The St. Louis Cardinals' uncertain Willson Contreras-catching situation took another turn on Saturday, with St. Louis announcing that Contreras will return to the catcher position on Monday. SP Jack Flaherty will draw the start on Monday for the Cardinals, and he discussed the Contreras-Cardinals catching uncertainty on Saturday, per John Denton.
“What was said a few weeks ago was out of frustration & was more about myself in terms of executing pitches & making pitches and that’s something I haven’t done,” Flaherty said. “Whoever is behind the plate isn’t going to change that. It’s on me to execute. I love having (Contreras) back there and he gives you confidence with that competitiveness he has. I’m looking forward to it, it'll be fun & he & I attacked Milwaukee before.”
The Cardinals never blamed Willson Contreras for their 2023 struggles. However, many fans accused St. Louis of using Contreras as an excuse for their poor pitching performance. Flaherty did a good job of shutting those accusations down, stating that it's on himself to “execute.” And executing is something he hasn't done by any means this season.
Flaherty currently owns a lackluster 6.18 ERA. Control has been problematic for the right-hander, recording 39 strikeouts compared to a whopping 27 walks thus far. Velocity has been a subject of discussion around Cardinals' media, but don't ask Flaherty about it. He recently fired back at reporters for consistent questions about his velocity concerns.
It's been a frustrating season for Flaherty, Contreras, and St. Louis. Hope isn't lost though, as they feature more than enough talent to climb back up the standings and happen to play in a manageable NL Central division.
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