Fowler has hit second in eight of the last 10 spring games, but manager Mike Shildt maintains he's still undecided about who'll open the regular season in that role, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports. "We're still in a situation where it makes sense for Dexter to get his at-bats at the top of the order, see what that looks like," Shildt said hours before Fowler went 0-for-2 with a walk. "It's a combination. We like him there. And also we'll still look at some other lineups as we get closer [to Opening Day]."

EDGE Analysis

The Cardinals are looking to put Fowler in the best possible situation to succeed following a 2018 campaign in which the veteran outfielder slashed .180/.278/.298 over 334 plate appearances in the second year of a five-year, $82.5 million contract. Fowler has yet to provide much reason for optimism this spring, hitting .185 with no home runs and one RBI over 27 spring at-bats. However, a spot near the top of the order where he would be presumably surrounded by the likes of Matt Carpenter and Paul Goldschmidt would give Fowler a solid chance at both RBI and run-scoring opportunities.