Masyn Winn, Cardinals aspire to continue winning ways in clash vs. Rockies

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn suggested that his teammates zag after the front office zigged at the recent trade deadline.

Even though the Cardinals mostly sold for the future by dealing right-hander Dustin May and others at the deadline, Winn said the players who remain should go about their business intending to make the playoffs anyway.

"I mean, just winning more games," Winn said after leading the way in a 3-2 victory against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. "Playing a lot harder and just playing good, clean ball. I think we could go out there and beat a lot of teams, and maybe make a run at this thing."

Winn and the Cardinals will continue their home series against the Rockies on Saturday night. The pitching matchup will feature left-handers Matthew Liberatore (5-8, 4.97 ERA) of St. Louis and Kyle Freeland (3-10, 6.81) of Colorado.

In the opener on Friday, Winn hit a double, walked, stole two bases and hustled 90 feet to third base on a sacrifice fly before scoring on another sac fly one batter later. He also played typically great defense, in particular stealing a hit from Hunter Goodman by diving deep in the hole up the middle, getting to his feet and throwing in time to first.

"I get real fired up for defense," said Winn, who ranks eighth in MLB in fielding run value, per MLB Statcast, among all defensive positions.

Ivan Herrera hit a solo home run for St. Louis, and right-hander Kyle Leahy pitched well enough in the victory that pulled the Cards back to .500 as they won for the fourth time in the past five games. They are 3 1/2 games behind in the National League wild-card hunt and would need to pass the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies to make the postseason field.

Performances such as Winn's make it seem as if anything is possible, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said.

"What Mason did today is, it's unreal," Marmol said of the 24-year-old. "Look at him in the field, on the bases, and at the plate. When you talk about having one of the high ceilings in the league, that's a great demonstration of it, man."

The Rockies, who have lost four straight games, have the worst record in the National League and are playing for tomorrow in the big picture. But similarly to the Cardinals, they're trying to win games and play their best now, manager Warren Schaeffer said.

The Rockies collected 10 hits on Friday but went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

"We've got to do better than that," Schaeffer said.

Despite a high ERA, Freeland is capable of digging deep for rare gems. He pitched a complete game against the Kansas City Royals in his previous start on Sunday, one of just 14 complete games across the majors this season. Pitchers threw 29 complete games in 2025, and MLB had 83 10 years ago.

Freeland, who gave up only one run and five hits in an 8-1 victory over the Royals, has yet to face the Cardinals this season, but he kept them off the scoreboard for 7 1/3 innings in 2025 and brings a 4.57 ERA in nine career appearances against St. Louis.

Herrera hit a home run off Freeland at Coors Field in September 2024 and is 2-for-6 against him overall.

Liberatore allowed just one hit over six scoreless innings in his previous start -- his team's 5-1 victory at Toronto on Sunday -- and he blanked the Braves over six innings on July 11.

In his only career start against the Rockies, last August at home, pitching against Freeland, Liberatore allowed three runs in four innings of a 3-0 loss.

Most of the damage came on Goodman's two-run homer.

--Field Level Media