2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Wacha throws first complete game, shutout
Since posting an 8.17 ERA over a six-game stretch that had some calling for his removal from the rotation, Wacha is 4–0 with a 1.01 ERA in four starts. His strikeout rate has jumped, and he's found the cutter to be a put-away pitch. After notching five strikeouts on it over his first 14 appearances, Wacha has logged eight in his last three. Wacha garnered 12 outs on his fastball, eight with his cutter, four via the changeup and three with the curve.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Carson Kelly promoted, Zach Duke and Randal Grichuk activated
in baseball and the , Carson Kelly, 23, was promoted to the majors before the game on July 21. He hit .283/.375/.459 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs in 68 games for Triple-A Memphis this season. He made his Major League debut last season, and went 2-for-13 with a double in 10 games for St. Louis. LF Randal Grichuk was activated from the disabled list, as was LHP Zach Duke from the 60-day DL. Grichuk is batting .215 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs in 61 games for the Cardinals this season.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Carson Kelly promoted, Zach Duke and Randal Grichuk activated
Duke is a 12-year MLB veteran, making nine Minor League rehab appearances before being activated, throwing nine scoreless innings. RHP Sam Tuivailala was optioned to AAA-Memphis, as was OF Magneuris Sierra to AA-Springfield. To make room, C Eric Fryer was designated for assignment, with Duke taking Fryer's spot on the 40-man roster.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Cardinals trade LHP Marco Gonzales for OF prospect Tyler O'Neill
Before the game on July 21, the Cardinals traded LHP Marco Gonzales for a power-hitting #75 prospect in baseball ( ) Tyler O'Neill, 22, of the Seattle Mariners. Both players were products of the 2013 MLB Draft, with Gonzales taken in the first round, and O'Neill by Seattle in the third. O'Neill had 14 homers in his past 19 games at Triple-A Tacoma and was batting .244/.328/.479 with 19 homers, 21 doubles and 56 RBIs in 93 games this season. His 19 home runs ranked eighth in the Pacific Coast League.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Cardinals trade LHP Marco Gonzales for OF prospect Tyler O'Neill
He was the Mariners' Minor League Player of the Year last season when he batted .293 with 24 home runs and 102 RBIs at the Double-A level. GM John Mozeliak said, "It adds to our offensive depth. [ It's] not that we're not proud of our outfield depth, but we do think this offensive profile is unique. [ He has] middle-of-the-order potential." O'Neill will report to Triple-A Memphis, where he'll play alongside another Cardinals outfield prospect, Harrison Bader. Gonzales' status as an out-of-options player next year left the Cardinals uncertain of how they'd find a fit for him on the Major League roster.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Fowler on DL, Harrison Bader promoted
On July 25, Dexter Fowler was placed on the DL from a left wrist strain, and promoted their  OF Harrison Bader, 23, from AAA-Memphis. He is in the lineup, and will make his major league debut. He hit .297/.354 with 19 home runs and slugging .517 with 48 RBIs, stealing 9 bases in 350 at-bats. He was their third-round pick in 2015. Fowler is hitting .241/.333/.452, with 29 extra-base hits and 37 RBIs in 333 plate appearances over 81 games this season. Memphis outfielder Chad Huffman was outrighted and subsequently granted his unconditional release.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Wainwright on DL, retroactive to July 23
Before the July 25 game, starting pitcher Adam Wainwright, 35, was placed on the 10-day DL, retroactive to July 23, due to mid-back tightness. The team will announce a corresponding roster move tomorrow. Wainwright is leading the Cardinals with 11 wins and has posted a 4.89 ERA in his 20 games started, striking out 95 batters in 110.1 innings pitched. This marks just the fourth time in his career that Wainwright has been disabled: 2008 for right middle finger sprain, 2011 for right elbow Tommy John surgery, and 2015 for a ruptured right Achilles. The three-time All-Star owns a career mark of 145–81 with a 3.27 ERA in 340 games pitched, ranking 5th on the Cardinals all-time wins list. He has 1,582 strikeouts as a Cardinals' pitcher, ranking second behind Bob Gibson (3,117).


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Wainwright on DL, retroactive to July 23
RHP Mike Mayers was recalled on July 26, as the temporary help from Wainwright's DL.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Bader gets first hit, run
Harrison Bader, scarcely 12 hours after his call-up, recorded his first major league hit, a double to open the ninth inning that turned into a run that decided the 3–2 win over Colorado Rockies (now 58–44 .569), who hold a 41⁄2 game lead over the Cubs for one of the two Wild Card spots. Paul DeJong gave the Cards the lead with a two-run home run in the first, his seventh for the month that matched the most by a Cardinals' rookie in July, and is tied for second place among NL home run leaders in the month.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Bader gets first hit, run
Starter Lance Lynn has now given up one run in his last 251⁄3 innings, lowering his ERA to 3.21 (with the Cardinals overall at 3.83, third-best in NL L.A. Dodgers 3.15 and Arizona Diamondbacks 3.52 in NL West); and opposing batters hitting a team-lowest .210 against him (min. 25 IP). Reliever Matt Bowman blew a save (giving up a solo home run to tie it at 2–2 in the eighth inning), which is the 15th for the team, fourth-most in the NL.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Bader gets first hit, run
DeJong is one of only two players to ever hit double-digit home runs for both the Cardinals, and Triple-A Memphis in the same season. He joins Rick Ankiel, who did so in 2007. DeJong has 13 with each team, while Ankiel spent the majority of 2007 with Memphis, hitting 32 home runs there, and 11 with St. Louis. The win kept the Cardinals after 100 games (49–51 .490) four games back of the Milwaukee Brewers (54–48 .529) in the wild NL Central, playing leap-frog over the Cubs (52–47 .525), who are one-half game behind.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Lance Lynn on trading block?
With the non-waiver trade deadline looming in five days (July 31), and as an upcoming free agent at the end of the season, Lance Lynn could be an intriguing trade option for the struggling Cardinals, still trying to hit the .500 level (49–51). Since his dreadful back-to-back outings in June, he has been superb with a 2–0, 0.75 ERA record over his last four starts totaling 25.1 IP. For the season, he is 8–6, 3.21 ERA, with a team-leading 21 starts.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Lance Lynn on trading block?
It has not been determined if he will make another start after his outstanding July 25 start against a heavy-hitting Colorado Rockies lineup, that was a near-win because of yet another (15th) blown bullpen save opportunity this team has suffered in 2017. Lynn gave up only one run on three hits in six innings, striking out six.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Luke Weaver recalled, Mike Mayers optioned
RHP Luke Weaver was recalled on July 27, and recalled from yesterday RHP Mike Mayers was optioned. Weaver is the No. 64 overall prospect in the Majors, and the Cardinals' fourth-best prospect. Weaver will make his first start in 2017. In two relief appearances with St. Louis this season, Weaver has allowed three hits and no runs over three innings. As a starter in AAA Memphis, he has excelled this year, going 9–1 in 13 starts with a 1.91 ERA. He made eight starts in nine appearances in 2016 (1–4, 5.70 ERA).


