Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante struck out eight batters over 5 1/3 innings during a 3-2 loss to the Mariners at Busch Stadium, according to an April 25 announcement. The outing marked a season high for strikeouts by a Cardinals starter and tied for one of Pallante’s best performances in his Major League career.
The performance is notable as the Cardinals have recorded the fewest strikeouts among all Major League Baseball pitching staffs so far this season. This has led the team to prioritize strong defense, aiming to maximize outs with a staff that generally pitches to contact.
Pallante’s effectiveness on Friday was attributed largely to his slider, which generated eight of his twelve total whiffs. “I think I just kept it down beneath the zone,” Pallante said about his success with the pitch. “When it’s over the plate, but under the zone, that’s when it gets a lot of swing and miss. So, I just thought I got that pitch there.” Manager Oliver Marmol also praised Pallante’s composure on the mound: “The difference in what we’re seeing out of him this year, compared to other years, is just his ability to not let things snowball… He did well with that.”
Despite giving up a decisive home run in the sixth inning to Josh Naylor—who called it “a ball” and admitted he was lucky—Pallante continued working on expanding his pitching arsenal throughout the game. Reflecting on his progress, he said: “I feel like I’ve got more avenues for success now… I’m still not where I want to be with that yet, but I think it’s a step in the right direction. It makes you feel like you have a lot more options out there.”
