Jake Woodford is set for his first-career April start when the Cardinals face Atlanta at Busch Stadium.
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Daniel Guerrero
Whether by plane or by car, Jake Woodford tallied his share of miles going from the majors and minors in 2022. Woodford, 26, began last season on the Cardinals’ opening-day roster in a bullpen role. He was optioned and recalled to and from Class AAA Memphis, where he was used mainly as a starter, four times before ending the year with the big-league club.
However, the start of 2023 provides a different role for Woodford. He is a part of the Cardinals’ rotation. That led to a different feeling when manager Oliver Marmol informed him of his roster inclusion to being the season.
“When you worked as hard as Jake has worked, and then you task him with certain things in the offseason and then he comes back and he does it, it becomes a lot tougher to say, ‘You’re not making the team,’” Marmol said. “Not only to tell him that, ‘Hey, you’re on the roster but you’re going to be in the rotation,’ was equally as fun for someone in this seat as telling Jordan Walker” he had made the season-opening roster.
Woodford is set to get his first start of the season on Monday night, when the Cardinals welcome the Braves to Busch Stadium for the start of a three-game series. Monday’s start would mark his first in April of Woodford’s MLB career.