Broadcaster Polo Ascensio joins BPIB to (enthusiastically!) call it like he sees it on Cardinals’ style of play and more

Post-Dispatch podcasts page: https://go.stltoday.com/0hfn43

Please consider subscribing: https://go.stltoday.com/9aigz5

From near his perch at Busch Stadium, where he calls games for the Cardinals’ Spanish language broadcast, Polo Ascensio surveys the style of game, the style of play, and, yes, the style of his calls for the 2025 Cardinals.

The nine-game home stand did not lack for some compelling games — though evidently there is some debate on how entertaining the opening innings of the Cardinals’ 2-1 victory against the Dodgers was — and that had to be reflected in the calls from all of the broadcast booths. Ahead of Toronto completing a series sweep of the Cardinals, Ascensio spoke with Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold about those calls, about the enthusiasm and inspiration he brings to them as well as whether this team has made such energy easier with its style of play.

Ascensio also discusses the catching history of the Cardinals and the catching present, with background on how two members of the current team, Willson Contreras and Ivan Herrera, signed with the Cardinals specifically because of their fondness for former Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. The podcast explores why Contreras stayed with the Cardinals when the team, pivoting toward youth, offered to trade him to a contender, and there a conversation about Herrera’s future at catcher.

Ascensio’s broadcasts with former catcher and former Cardinals coach Bengie Molina are available for every home game on WIJR/880 AM La Tremenda. There is hope from many parties in and around the Cardinals that the broadcasts will expand beyond home games, especially if the club continues to contend late into the season.

The Best Podcast in Baseball is in its 13th year as one of the first and most-downloaded baseball podcasts and a leader among the Cardinals-based podcasts. It is sponsored weekly by Closets by Design of St. Louis, and it is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. It is part of the constant Cardinals coverage available at StlToday.com and in the pages of the Post-Dispatch daily.    

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

To snap out of their slump, the Cardinals will need Erick Fedde to accomplish something he has long struggled with.

Fedde starts Friday in the second game of a four-game series, which starts Friday at 7:10 p.m. in Milwaukee. 

The scuffling Cardinals’ bats were quiet Thursday as they dropped their fifth straight game, tying a season-worst losing streak.

The right-hander Fedde (3-5, 3.54 ERA) will need to slow the Brewers, and that’s something he hasn’t done much of in his career. His worst start of the season came in April vs. the Brewers, when he gave up seven earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Last year, his second-worst start and two of his nine worst of the season, as measured by Bill James’ game score metric, came vs. the Brewers.

People are also reading…

While with with the White Sox in late May, he gave up four earned runs in five innings. Then later with St. Louis, Fedde permitted two earned runs in 5 2/3.

In the last two seasons, Fedde sports a 7.16 ERA vs. Milwaukee and his team has lost all three games.

In his career, Fedde’s 5.88 ERA vs. the Brewers is one of his worst numbers vs. any team against he has started against five or more times.

Of the four Cardinals starters who have pitched more than one game against the Brewers since the start of 2024, Fedde’s 7.15 ERA with the Redbirds ranks last.

Brewers batters have hit .348 against him and put up an .869 OPS in those two appearances.

On a more positive note, underlying numbers may indicate improvement is likely. Fedde, in his last two starts vs. Miwaukee, is allowing just a 30% hard-hit rate, which is below his career averages.

The Brewers will start right-hander Freddy Peralta (5-4, 2.69 ERA). He put up a 2.42 ERA vs. St. Louis last season in four starts.

While he has sported a strong changeup for years, Peralta’s fastball has been far more effective this year. Batters are hitting just .209 against the pitch, which he throws 59.7% of the time, which is more than any other starter.

Losers of five straight, the Cardinals are 36-33, third in the National League Central. Thursday’s loss dropped the Cardinals out of second place for the first time in more than a month.

Since falling to a season-worst four games under .500 in mid-May, the Brewers (37-33) have gone 16-8 to climb back into playoff contention.

How to watch Cardinals at Brewers

Where: American Family Field in Milwaukee

TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest (live stream link); KMOX (1120 AM and 104.1 FM), other stations in the Cardinals Radio Network as well as MLB.tv.

Your options to watch: Input your ZIP code and see your choices for watching Cardinals games.

Lineups

Injury report

Victor Scott II, OF (hit by pitch on helmet): Scott is not in the lineup Friday after being struck by a pitch near his ear late in Thursday’s game. Scott passed all of the concussion protocol tests on the field, remained in the game, and he felt fine late Thursday evening. The Cardinals said his absence from the lineup Friday is not related. Updated June 13

Jordan Walker, OF (left wrist inflammation): The young outfielder began a rehab assignment Thursday with Class AAA Memphis, going 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout in a game that was suspended in the fourth. The suspended game will resume Friday with Walker in right field, and he’s scheduled to start the second game at designated hitter. The Cardinals expect him to return to the team Tuesday in Chicago at the latest. Updated June 13

Brendan Donovan, INF/OF (left toe inflammation): Dealing with inflammation in his left big toe that is considered “turf toe,” Donovan has been outfitted with a carbon-fiber protector in his cleat to keep the toe from flexing too much. He’s going through a full pregame workout Friday to determine if he can be available Saturday or Sunday. Updated June 13

Zach Thompson, LHP (shoulder, lat strain): Lefty returned to Jupiter, Florida, to resume a throwing program there after going through a battery of tests and exams in St. Louis. Strengthening is the goal before advancing. Updated June 13


Braced for rigorous stretch, Cardinals escape from losing spiral must begin with starters


Brewers rookie buzzsaws through Cardinals in MLB debut, sending them to 5th straight loss


How pitch Andre Granillo learned from All-Star closer gives Cardinals the whiff they need


Triple-A K-rate king promoted to face Brewers in series of roster moves by Cardinals

Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter