bad day at the office rather than a trend. Fantasy managers should monitor his next few starts closely but not panic just yet.

Ivan Herrera is not in the Cardinals’ starting lineup Thursday.

Fantasy Impact: Herrera will get a day off Thursday, with Pedro Pages getting the start at catcher and hitting eighth against the Brewers.

Drew Rom underwent arthroscopic surgery on his injured left shoulder last week. (Source: Jeff Jones on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: The team is hopeful that because the operation was considered minor that Rom will be able to return before the end of the season.

Matthew Liberatore could be used out of the Cardinals’ bullpen this weekend, per manager Oliver Marmol. (Source: Jeff Jones on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: The Cardinals will have Liberatore ready to go in the event they need depth in the bullpen this weekend. If he does not pitch in this series, he is still a candidate to start next week.

Brendan Donovan is not in the Cardinals lineup on Wednesday against the Mets.

Fantasy Impact: Donovan hit a home run in Tuesday's loss against the Mets. Lars Nootbaar is moving over to left field in his absence.

Pedro Pages is in the Cardinals lineup on Wednesday against the Mets.

Fantasy Impact: Pages was called up from Triple-A with Willson Contreras landing on the injured list. He and Ivan Herrera are expected to see more playing time at catcher as a result.

Masyn Winn is in the Cardinals lineup on Wednesday against the Mets.

Fantasy Impact: Winn gets the start at shortstop and is hitting No. 7 in the lineup. He is hitting .265 with seven RBI so far this season.

Brandon Crawford is not in the Cardinals lineup on Wednesday against the Mets.

Fantasy Impact: Crawford is hitting just 2-for-22 at the plate so far this season. Masyn Winn is starting at shortstop for St. Louis.

The Cardinals have moved Tommy Edman (wrist) to the 60-day IL. (Source: Cardinals on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: Edman continues to work his way back from offseason surgery on his wrist. The 28-year-old is continuing to work on his rehab and has yet to progress to full baseball activities. The move to the 60-day IL should not impact his timeline.

The Cardinals have placed Giovanny Gallegos on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder impingement. (Source: Cardinals on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Gallegos has struggled in his last few outings, indicating that he could have been dealing with the shoulder injury for awhile. The team is brining up Chris Roycroft from Triple-A Memphis to provide depth in the bullpen.