Heading into this weekend’s series, Contreras was batting .102 with five hits and 22 strikeouts in his first 54 plate appearances. He had been working with Cardinals’ hitting coach Brant Brown to curtail “overthinking,” but also decided to try and use his torpedo bat after hitting in the cage with it for the first time during the week. He had four hits over the weekend, including a 110 mph double, a 97 mph home run, and a lineout at 103.9 mph. He had two of the five hardest-hit pitches in Sunday’s game, and three of his swings that led to hard contact were 75 mph or greater. Whether it’s the bat or just Contreras getting his confidence back, we may be seeing the veteran turn a corner.

Harper had a 107-mph flyout and a 102-mph double today, but it was his weak, 70-mph fly to shallow center that made the difference. Dropping in just between Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II, it drove in the go-ahead run in the 2-1 game. Harper had gone hitless in four of his previous five games coming into this one.

Luzardo struck out six and walked two. His team was down 1-0 when he threw his final pitch, but a two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh got him the victory. Luzardo improved to 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA. He’s allowed more than two runs just once in nine starts, and it was a mere three runs that time (Apr. 15 against the Giants). He’ll make his next start Monday or Tuesday in Colorado.

With the top of the Cardinals lineup coming up, the Phils used José Alvarardo and Orion Kerkering to get through the eighth today. That left the bottom of the order for Romano in the ninth, and he struck out Iván Herrera, pinch-hitter Nolan Gorman and pinch-hitter Alec Burleson. It’s Romano’s sixth straight scoreless appearance, a stretch in which he’s lowered his ERA from 13.50 to 8.22. With the Phils content to mix and match in the ninth, Romano is an option for mixed leaguers desperate for saves.

Fedde, coming off a shutout of the Nationals, kept his scoreless streak intact, but he wasn’t allowed to go very deep into this one. The surprising thing was that the Cardinals brought in Steven Matz to replace him in a scoreless tie, rather than going to their late-game relievers. It worked out initially, as Matz stranded both runners he inherited in the sixth. Matz, though, gave up two runs in the seventh in the eventual 2-1 loss. Fedde ended this one with three strikeouts and four walks. He has his ERA down to 3.44, but we’d still suggest staying away in mixed leagues. He’ll face the Tigers next.

He doubled his hit total this season from two to four, but his baserunning left much to be desired. Marchán misjudged Bryson Stott’s liner to center in the third and was easily doubled off first after the ball was caught by Victor Scott II. He was later initially called out at second trying to take an extra base on his single in the seventh, but that call was fortunately overturned when replay showed he got his hand in under the tag.

Martin will attempt to play catch prior to Wednesday’s showdown against the Rockies and remains on the club’s lineup card. He’s obviously unavailable to pitch for at least a couple days, but it sounds like there’s a realistic chance he avoids a trip to the injured list. With Luke Jackson (hand) also hurt, it’ll likely be some combination of Robert Garcia, Jacob Webb or Shawn Armstrong getting the call in a save situation for the next few days.