Other » Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesThe idea of bringing the designated hitter

National League is "gaining momentum Cole Hamels Jersey ," Tony Clark said Tuesday, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.The executive director of theMajor League Baseball Players Association added players are discussing the prospect of a universal DH across both leagues "more than they have in the past."Speaking during a quarterly owners meeting in January 2016, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred discussed how the tide may be turning regarding the attitudes toward the designated hitter, viaMLB.com'sRichard Justice:"Twenty years ago, when you talked to National League owners about the DH, you'd think you were talking some sort of heretical comment. But we have a new group [of owners]. There's been turnover.I think our owners in general have demonstrated a willingness to change the game in ways we think would be good for the fans lways respecting the history and tradition of the sport."Bringing the DH to the National League would upend decades of tradition, but it may arguably be the best move for MLB.Occasionally, fans can have fun watching pitchers. When he played for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-russell-wilson-jersey , every Bartolo Colon at-bat was an adventure regardless of how it ended.For some, the negatives outweigh the positives.One could argue pitchers are at an increased risk of serious injury鈥擜dam Wainwright's season-endingAchilles tearin2015 serves as an example.In addition, ESPN'sBuster Olneyreported in June many front office personnel approach baseball differently than generations before them and "use analytics to steer around risk" when weighing whether NL pitchers should hit.Far more importantly, most pitchers are terrible at the plate.The Ringer'sBen Lindberghwrote in June the offensive performance of pitchers is trending downward, with the position combining for a.115/.146/.150 slash line to start the 2018 season.Years of debating the merits of the DH in the National League hasn't yielded results. Based on Clark and Manfred's comments, however, the move may happen. A spot in the team record books is on the line Sunday, as well as an opportunity to solidify their playoff positioning.But if the St. Louis Cardinals are to beat the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium and capture their 11th consecutive series Martin Perez Jersey , they will probably need a strong start from a guy that recently lost his spot in the rotation.Manager Mike Shildt has opted to give an extra day of rest to the likes of Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas and John Gant ahead of their starts Monday through Wednesday in Washington. Shildt is going with righthander Luke Weaver (7-11, 4.59 ERA), who will make his first start since an Aug. 16 loss to the Nationals, which occurred four days after he was scratched with a cut on his right index finger from trying to open a food tray.Article continues below ...After starting the season as perhaps the team’s second-best starter behind Carlos Martinez, Weaver hasn’t been able to consistently command his pitches. Good starts became less frequent, replaced by outings in which the Cardinals had to dip into their bullpen before the fifth inning was over.Since moving to the bullpen, Weaver has yielded one run and five hits in four innings over three appearances Jurickson Profar Jersey , picking up the win in a 5-2 victory Aug. 21 at the Los Angeles Dodgers with 2 1/3 innings.Weaver is 3-0 with a 5.16 ERA in five career games against Cincinnati, but will probably be on a short leash. With St. Louis (76-60) occupying one of the two wild-card spots in the National League and sporting a fresh bullpen after Tyson Ross soaked up 4 2/3 innings of long relief in Saturday night’s 4-0 defeat, Weaver won’t have much room for error.The Cardinals had little chance Saturday night. Reds starter Luis Castillo dominated for 6 2/3 innings, whiffing 11 and allowing only two hits in earning the win.“The reality is not a lot of people are going to do anything to him with what he had,” Shildt said of Castillo. “He had really nasty stuff and was able to repeat it and, locate it. Nice outing by that young man.”Cincinnati righthander Anthony DeSclafani (7-4, 4.34) will try to replicate what Castillo did. In his last outing Tuesday night, DeSclafani picked up a 9-7 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-delino-deshields-jersey , allowing seven hits and four runs in 6 2/3 innings while walking one and fanning six. He went 3-1 with a 2.62 ERA in five August starts.“I think we see Anthony DeSclafani as handling the workload,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said to mlb.com before Tuesday night’s game. “He’s a good Major League pitcher.”DeSclafani has pitched well against the Cardinals in his four-year career, going 5-2 in nine outings (eight starts) with a 3.30 ERA. But they got to him July 15, ripping him for six runs on five hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings of a 6-4 loss. And St. Louis might beef up its lineup for the series finale. It activated left fielder Marcell Ozuna (shoulder) off the 10-day disabled list Saturday. Shildt said before Saturday night’s game that he anticipates Ozuna will return to the lineup Sunday.The Cardinals enter Sunday 4 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.