With a tweak instead of an overhaul, Shildt inserted Jose Martinez into the Cardinals’ lineup at right field for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. To create room for Martinez, who had half of the Cardinals’ four hits in the first two games of the best-of-seven series, the Cardinals removed Matt Carpenter, shifted rookie Tommy Edman to third base, and aimed to add what Shildt called “length” to the lethargic lineup.
At the extremes of the lineup, the Cardinals have struggled to produce baserunners and caused some of the prolonged stretches without hits that have become the norm in the series.