Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

No one has forgotten what Shelby Miller did the last time on the mound. Now, it’s just time to find out what he has in store for an encore. Miller enters tonight’s start having retired 27 straight batters. The Major League record for most consecutive batters retired is held by Mark Buehrle, who set down 45 in a row in 2009. For Miller to reach that mark, he would have to open the night with six perfect innings. It’s certainly a long shot, but I wanted to put that benchmark out there anyways.

Yadier Molina caught Miller’s first seven starts this season, but he will not be behind the plate tonight. Tony Cruz gets his second start of the season. Molina has caught all but 11 innings for St. Louis this season. He leads the Majors in innings caught with 330 1/3. David Freese is also on the bench tonight.

On a separate coverage note, I will be hosting an hour-long Google Hangout on Friday (beginning at 1 p.m. CT) to interact with readers and answer questions. This will be my first Hangout experience, so please bear with me if there is a short learning curve. If you’re asking what on earth a Google Hangout is, you can read more about the concept here.

In the meantime, you can RSVP to the Google Hangout by going to this page. And even if you are not going to be available to participate in the live webchat, you can submit questions on Twitter by including #MLBHangout with your tweet. I look forward to trying out this new platform and interacting with many of you on Friday.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (3B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Jon Jay (CF)
6. Tony Cruz (C)
7. Daniel Descalso (2B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Shelby Miller (RHP)

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

Lefty John Gast will make his Major League debut tonight as a fill-in starter for the injured Jake Westbrook. Gast looked hardly frazzled by the Major League stage yesterday when meeting with reporters. He had a calmness about him this afternoon, too, as he sat at the end of the dugout watching his teammates taking batting practice. We’ll see if the nerves ever do actually surface.

Today is also the 25th anniversary of a wacky 19-inning game between the Cardinals and Braves that featured a four-inning pitching performance from Jose Oquendo, now the Cardinals’ third base coach. And for those of you not old enough to remember Oquendo as anything but a coach, no, he was not a pitcher. Here is a good recap of the game by Hardball Times.

One New York roster move to note: The Mets called up RHP Collin McHugh from Triple-A to take a bullpen spot. Righty Scott Atchison, who allowed all three batters he faced on Monday to reach, was placed on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Jon Jay (CF)
7. David Freese (3B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. John Gast (LHP)

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

There was plenty of news while I took some time off over the weekend — from Shelby Miller’s phenomenal performance to Adam Wainwright’s worthy follow up to Jake Westbrook’s move to the disabled list. In conjunction with the latter, the Cardinals have also added lefty John Gast from Triple-A Memphis. Gast, who opened the season with a 32-inning scoreless streak, will make his debut on Tuesday when he starts against the Mets. He is here at Busch Stadium today.

This will be the Mets’ only visit to Busch Stadium this season — and the Cardinals have to feel fortunate that they’ll be missing young right-hander Matt Harvey, whose 1.44 ERA is currently the lowest among all National League starters. Right behind him on that list is Miller with an ERA of 1.58.

The Cardinals enter the series with the best record in the NL and having won nine out of their last 11. The good news doesn’t stop there, either. Chris Carpenter is throwing a bullpen session as I type, further substantiating his attempt to contribute to the Cardinals this season. Both Carpenter and the organization should have a better barometer of the right-hander’s status by the end of this homestand on Sunday.

Also, the Mets announced just a while ago that they had signed recently-released outfielder and former Cardinal, Rick Ankiel. New York is wasting no time getting Ankiel involved, either, as he will bat seventh and start in center field tonight.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Jon Jay (CF)
7. David Freese (3B)
8. Daniel Descalso (SS)
9. Lance Lynn (RHP)

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

The Cardinals close out their six-game, seven-day road swing with an afternoon game at Wrigley Field today. Manager Mike Matheny is sticking with the same eight position players he used on Tuesday, though Jon Jay and David Freese swap places in the batting order. Today’s game marks the end of a 12-game stretch against NL Central opponents, as well. The Cardinals have won seven of the first 11 games during the string of division games.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Jon Jay (CF)
7. David Freese (3B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Jake Westbrook (RHP)

CUBS LINEUP:

1. David DeJesus (CF)
2. Starlin Castro (SS)
3. Luis Valbuena (2B)
4. Anthony Rizzo (1B)
5. Nate Schierholtz (RF)
6. Ryan Sweeney (LF)
7. Dioner Navarro (C)
8. Cody Ransom (3B)
9. Carlos Villanueva (RHP)

Follow me on Twitter: @LangoschMLB

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

The Cardinals and Cubs are meeting for the first of 19 games between the two clubs this season. St. Louis arrives at Wrigley Field riding a six-game winning streak — their longest winning streak since taking eight straight from July 10-21, 2010. The club has won seven in a row on the road, too, which has propelled the Cards to the National League’s best record (20-11).

Matt Adams has rejoined the team, after a brief rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield. He is not in Tuesday’s lineup (the Cubs are starting a lefty), but he will be a welcome addition back on the bench. Jermaine Curtis was sent out to Triple-A to make room for Adams’ return.

And per the Cardinals, closer Jason Motte underwent Tommy John surgery today. There were no complications.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Carlos Beltran  (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. David Freese (3B)
7. Jon Jay (CF)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Lance Lynn (RHP)

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

As you may have already deduced from the absence of my byline on cardinals.com yesterday, I did not travel with the team to Milwaukee for this series. I’ll be rejoining the club in Chicago early next week. In the meantime, however, there are a few notes to pass along…

***

I’ll be resurrecting the Inbox feature (on cardinals.com, not the blog) next week, so feel free to resume sending in questions. Remember, if you want your question to be considered, you must include your first name, last initial and hometown. Send those questions to Jenifer.Langosch@MLB.com.