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Cardinals set single-game attendance record at Busch Stadium III
The Cardinals set a Busch Stadium III attendance record on July 29, with an announced crowd of 48,052. That figure surpassed all previous attendance marks—even those from the postseason and All-Star Game—at the 12-year-old ballpark. The previous record was 47,925 on May 14,2017.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Cardinals hold at non-waiver trade deadline
The Cardinals decided to make no changes by the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31, 3pm CDT. That means that the Cardinals will enter the final two months of the season with Lance Lynn still a member of their rotation, and an overcrowded outfield. The latter is expected to be addressed during the off-season. As for Lynn, he'll play out the rest of this year as a pending free agent. The Cardinals have not initiated extension talks with the 30-year-old right-hander, and GM John Mozeliak confirmed the organization will "table all of that until the year end."


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, July, Cardinals hold at non-waiver trade deadline
Mozeliak added that momentum never picked up among the teams that had inquired about Lynn's availability. The Cardinals can still net a compensatory Draft pick—which would come after Compensation Round B in 2018—if they make Lynn a qualifying offer and he declines. The value of the qualifying offer is expected to be around $18 million for one year. The club entered the day (off-day) at 52–53, sitting in third-place in the NL Central, 41⁄2 games behind the Cubs, and 2 games behind the Brewers. Teams can still  Reporter Jayson Stark outlines the waiver rules.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Piscotty activated, Bader optioned
On August 1, before a crucial series against the second-place Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals activated OF Stephen Piscotty from the DL, and optioned OF Harrison Bader to AAA. Piscotty missed 16 games after hitting .236/.348/.371 with a 90 OPS+ in 69 games. Bader got his first hit and scored the game-winning run in his first game, hitting .286/.348/.381 (6 for 21) .729 OPS and a 92 OPS+ with 2 doubles, two walks, and nine strikeouts in his six games.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Paul DeJong wins NL Rookie of the Month Award for July
After batting .298/.347/.638 (.985 OPS) with 6 home runs and 16 RBI's in the month of July, Paul DeJong was named the NL Rookie of the Month on his 24th birthday (August 2). He was the first Cardinals' player to win the award since Kolten Wong in May 2014. Through the game on August 1, DeJong was hitting .281/.308/.558 (.865 OPS, 121 OPS+), with 14 home runs and 32 RBIs in 54 games and 208 plate appearances. Among rookies with at least 50 games played, only the Yankees' Aaron Judge and the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger have a higher slugging percentage than DeJong.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
On August 4, starting pitcher Luke Weaver was optioned to AAA, and for the fifth time this season, reliever Sam Tuivailala was recalled.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
Adam Wainwright was activated before the August 6 game he pitched, missing two starts. LHP Kevin Siegrist was placed on the DL with left forearm tendinitis.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
Before the August 7 game, OF Dexter Fowler was activated from the DL after missing 12 games. OF Stephen Piscotty was optioned to AAA Memphis.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
After the showing problems with decreased velocity and command in the ninth inning of the August 16 game, reliever Trevor Rosenthal was placed on the 10-day DL  from a right posterior elbow irritation. RHP Luke Weaver was recalled from AAA. Rosenthal was 11 for 13 in save opportunities, with a 3.40 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 47.2 innings.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
Pitching only three innings with 55 pitches but decreased velocity on August 18, starter Adam Wainwright was placed on the DL from right elbow impingement. He was 12–5 with a 5.12 ERA. Opponent batters were hitting .283 against him. RHP Mike Mayers was recalled from AAA Memphis.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
Before the August 19 game, the Cardinals promoted reliever Josh Lucas, 26, from AAA Memphis, to make his major league debut. To make room for him, RHP Mike Mayers was optioned to the Memphis. Lucas had been in the organization since the Cardinals took him in the 21st round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He had a 3.34 ERA, 1.165 WHIP and 14 saves in 43 appearances at AAA, striking out 65, walking only nine in 56.2 innings. Sixteen of Lucas' appearances have been for one-plus innings. In his debut, Lucas gave up four hits, including a home run for his lone run allowed, walking none, striking out two in his two innings pitched.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
On August 21, OF Stephen Piscotty remained with the team after his 26th-man callup for the 2017 MLB Little League Classic on August 20. 1B Luke Voit was optioned to make the active roster down to the usual 25.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
Before the August 23 game, the Cardinals announced that RH reliever Trevor Rosenthal will have Tommy John surgery to repair a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform the procedure next week. The surgery not only ends Rosenthal's season, but it will cost him much—and possibly all—of 2018 as well. He led the Majors with 93 saves from 2014 to 2015. The timing also complicates his move toward free agency, and it leaves the Cardinals without an obvious answer as to who will fill the ninth-inning void in his absence.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
He was to be arbitration-eligible for a third time this winter and due for a salary increase from the $6.4 million he's earning in 2017. It's a financial commitment the Cardinals won't want to make for a pitcher who may need the full season to recover from surgery. The club could choose to not tender Rosenthal a contract and try to re-sign him for a lesser amount, or under a Minor League contract, to retain control of him. The Cardinals transferred Rosenthal to the 60-day DL ending his season, while calling-up LH reliever Ryan Sherriff, 27, for his major-league debut later. He is 5–1, 3.19 ERA converting six-out-of-seven save opportunities at AAA-Memphis. Reliever Josh Lucas was optioned. Rosenthal was 3–4 with a 3.40 ERA, with 11 saves.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, August injuries/transactions
In the eighth inning of a 4–4 game, about to score the lead run from third base of the August 26 game against the Tampa Bay Rays, 3B Jedd Gyorko suffered a right hamstring strain. He was placed on the 10-day DL the next day. Gyorko was the team-leader with 64 RBIs, hitting .272 with 18 HRs in 114 games. Luke Voit was recalled from AAA.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Second consecutive game with go-ahead grand slam
For the first time in the Cardinals' long history, the team won consecutive games, on August 9–10, featuring a go-ahead grand slam. The 59th win of the season (against 56 losses, .513) for their sixth consecutive win, tied their longest win streak (May 5–10), and pushed the Cardinals to within one game of the first-place Cubs in the NL Central, passing the Brewers for second place, with 47 games remaining.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Second consecutive game with go-ahead grand slam
