Both clubs have lost five straight, with the Cardinals falling out of a wild card spot in the process. They enter this series trailing the division leading Cubs by four games and the wild card by half a game.
Archer’s (3-8, 5.35) disappointing season has been well documented, though he has been having some success with the fastball of late. Since ditching the two-seamer on June 22, batters have a .175 batting average and a .349 slugging percentage against his heater. I wrote about this development in detail for The Point of Pittsburgh this week.