Pitch imperfect: Cards starters still struggling

ST. LOUIS — That contagiousness of success the Cardinals starters talked about so boldly last year has yet to surface this season, one in which the club has continually had to cobble together its pitching because of so many innings left uncovered by its starters.

Carlos Martinez’s start in Friday’s 11-7 loss to the D-backs was the sixth in the team’s last eight games to last five innings or fewer. What was supposed to be this club’s strength remains, now 42 games into the season, its most pressing issue.

It may have been unrealistic to expect the Cardinals to match the 2.99 rotation ERA of 2015, but this five-man unit was nevertheless projected to be one of the league’s most formidable. To this point, it hasn’t been.

“The talent, we know, is there,” manager Mike Matheny said. “The consistency is what we’re searching for. We’ll go on a run where our starting pitching carries us. We know that.”

Thus far the rotation has strung together three quality starts just once all season. At this point in 2015, the rotation had a 3.17 ERA and .217 batting average against. This …

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