JUPITER, Fla. • First baseman Paul Goldschmidt likely will be playing sometime this weekend when the Cardinals begin their exhibition schedule here against Miami on Saturday and then Washington in their home opener on Sunday. But manager Mike Shildt said lefthander Andrew Miller, the other prominent newcomer, probably wouldn’t be pitching in the first few games.
Shildt said there are many other pitchers, most trying to make the club, that he needs to see first. “And then we can ease Andrew into the spring and get him the appropriate amount of work,” Shildt said.
The National League Central Division is loaded with lefthanded hitters starting with Anthony Rizzo, Joey Votto, Scooter Gennett, Gregory Polanco and reigning Most Valuable Player Christian Yelich, but with many others in the next tier like Travis Shaw, Jason Heyward, Chris Dickerson, Kyle Schwarber and Scott Schebler.