Playing his first game since assuming the starting center field job, Nathan Church had three hits and made a dazzling basket catch defensively as the Cardinals throttled the Mets 7-0 for their fifth straight victory.
Healthy and promoted to show that he can be the Cardinals every-day center fielder, Nathan Church wasted no time in proving he can be a difference-maker offensively and defensively on Tuesday night at Citi Field.
Playing his first game since he ended his rehab assignment following a left shoulder strain and was promoted to the big leagues to replace Victor Scott II, Church had three hits, keyed a four-run third inning and made a stellar basket catch at the wall in center field in the Cardinals’ 7-0 throttling of the Mets on Tuesday night.
“That was a really good win,” Church said to Cardinals.TV after he boosted his batting average to ,260 with his seventh double and two singles. “I mean, 7-0, the pitchers did a great job, the offense did great and we made a lot of good plays on defense. It was a really good game.”
The Cardinals (36-28) won for the fifth straight time and shut out a foe for a third time this season. Ivan Herrera was on base five times, Alec Burleson homered and drove in three and JJ Wetherholt smacked a two-run single to key the offense. On the mound, Dustin May (4-6) broke a personal four-game losing streak with six shutout innings. He struck out six and allowed just four hits with one walk.
“He was really locked in, was on the attack and had everything working,” manager Oliver Marmol told Cardinals.TV. “The sweeper was a really good pitch for him, the cutter was a good pitch for him, and he used both sides of the plate, and he went up and down with the fastball. He was dominant.”
Bottom of lineup showing an improvement already
Looking to boost production from the bottom half of their lineup, the Cardinals have been busy shuffling pieces throughout their player development system. Bryan Torres has already hit two home runs, while Lars Nootbaar returned last Friday with two hits and a ga-o-ahead two-run homer on Saturday. Jimmy Crooks has hit just .167 since replacing Pedro Pages, but he’s handled the pitching staff well from behind the plate.
Church, who made his MLB debut in 2025, was on the Opening Day roster as a replacement for Nootbaar, who needed eight months of rehab following surgeries on both his heels. Church not only thrived defensively, but he impressed the Cardinals with his ability to handle the bat against MLB pitching.
With Scott struggling, Church was given the nod in center field and he delivered almost immediately. He slapped a double the other way to kick-start a four-run outburst in the third inning against long-time nemesis Freddy Peralta, who is in his first season with the Mets after spending years with the rival Brewers in the NL Central.
Nolan Gorman and Church scored when Wetherholt got the first-pitch fastball he was looking for and slapped it into right-center. Then, after Herrera was hit for a second time, Jordan Walker blistered a 114-mph double that plated Wetherholt. A batter later, Herrera came barreling into the plate and scored on Nootbaar’s ground out.
Two innings later, Burleson made it 6-0 with an opposite field shot for his ninth homer of the season.
“We swung it well and one through nine did a really nice job,” Marmol said. It was good to see (Church) back in the lineup. He gets your three knocks there in the nine-hole and the top (of the lineup) was good. JJ drives in two, (Burleson) with the homer and Walker swung the bat well. Up and down the lineup there were some really nice at bats.”
Church made the defensive play of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. In his first time ever playing at Citi Field, Church had to turn and run to track down Marcus Semien’s drive. He turned right and then back to his left as New York’s swirling winds batted the ball about. At the last instant, Church stuck out his glove and made a waist-high basket catch – much to the delight of May on the mound.
“It’s really windy here and (Cardinals’ outfield coach Jon) Jay said that it’s always super windy here and it kinds of tunnels and spins around,” Church said. “So, when I went back, it was like snaking (in the air). I basically ran to the wall, (made) a basket catch and it was a good play.”
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