Dexter Fowler slammed the Royals in the seventh inning on August 10 (8–6 win), when tied at 3–3, while Yadier Molina hit a grand slam in the sixth inning the previous night (8–5 win), after trailing 5–4. The game on August 9 featured Molina's slam coming one pitch after a cat, subsequently known as the "Rally Cat", ran into center field. The cat was picked up by a groundskeeper, who got scratched and clawed for his trouble.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Second consecutive game with go-ahead grand slam
Molina's 387-foot homer was the fifth grand slam of his career, tying him with Tim McCarver for second all-time among Cardinals' catchers for grand slams. He needs two more to tie Ted Simmons. Because of Molina's key hit, the Cardinals moved closer in the chase for the NL Central. Fowler's slam (fifth in his career) was the Cardinals' third in their last five games, and his five RBIs in a game was his highest. He had scored a run in his last five games.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Second consecutive game with go-ahead grand slam
The Rally Cat went missing after the game and the Cardinals released a statement: "We are hopeful someone will find the cat and contact us so we can properly care for it. Our grounds crew is working on developing a stray animal protocol to ensure the safety of both crew and animal should this happen again. In the meantime, the Cardinals are looking to scratch and claw their way back to the top of the division standings." The Rally Cat was found early on August 11, and transported to a veterinarian to be checked out, and eventually available for adoption. It was not a feral cat as initially thought. It is a medium haired tabby. It's still unknown if anyone in the Cardinals' organization will open their doors to the cat. Custody of the cat remains in dispute.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Cards in a virtual tie for first in NL Central
After the 6–5 win on August 12 (61–56, .521) and the Cubs' loss later that night (60–55, .522), the teams were in a virtual tie for first place in the NL Central. The August 12 win was the team's season-high eighth consecutive win. Carlos Martinez won his ninth game, and Paul DeJong hit his team-leading 17th home run for the deciding run in the seventh inning. The Cardinals' eight-game winning streak was their most since April 28 to May 5, 2015, and the longest of Matheny's managerial career.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Cards in a virtual tie for first in NL Central
The Cards were five and one-half games back less than two weeks ago. DeJong's team-leading 17th home run came in his 64th game and 244th at-bat. He tied five other Cardinals for the seventh-most home runs by a rookie in Cardinals' history, with six of them coming in the seventh inning or later. He was slashing .291/.320/.566. Before the game on August 12, his 16 home runs in his first 63 games were second only to future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols' 20 in the same number of games in 2001.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Cards in a virtual tie for first in NL Central
During the team's eight-game winning streak, DeJong 's ability and consistency played a pivotal role. He had at least one hit in all but one of those games, with three home runs and nine RBIs over that stretch. Combined with the 13 homers he hit in 48 games with the AAA Memphis, DeJong has 30 home runs this season. Adam Wainwright's hit in the August 11 game drove in his 11th RBI, which led all MLB pitchers.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Cards in a virtual tie for first in NL Central
Compared to the team's previous game on August 11 for their seventh consecutive win (8–5), the six runs scored on August 12 were the lowest from the previous six games, when eight runs or more were scored. That streak was the first time since April 11–16, 2011, tying the franchise record. The club also achieved the feat Sept. 9–15, 1922.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Cards in a virtual tie for first in NL Central
However, following the win, the Cardinals would lose three straight and five of their next seven games. The Cubs, in the same span, won six of eight games to extend the lead over the Cardinals to 3.5 games as of August 21.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Paul DeJong becomes fourth Cards' rookie to hit 20 HRs
Paul DeJong became only the fourth Cardinals' rookie to hit 20 home runs, doing so in only his 70th game on August 19. Albert Pujols (37 in 2001), Chris Duncan (22 in '06), and Ray Jablonski (21 in 1953) previously accomplished the feat. He also has 17 doubles, 48 RBIs in 269 AB, hitting .305/.336/.591 with a .927 OPS.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Ryan Sherriff makes debut
LH reliever Ryan Sherriff made his major-league debut against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 25. He pitched three scoreless innings, registering four strikeouts, while scattering two hits. But the Cards fell 3–7 to the Rays, with their eighth loss in 11 games, remaining 4 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the National League Central and five back of the Rockies for the NL's second Wild Card spot.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Matt Carpenter donates to Hurricane Harvey relief
On August 29, Galveston, Texas native and Houston-area resident, Matt Carpenter, announced a personal donation of $10,000 for each home run he hits until the end of the season, to the relief efforts in the tragedy of Hurricane Harvey, which smashed into Rockport, Texas (just south of Houston) as a Category 4 hurricane, on August 25, with wind gusts up to 132 mph (212 km/h). Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals' owner William DeWitt, Jr., also pledged the same $10,000 per Carpenter home run, totaling $30,000 for each one Carpenter hits.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Matt Carpenter donates to Hurricane Harvey relief
Carpenter has hit 17 this year through the 130 games played. Randal Grichuk said he has remained in constant contact with his parents, who still live in his hometown of Rosenberg, Texas, a suburb southwest of downtown Houston. In the first game after his pledge, that same evening Carpenter hit a home run, his 18th (a 10–2 win), which gave $30,000 to the relief efforts.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Leake traded to Seattle
Starting RH pitcher Mike Leake was traded to the Seattle Mariners on August 30, on the eve of the waiver trade deadline (Aug. 31), $750,000 in international cap space as well as cash considerations, for a minor league shortstop Rayder Ascanio, 21. Prior to this deadline, a player is eligible to play in post-season games, as Leake now is, should Seattle earn a Wild Card spot.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Leake traded to Seattle
Leake, 29, signed a five-year contract with the Cards in December 2015, and he has three years and $48 million remaining on his deal after 2017, with a mutual $18 million option, or a $5 million buyout in 2021. The contract, which included a full no-trade clause, was no problem as Leake waived it to help facilitate the trade, according to reports. The Cardinals are picking up $17 million of the remaining $53 million money on Leake's contract.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Leake traded to Seattle
Leake began the year red-hot, going 3–1 with a 1.35 ERA in five April outings, before seeing his ERA increase in each month of the season. The right-hander is 0–3 with an 8.88 ERA and a .375 opponents batting average in five starts in August. He is 7–12 with a 4.21 ERA in 26 starts for the Cards this season, after going 9–12 with a 4.69 ERA in 30 starts in 2016. Leake is 80–76 with a 4.02 ERA in 223 career appearances (228 starts).


