Cardinals to Resume Play With Doubleheader vs. White Sox on Saturday

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Cardinals will resume their season with a doubleheader against the White Sox in Chicago on Saturday, MLB announced Friday.

St. Louis returns to the field following a two-week break during the club's coronavirus outbreak. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak confirmed to reporters on Thursday that an 18th member of the team, an unnamed staffer, tested positive. The staff member is asymptomatic and has not been in contact with players while isolating for the past week, allowing the Cardinals to receive clearance to resume their schedule.

After playing the White Sox in Sunday's series finale, the Cardinals will travel to the North Side to play the Cubs four times in two days–a doubleheader Monday and a doubleheader Wednesday. A third doubleheader is set to take place on Sept. 5 in Chicago. Each seven-inning doubleheader will consist of the games originally scheduled at Wrigley Field, as well as one make-up game for the series between the Cardinals and Cubs initially planned for Aug. 7-Aug. 9 at Busch Stadium.

To travel from St. Louis to Chicago, the Cardinals rented 41 cars, and anyone who has quarantined over the past week will drive themselves to the city. Members who haven't been in contact with the virus will take the team bus.

Fans will see some new faces during the weekend series after the Cardinals announced they will promote five players from their alternate training site to face the White Sox, including top prospect Dylan Carlson. First baseman John Nogowski, and pitchers Seth Elledge and Rob Kaminsky will also make their MLB debuts, while the Cardinals plan to recall lefty Ricardo Sánchez from their 40-man roster.

The Cardinals last played against the Twins at Target Field on July 29 before the outbreak quickly tore through the club. After their first two positive tests were announced on July 31, the Cardinals stayed in their Milwaukee hotel for multiple days. Once the club was cleared to leave Milwaukee on Aug. 5, they were forced back into quarantine in St. Louis two days later. The team's number of positive cases eventually rose to 18, including 10 players. 

Having only completed five games out of MLB's 60-game schedule, concerns rose over how St. Louis would squeeze in all of its matchups, even with doubleheaders.

Despite the worries, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said earlier this week that he believes they can finish the season in some capacity.

"I think whether you get all the way to 60 or not, that's difficult at this point," Manfred said. "I think that they are going to play. I think it's possible for them to play enough games to be credible, to be a credible competitor this season."

Here's the Cardinals' Updated Schedule:

Cardinals vs. Cubs:

*To make up games originally scheduled for Aug. 7-9

• Aug. 17: Doubleheader at Wrigley Field beginning at 5:15 p.m. ET
• Aug. 19: Doubleheader at Wrigley Field beginning at 2:20 p.m. ET
• Sept. 5: Doubleheader at Wrigley Field beginning at 5:15 p.m. ET

Cardinals vs. Pirates:

*To make up games originally scheduled for Aug. 10-12

• Aug. 27: Doubleheader at Busch Stadium beginning at 3:15 p.m. ET
• Sept. 18: Doubleheader at PNC Park beginning at 4:05 p.m. ET

Cardinals vs. Twins:

In an effort to create an additional off day for the Cardinals, the club's two-game series against the Twins at Busch Stadium, originally scheduled for Sept. 8 and 9, will now be played as a doubleheader on Sept. 8.

Cardinals vs. Tigers:

The postponed doubleheader between the Cardinals and Tigers, originally scheduled for Aug. 13th, will be rescheduled at a later date.