***

If you haven’t already seen the news, highly-touted pitching prospect Carlos Martinez has joined the club in Milwaukee. He was summoned from Double-A, as the Cardinals finally made the decision to send Mitchell Boggs down to the Minors. That decision was sealed on Thursday night, when Boggs walked both batters he faced.

For those of you on Twitter, you can follow Martinez @Tsunamy27. He tweeted this photo of himself at Miller Park earlier today.

Martinez is the second new addition to the bullpen this week. The first, Seth Maness, has not yet appeared in a game. Also, with Martinez’s arrival, the Cardinals top two pitching prospects (per MLB.com) entering the season are now with the Major League club. For a refresher, here is the link to the top 20 list.

***

Though the temperature today would hardly suggest that summer is approaching, don’t forget that the First-Year Player’s Draft is less than five weeks away. MLB.com has already has extensive coverage — including a look at the Draft order (here), top 100 Draft prospects (here) and a story with Draft details and changes (here).

The Cardinals have the 19th overall selection, as well as the 28th. The latter is compensation for Kyle Lohse’s departure.

***

And lastly, let me direct your attention to Matthew Leach’s latest column, in which he catches up with former Cardinals pitcher/outfielder Rick Ankiel. You can read that story — which features more introspection than Ankiel has displayed in the past – here.

Follow me on Twitter: @LangoschMLB

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

As manager Mike Matheny hinted at yesterday, David Freese is indeed out of the lineup for a second straight day. After giving Freese time to try and find his swing/timing/confidence in-game, Matheny is ready to see if time off can provide the necessary jumpstart. If you didn’t read yesterday’s cardinals.com notebook (link here), check it out for more specifics about Freese’s early-season slump.

After the Cardinals’ game this afternoon, the team heads back out on the road with scheduled stops in Milwaukee and Chicago. The Cubs are the only NL Central team the Cards have yet to play this season.

Also, on a separate note, the cardinals.com Inbox feature is about to be resurrected. So… if you have a question you’d like me to consider answering on the site, go ahead and email it to me at Jenifer.Langosch@MLB.com. Remember that you must include your first name, last initial and hometown with all submissions.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Jon Jay (CF)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Matt Carpenter (3B)
7. Pete Kozma (SS)
8. Daniel Descalso (2B)
9. Lance Lynn (RHP)

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

Earlier this morning, news came out about the Cardinals’ first bullpen shake-up — which resulted in Marc Rzepczynski being sent to Triple-A and Seth Maness earning his first big-league callup. Both GM John Mozeliak and manager Mike Matheny spoke on the topic this afternoon, and you will be able to read their comments in the Cardinals.com notebook later tonight.

Carlos Beltran remains out of the lineup due to weakness from an extended illness. He’ll likely be available, if needed, to pinch-hit tonight, Matheny said.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Jon Jay (CF)
2. Matt Carpenter (2B)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (RF)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. David Freese (3B)
7. Ty Wigginton (1B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Adam Wainwright (RHP)

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

UPDATE (10:40 am CT): The Cardinals have made the roster move official and announced that Maness will be taking Marc Rzepczynski’s place in the bullpen. Rzepczynski, who hasn’t pitched in the Minors since 2010, has been optioned to Triple-A.

He allowed two earned runs and another two inherited runners to score in one-third of an inning on Sunday. The lefty has now allowed six of seven inherited runners to score in his eight relief innings this season. That’s in addition to the seven runs and 13 hits he’s allowed.

Acquired by the Cardinals in a midseason trade with the Blue Jays in 2011, Rzepczynski is making $1.1 million this season, a figure agreed upon by the pitcher and the club in his first offseason of arbitration eligibility.

***

The Cardinals’ problematic bullpen will be getting a fresh face on Monday, as right-hander Seth Maness will be added to the roster prior to the start of the team’s series against the Reds. The club will officially announce the move later in the day.

Maness, who was the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2012, will have to be added to the 40-man roster, which currently has an opening. It is unknown who the Cardinals will remove from their 25-man roster to make space for Maness on it. Five of the team’s seven relievers currently have an ERA higher than 4.00.

After finishing 14-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 2012 (with high-A Palm Beach and double-A Springfield, Maness opened the 2013 season with Triple-A Memphis. He’s pitched 25 innings this month, allowing 12 earned runs on 34 hits. Maness has struck out 18 while walking three.

Maness was scheduled to start for Memphis on Monday, which means he’ll be immediately available to help in the Cardinals’ bullpen, which enters Monday with a 5.93 ERA.

Follow me on Twitter: @LangoschMLB

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

It certainly seemed a good sign to see Jason Motte head to right field this morning and play catch from about a distance of 50-60 feet. He said yesterday that he was most interested in how his arm responded today, 24 hours after his first game on catch in five weeks. If you missed it on Saturday, here is an update on Motte and where he stands as he approaches that previously set May 1 deadline to determine a yes or no to season-ending surgery.

Also, Matt Carpenter is back in the lineup a day after being removed for a ninth-inning pinch-hitter because of some left side tightness. He passed all required tests this morning and said he’s feeling no further discomfort.

David Freese (on his 30th birthday) returns to the field after a day off. Shane Robinson gets the start against lefty Jeff Locke. And on the mound, Shelby Miller will make his third career start at Busch Stadium. In the first two, he’s combined to allow one hit, no runs and no walks in 13 innings. He also has a chance to join Adam Wainwright and Lance Lynn as four-game winners on this so-far dominant staff.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. David Freese (3B)
7. Shane Robinson (CF)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Shelby Miller (RHP)

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