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Leake traded to Seattle
The shortstop received by the Cardinals is a switch-hitter, signed out of Venezuela with the Mariners' organization since 2012. Ascanio hit .217/.295/.355 with a .649 OPS in 111 Minor League games this season, and he will be added to the Cardinals' Class A Advanced Palm Beach Cardinals roster for the remainder of this year. The , RHP Jack Flaherty, 21, will take Leake's place in the rotation, starting on September 1, making his major league debut. He is three years removed after high school, now with the AAA Memphis Redbirds.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Siegrist DFA, John Gant recalled
LH reliever Kevin Siegrist was DFA on August 31, after activating him from the DL, making room for RH reliever John Gant, recalled from AAA, who will take the roster spot that Mike Leake vacated after his trade. Gant, 25, has a 3.83 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 1031⁄3 innings over 18 starts for the Memphis Redbirds this season. He was acquired last December from Atlanta in the Jaime Garcia trade. His lone appearance with the big league club this year came on June 6, when he allowed the Cincinnati Reds two runs on three hits over 31⁄3 innings.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, August, Siegrist DFA, John Gant recalled
Siegrist was in the midst of a tough season with a 4.98 ERA over 341⁄3 innings and a 13.3% walk rate that ranked 192nd among 203 relievers with at least 30 innings. He had been battling left forearm tendinitis as well. Siegrist, who was under team control for two more seasons, had fallen out of favor as a top left-hander in the Cardinals' bullpen, with Left-handers slugging a career-best .420 against him this year. He was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies on September 2.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Apr–Aug 1,2-run games record
At the end of August, the team is 67–66 (.504), and had an 18–25 (.419) record in one-run games. They are 9–12 (.429) record in 2-run games. For 1- or 2-run games, the team is 27–37 (.422). The Cardinals have 7 players with 15+ HR's, tops among NL teams and T2nd in the majors, with Houston and Baltimore, trailing only the Texas (9 players). The Cardinals had a franchise record 8 players hit 15+ HR's last year, as they paced the NL with 225 home runs. They have scored 245 runs via the home run, giving up 231 that way. In total, the Cardinals have scored 631 runs, giving up 581.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Jack Flaherty makes ML debut
Starting RHP Jack Flaherty made his major league debut on September 1, at AT&T Park against the San Francisco Giants. He pitched a perfect first inning, striking out the first and third batters, and got the second on a fly ball. But, he gave up a two-run home run among five hits, in the second inning. Overall, he allowed five runs on eight hits over four innings with six strikeouts and one intentional walk. Harrison Bader also had a memorable night when he clubbed his first Major League home run in the third inning, a two-run blast that got the Cardinals on the scoreboard.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Rosters expand
The rosters expanded on September 1, and the Cardinals brought up from AAA-Memphis: OF Harrison Bader, 2B/SS Alex Mejia, C Alberto Rosario, plus RHP Sandy Alcantara from AA-Springfield Cardinals. Bader is the . Alcantara is particularly intriguing for the Cardinals, with his power arm, and is the . He will initially be used in relief. At AA-Springfield, he was 7–5 with a 4.31 ERA in 25 games (22 starts), and had 106 strikeouts with 54 walks in 1251⁄3 innings. Alcantara held opponents to a .262 average this season, while relying primarily on a fastball that routinely clocked between 94 and 96 mph. That velocity, coupled with a hard curve and solid changeup, have the Cardinals salivating about Alcantara's prospects. He stands 6' 4", a lean 170 pounds (77 kg)


