Nathan Church was out of the Cardinals' lineup Monday against the Nationals, with Jose Fermin taking left field and batting eighth against right-hander Zack Littell.
The move came after Church had started in each of his first seven games against right-handed pitchers this season, making Monday his first absence in eight games against righties. The left-handed hitter had been struggling at the plate, going 3-for-26 with a 1:8 BB:K line this season, a stretch that left the Cardinals with a tougher choice than their recent lineup pattern suggested.
That made this more than a routine day off. Church had been in the lineup against right-handed starters all season until Monday, and the change pointed to a team willing to break from its early script rather than keep giving him the same look in the same spot.
What comes next is simple enough: whether Church is back in the lineup the next time the Cardinals face a right-hander, or whether Monday was the start of a longer adjustment to how he is being used.