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Alcantara makes ML debut
RH reliever Sandy Alcantara made his major-league debut on September 3, in a 7–3 win over the lowly San Francisco Giants (54–85). He pitched 0.2 innings, giving up two hits, a run (home run), one walk, and one strikeout.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Carlos Martinez throws second shutout
Carlos Martinez threw his second shutout of the season on September 4 against the San Diego Padres. He joins Ervin Santana (3, Minnesota Twins), and Corey Kluber (2, Cleveland Indians), as the only other MLB pitchers to record at least two shutouts. Martinez struck out 10, walked three, giving up only three singles, with no runners reaching second base. He threw 109 pitches, 76 for strikes. His 183 innings pitched in 2017, ranks second among all NL starters. Opponent batters are hitting .228 against him, third-best of the Cardinals' starters. Lance Lynn is first at .211 and Luke Weaver second at .220.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Cardinals acquire reliever Juan Nicasio
The Cardinals made a rare September trade when they acquired Philadelphia Phillies RH reliever and setup man Juan Nicasio, 31, for minor league infielder Eliezer Alvarez on September 5. He won't be eligible for a postseason roster should the Cards advance to the playoffs. He has made a NL-high 67 appearances this year, 65 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who put him on waivers. He posted a 2.79 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP over 611⁄3 innings this season. He's struck out 16, walked 18, and held opponents to a .218 batting average. Nicasio's 21 Holds rank as the fifth most in the NL.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Attendance passes 3 million
The year's attendance passed 3 million (3,026,081) for the 14th consecutive year at the September 10 game, the 71st home game (39–32; Road 35–37). An average per game of 42,621. Their highest attendance year was in 2007, when they received 3,552,180 for an average of 43,854.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, NL Central race going down to the wire
With 19 games to play over the next 20 days including the September 12 game, the Cardinals (75–68, .524) are only two games behind the Cubs (77–66) for the division lead, and the Brewers (75–69) a shade behind in third place. The Cubs have lost six of their last eight, while the Cardinals have won seven of their last eight, cutting five games off the Cubs' lead. They are 8–2 in September, with only the Cleveland Indians better, with an amazing 19 consecutive games won, now 88–56 (.611; 40–29 Home, 48–27 Road), 131⁄2 ahead in the AL Central.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, NL Central race going down to the wire
No team has gotten better starting pitching in this stretch than the Cardinals: 1.91 ERA (Cleveland starters have a 1.97 ERA over the same time period). The Cardinals were 33–40 after the June 24 game. Since then, they are 42–28 (.600). The Brewers play 11 of their final 18 games against teams with a losing record, and the other seven are against the Cubs and Cardinals. The two NL Wild Card berths may not provide a safety net.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, NL Central race going down to the wire
The Arizona D-backs (83–61) are cruising toward one, and the Colorado Rockies (79–65) lead the Cardinals by 31⁄2 games in the race for the other. The Cubs have seven games remaining against the Cardinals, and four against the Brewers. The Cardinals finish the season with three home games against the Brewers, but they also play the Reds and Pirates nine times.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Gyorko activated
3B Jedd Gyorko activated before the September 13 game, can pinch-hit, but will take it slow with base-running after he suffered a right hamstring strain during the August 26 game. He lost his team-leading categories of 64 RBIs and 18 HRs, while hitting .272. He missed 15 games.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Swept in Chicago
A crucial visit to Wrigley Field for the September 15–17 series against the Cubs, going into it, led the Cardinals by only three games. The three games there turned into a sweep by the home team pushing the Cardinals behind by six games to win the NL Central, with only 13 remaining. In this series, the Cardinals finished 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and cost themselves runs at least four times with poor defensive plays. The losses also dropped the team to third place in the NL Central, two games behind the Brewers. They are also 41⁄2 games behind the Colorado Rockies for the second Wild Card spot. The Cardinals have only four more (home) games against the Cubs, with six road games against the Reds and Pirates prior, and ending the season at home after the Cubs, against the Brewers.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Wainwright to return, as a reliever
Adam Wainwright is poised to return from the DL in time for the September 19 game, but he will as a reliever. He was placed on the DL with a right elbow impingement on August 28. The Cardinals plan to continue starting rookie Jack Flaherty, who has made three appearances since being called up at the start of the month. Flaherty, whose next start will be on September 19, is in line to make three starts over the team's final 13 games. None of those would be against the Cubs. Wainwright was activated from the DL before the September 19 game, missing 28 games and five starts. 3B-man Jedd Gyorko returned to the field, making his first start there since August 26.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Molina starts a GoFundMe page for Puerto Rico
Yadier Molina and his wife Wanda, started a  for victims of Hurricane Maria on September 21, with a goal of $1 million. It has raised $20,000 in seven hours. More than 3 million people there are without power, and over 95% of cell service is down. Molina is a native of Bayamon and reportedly owns a home in Vega Alta. Drone video on The Weather Channel described Bayamon as looking "like a war zone."


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Cardinals eliminated from NL Central title
The team was eliminated from the NL Central race with the loss to the Cubs in the first game of their final head-to-head four-game series on September 25. The club is 4–12 against the Cubs, with three games remaining between them. They are seven games behind the Cubs with six to play. Cardinals' pitching has served up 19 home runs in 16 games to the Cubs this season. The Cardinals (81–75) trail the Colorado Rockies by 21⁄2 games in the NL Wild Card chase. The Cardinals also trail the second-place Milwaukee Brewers by one game in the Wild Card hunt.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Molina on concussion protocol
Yadier Molina was placed on baseball's concussion protocol after consecutive foul tip pitches off his catcher's mask on September 25. Protocol requires that a player be evaluated 48 hours (2 days) after sustaining the head trauma before a diagnosis is determined. Molina noted that his headaches and nausea had subsided since Monday (September 25), though he has not been cleared to drive a car. It was the first time Molina said he could remember being hit by foul balls on consecutive pitches. He missed three games following the incident.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Molina on concussion protocol
He hopes to play again before the final regular season game on (Sunday) October 1. After the team was eliminated from post-season play with the loss on September 28, he and three other players were shut down on September 29, for the remaining three games in the season, to prevent further damage from their injuries. Adam Wainwright, Matt Carpenter, and LH-reliever Tyler Lyons were given rest for the last three games. Lyons  did not miss any time this season due to injury, but had started to recently show signs of weakness in his surgically repaired left knee. The Cardinals don't want to risk any additional stress over this final weekend.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Molina on concussion protocol
On Aug. 28, Carpenter announced that he would make a $10,000 donation, to relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey in his hometown of Houston, for every home run he hit for the rest of the season. Wainwright and the Cardinals quickly matched that pledge. Though he played with a shoulder injury, Carpenter went on to hit six homers over the final 24 games to bring the donation total to $180,000. Carpenter said he has already given his $60,000 portion to the American Red Cross.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Lance Lynn's final start, Cardinals knocked out of playoffs
Lance Lynn made what is probably his last start as a Cardinals' pitcher, since his rookie year in 2011. He pitched five strong innings, giving up just one run (1st inn. HR), three hits, walking four, striking out five, on September 28. He led the pitching staff with 33 starts, (and 3.43 ERA for the starters), while giving up a team-high 27 home runs. He is expected to become a free agent after the season end, with the team not interested in conducting contract extension talks with him.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Lance Lynn's final start, Cardinals knocked out of playoffs
He is tied with Adam Wainwright for the most post-season appearances with 24. He is third in franchise history with five post-season wins. His career numbers are 72–47 (.605), 3.38 ERA in 183 G with 161 starts, 369 walks, 919 strikeouts, 1.29 WHIP, and 114 ERA+. The club was knocked out of the playoffs as a possible Wild Card entry with the extra-inning loss to the Cubs, where Paul DeJong was robbed of a would-be game-tying home run by center fielder Leonys Martin in the 11th inning to end the game.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, September, Lance Lynn's final start, Cardinals knocked out of playoffs
The Cubs had a 14–5 record against their division rivals, and won seven of eight one-run games against them. With the loss on September 28, that game was the last since the start of the 2011 season that the Cards took the field for a regular-season game knowing they had post-season aspirations. That covered 1,131 consecutive games, which was the longest active streak in major league baseball.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, October, Final game
The final game on October 1, was a loss to the second-place Milwaukee Brewers (86–76), scoring only one run. The Cardinals ended 2017 with an 83–79 (.512) record, in third place in the NL Central, nine games behind the division-winning Cubs (92–70), and four games behind the second Wild Card Colorado Rockies (87–75).


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Regular season summary, October, Attendance
The attendance for their 81 home games  (44–37 .543), was 3,448,337 up 0.1% from the 3,444,490 in 2016. Their attendance is second in the 15-team NL only to the Los Angeles Dodgers that has over four times the St. Louis metro population and a stadium that has a capacity of 56,000, over 13,000 more than Busch Stadium. Away, the club was 39–42 (.481). The team had a 24–29 (.453) record in one-run games. They are 11–13 (.458) record in 2-run games. For 1- or 2-run games, the team is 35–42 (.455). Scored 761 runs, giving up 705, +56. In 2016, scored 779, allowed 712, +67.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Schedule and results
Most games are broadcast on Fox Sports Midwest, unless noted on the game dates. Games broadcast on the MLB Network not noted. Small notation (TBS / ESPN) game broadcasts are for out-of-metro area only.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Schedule and results, Game log
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = PostponementBold = Cardinals player


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Schedule and results, Game log
•  August 20 game vs Pittsburgh Pirates to be played at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, as part of MLB Little League Classic.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Statistics, Batting statistics
Below double line: Ranked by AB regardless of position for position players / Role, then IP for pitchers


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Statistics, Batting statistics
Players in italics no longer on the roster BOLD = team leader in category


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Statistics, Pitching statistics
Below double line: Ranked by AB regardless of position for position players / Role, then IP for pitchers


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Statistics, Pitching statistics
Players in italics no longer on the roster BOLD = led National League (NL) in category


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Minor league system and first-year player draft, Major League Baseball draft
The 2017 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft will begin on June 12, 2017, at Secaucus, New Jersey. The draft will assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Minor league system and first-year player draft, Major League Baseball draft
With the worst record in the 2016 MLB season, the Minnesota Twins received the first overall pick. In addition, compensation picks will be distributed for players who did not sign from the 2016 MLB Draft.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Minor league system and first-year player draft, Major League Baseball draft
MLB Network will broadcast the first 36 picks (Round 1 and Competitive Balance Round A), while MLB.com will stream all 75 picks on Day 1. MLB.com will also provide live pick-by-pick coverage of Rounds 3–10 on Day 2, starting at 12 p.m. CT. Rounds 11–40 can be heard live on MLB.com on Wednesday, beginning at 11 a.m. CT.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Minor league system and first-year player draft, Major League Baseball draft
For the first time since 2002, the Cardinals will not be making a selection in the first round. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team has an allotted bonus pool equal to the sum of the values of that club's selections in the first 10 rounds of the Draft. The more picks a team has, and the earlier it picks, the larger the pool. The signing bonuses for a team's selections in the first 10 rounds, plus any bonus greater than $125,000 for a player taken after the 10th round, will apply toward the bonus-pool total.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Minor league system and first-year player draft, Major League Baseball draft
Any team going up to five percent over its allotted pool will be taxed at a 75-percent rate on the overage. A team that overspends by 5–10 percent gets a 75-percent tax plus the loss of a first-round pick. A team that goes 10–15 percent over its pool amount will be hit with a 100-percent penalty on the overage and the loss of a first- and second-round pick. Any overage of 15 percent or more gets a 100-percent tax plus the loss of first-round picks in the next two drafts. The Cardinals have the lowest bonus pool money of any team. The value assigned to the Cardinals' first pick (No. 94) is $570,900.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Minor league system and first-year player draft, Major League Baseball draft
The Cardinals made 30 picks on Day 3 (June 14) drafting 38 players because of no picks in rounds one and two. Eight of those were high schoolers. Twenty-two (22) of their 38 picks were pitchers: seven lefties and 15 righties; no pitchers before the eighth round. Their total bonus pool ($2.176 million) was significantly lower than all the others. Because of this financial limitations, it drew the club to more college seniors who are considered easier signees, of which the Cardinals drafted 16. The breakdown of 16 position players includes: four catchers, six middle infielders, two third basemen, and four outfielders. The Cardinals now start scouring the country for talent ahead of the 2018 Draft, and will work against a July 7 (4 p.m. CT) deadline to sign members of this year's class.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Minor league system and first-year player draft, Major League Baseball draft
There were 1,215 players drafted, 771 (63.5%) from 4-year schools, 312 from high school (25.7%), 130 from junior college, and 2 from no schools. Pitching, as usual, ruled the draft, with 660 (54.3%) of the total. 472 RH, and 188 LH. Next in declining order were: OF 205, SS 100, C 99, 3B 61, 2B 42, 1B 37, and Utility 5.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Minor league system and first-year player draft, Major League Baseball draft
Thirteen draftees were signed by June 19. All 13 players who agreed to terms have been placed on either the State College Spikes (PA) Short Season, or Johnson City Cardinals (TN) Rookie roster. Both of the short-season clubs open play this week.


2017 St. Louis Cardinals season, Minor league system and first-year player draft, Free agents signed
The Cardinals have $5.75 mil. in bonus pool money to spend in the international market from now until June 15, 2018. They have already traded a portion of that away.


2017 St. Louis mayoral election
The 2017 St. Louis mayoral election was held on April 4, 2017, to elect the mayor of St. Louis, Missouri. Incumbent Mayor Francis Slay chose not to run for reelection. Slay, who was serving his fourth term as mayor, indicated in March 2016 that he would run for reelection, but announced in April 2016 that he would not run for a fifth term. Primary elections took place on March 7, 2017, and the general election was held on April 4. Alderwoman Lyda Krewson was elected and became the first female Mayor of St. Louis.


2017 St. Louis protests
Beginning on the afternoon of September 15, 2017, a series of protests took place in St. Louis, Missouri, following the acquittal of former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley in the shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith, a black man. Over 160 people were arrested during the first three days of demonstrations, with largely peaceful protests. There has been significant criticism around the police and governmental response to protests, resulting in lawsuits from the ACLU.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, September 15
Roughly 200-300 demonstrators assembled in downtown St. Louis near the city courthouse. The protests were mostly peaceful. Police used pepper spray to drive back protesters on at least two occasions: after protesters responded angrily to the approach of buses filled with police in tactical armor (riot gear), and after individuals mounted an abandoned police vehicle and damaged its windshield.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, September 15
Demonstrations later moved to the Central West End neighborhood, where they swelled to over 1,000 people. They were peaceful until about 9:45 pm, after protesters made their way to the home of mayor Lyda Krewson. Despite urgings from demonstration leaders, at least one protester put a rock through the mayor's window. The mayor is believed not to have been home. Although most demonstrators dispersed immediately, police deployed pepper spray and tear gas, driving back remaining demonstrators and onlookers through the Central West End's commercial area. There, angered protesters damaged several businesses.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, September 15
A total of 33 people, 32 of whom were local, were arrested and charged with crimes ranging from peace disturbance to destruction of property. The US Justice Department announced that no federal investigation will take place.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, September 16
On the afternoon of September 16, protesters marched through a shopping center in the St. Louis suburb of Des Peres and blocked a road. As the sun set a peaceful march made its way through the St. Louis suburb of University City. As night fell, however, demonstrators threw projectiles at police and smashed storefront windows as police drove them down Delmar Boulevard. 23 businesses and a police vehicle were damaged. Police made nine arrests.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, September 17
About 1,000 people protested outside police headquarters in downtown St. Louis. The event was peaceful until a small group of protesters started smashing the windows of a Marriott hotel and other businesses. Police arrested 123 people. Police also said unknown chemical substances were thrown at them and that an officer on bike was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Among those arrested included an undercover St. Louis police officer, a Getty Images photojournalist, and an Air Force lieutenant.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, September 21
Police in Richmond Heights shut down the St. Louis Galleria after a group of protesters blocked the intersection of Brentwood Boulevard and Galleria Parkway. Protests started outside Busch Stadium in downtown St Louis, as a Billy Joel concert took place.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, September 23
Protesters marched through the Saint Louis Galleria in Richmond Heights before St. Louis County Police said it ordered the demonstrators to disperse. Police made 22 arrests. One officer and two protesters were injured during the incident. Some protesters alleged that the police did not give the dispersal order.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, September 29
A group of protesters attending a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium unfurled a banner which depicted a cardinal, to match St. Louis' baseball mascot, with #ExpectUs written across the bird's jersey and the bird holding a "Black Lives Matter" sign, and read at the bottom "Stop Killing Us." The protesters were removed from the stadium by police. At least two protesters were arrested as ongoing demonstrations outside Busch Stadium continued as well.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, September 30
Protesters returned to the St Louis Galleria, though only briefly, and chanted "Black lives matter" and "If we don't get it, shut it down!" while marching through the mall. They also addressed shoppers and onlookers.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, October 3
143 were arrested after a group of protesters blocked and briefly closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 64 at Kingshighway. This marks the highest total number of arrests in one night since the protests began.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, October 4
On this day, and made public October 6,  local U.S. Attorney Carrie Costantin sent a letter to US Justice Department's Civil Rights Division asking to implement a request by St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and Interim Police Commissioner Lawrence M. O'Toole for an independent federal investigation.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, October 5
A group of protestors blocked traffic at Hampton Avenue and Chippewa Street on Thursday evening before marching to the nearby St. Louis Police Officers Association and calling for its spokesman to be fired.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, October 6
Protests returned to the nearby city of Ferguson three years after the shooting of Michael Brown. The Ferguson protesters first stopped outside the Ferguson Market, where Brown had a run-in with the store owner before he was stopped by the officer who later shot him, and later moved to the Ferguson police headquarters on South Florissant Road. A video of Ferguson protestors carrying Black Lives Matter signs and standing around the burning flag while repeatedly chanting "we can't take it no more" is also leaking online as well.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, October 13
More Ferguson protests take place and 5 out of 50 protesters are arrested for refusing to obey two or three police warnings to leave the street in front the police headquarters and move onto the sidewalk 40 minutes after protests begin at night.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, October 14
200 peaceful protestors march through the streets of downtown St. Louis in the afternoon.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, October 21
Protesters accompany State Representative Bruce Franks to the AFL–CIO Convention in downtown St. Louis. The convention center staff refused entry to the demonstrators, including Rep. Franks, who was scheduled to speak. Trade unionists attending the conference joined the demonstration and demanded that all protesters be given entry.


2017 St. Louis protests, Timeline of events, November 24
Seven protestors, including Franks, were arrested following an attempt to disrupt Black Friday sales at the St. Louis Galleria. About 50 protesters arrived shortly after 2 p.m., forcing the mall to close for less than an hour at 2:40 p.m. The mall reopened 3:20 p.m. after most protestors had left the vicinity.


2017 St. Louis protests, Reactions
Acting Police Commissioner Lawrence O'Toole spoke about the protests in a video statement with Mayor Lyda Krewson. He stated, "Many of the demonstrators were peaceful. However, after dark, many agitators began to destroy property and assault police officers." The mayor herself earlier stated, "I am sobered by this outcome. Frustration, anger, hurt, pain, hope and love all intermingle. I encourage St. Louisans to show each other compassion, to recognize that we all have different experiences and backgrounds and that we all come to this with real feelings and experiences."


2017 St. Louis protests, Reactions
Missouri Governor Eric Greitens warned protesters they could be arrested for property damage if further violence occurred. He issued a strong condemnation Saturday night in a Facebook post stating, "In the past, our leaders let people break windows, loot, start fires. They let them do it. Not this time. Tonight, the police arrested the vandals. At this moment, they're all sitting in a jail cell. They're gonna wake up and face felony charges. These aren't protesters, these are criminals. We had leaders who wanted to give people a safe space to loot and to burn. Now in Missouri if you loot the only safe space you're going to have is in a jail cell."


2017 St. Louis protests, Reactions
Irish rock band U2 as well as singer Ed Sheeran cancelled concerts in St. Louis due to the unrest. The St. Louis Walk to End Alzheimer's, the Shakespeare Festival's performance of 'Blow, Winds', the Cardinals Care 6K Walk/Run, Mike Birbiglia's stand-up performance at The Pageant, the Missouri History Museum's Twilight Tuesday concert series, the School of Rock show at Delmar Hall, and the St. Louis Symphony's performance of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - In Concert were all cancelled due to the protests as well. PeaceFest at the Harris-Stowe State University campus, The Mission: St. Louis gala at Ballpark Village, the 45th Annual Moonlight Ramble and the opening of the St Louis Science Center's exhibit "Science Uncorked" were all also postponed.


2017 St. Louis protests, Reactions
On September 22, 2017, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued the city of St. Louis over its treatment of the protesters.


2017 St. Paul Cash Spiel
The 2017 St. Paul Cash Spiel was held from October 6 to 8  at the St. Paul Curling Club in St. Paul, Minnesota as part of the 2017–18 World Curling Tour. Both the men's and women's event were held in a round robin format.


2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy
The 2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy was a professional tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It was the eighth edition of the tournament and second time as a WTA Premier tournament. It was part of the 2017 WTA Tour and was held between 30 January and 5 February 2017.


2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, Prize money
1Qualifiers prize money is also the Round of 32 prize money. *per team


2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, Doubles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following pair received a wildcard into the doubles main draw:


2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy – Doubles
Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza were the defending champions, but Mirza chose not to participate this year. Hingis played alongside Belinda Bencic, but lost in the first round to Gabriela Dabrowski and Michaëlla Krajicek.


2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy – Doubles
Jeļena Ostapenko and Alicja Rosolska won the title, defeating Darija Jurak and Xenia Knoll in the final, 3–6, 6–2, [10–5].


2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy – Singles
Roberta Vinci was the defending champion, but lost in the quarterfinals to unseeded Kristina Mladenovic.


2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy – Singles
Mladenovic went on to win her first WTA singles title, defeating Yulia Putintseva in the final, 6–2, 6–7(3–7), 6–4.


2017 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy – Singles, Seeds
The top four seeds received a bye into the second round.


2017 St. Petersburg Open
The 2017 St. Petersburg Open was a tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It was the 22nd edition of the St. Petersburg Open, and part of the ATP World Tour 250 Series of the 2017 ATP World Tour. It took place at the Sibur Arena in Saint Petersburg, Russia, from September 18 through 24, 2017.


2017 St. Petersburg Open, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2017 St. Petersburg Open, Doubles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following pairs received wildcards into the doubles main draw:


2017 St. Petersburg Open – Doubles
Dominic Inglot and Henri Kontinen were the defending champions, but Kontinen chose not to participate this year. Inglot played alongside Daniel Nestor, but lost in the quarterfinals to Roman Jebavý and Matwé Middelkoop.


2017 St. Petersburg Open – Doubles
Jebavý and Middelkoop went on to win the title, defeating Julio Peralta and Horacio Zeballos in the final, 6–4, 6–4.


2017 St. Petersburg Open – Singles
Alexander Zverev was the defending champion, but chose not to participate this year.


2017 St. Petersburg Open – Singles
Damir Džumhur won his first ATP World Tour title, defeating Fabio Fognini in the final, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2. Džumhur became the first player from Bosnia and Herzegovina to win the ATP title.


2017 St. Petersburg Open – Singles, Seeds
The top four seeds receive a bye into the second round.


2017 St. Petersburg raid
On 13–14 December 2017, Russian security authorities arrested seven members of an ISIL terrorist cell during a police operation in St. Petersburg. The suspects were alleged to have plotted suicide bombings in St. Petersburg on the weekend of 16–17 December 2017, with the Kazan Cathedral among the targets. Both the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) were involved in the operation.


2017 St. Petersburg raid, Background
Russia has become one of the main targets of jihadists since it began a military campaign against various Islamist groups in Syria. In October 2015, an airplane with Russian tourists was blown up over Egypt on its way to St. Petersburg. In August 2016, two men with firearms and axes attacked a police station on the Shchelkovskoye highway near Moscow. In April 2017, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a car at the St. Petersburg metro. In August 2017, a single terrorist organized a series of attacks, including mass killings and arson, in the center of Surgut.


2017 St. Petersburg raid, Background
Three days earlier the FSB had arrested three suspected members of a similar group in Moscow, where they were allegedly plotting attacks during the New Year holidays and the upcoming presidential campaign.


2017 St. Petersburg raid, Raids
According to a statement, a "large number of explosives used to make homemade bombs, automatic rifles, munitions and extremist literature" were seized during a police operation on 13 and 14 December. Seven people were arrested. During the operation, the officers also destroyed a laboratory that the suspects had reportedly used to manufacture explosive devices.


2017 St. Petersburg raid, Raids
The FSB issued a video of one of the detainees being questioned. "I was supposed to make the explosives and... pack them into bottles with projectiles attached" he said.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election
The 2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election was held on August 29 and November 7, 2017, to elect the next mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida, in a general election, with a primary election which took place on August 29, 2017. Incumbent mayor Rick Kriseman, a Democrat, opted to seek re-election. His opponent in the runoff was Republican former mayor Rick Baker (2001–2010). The election was officially non-partisan.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Background
In the 2013 election, then incumbent mayor Bill Foster opted to seek re-election for that year's mayoral election. With no candidates having a majority in the primary election, Foster and former Florida House of Representatives member Rick Kriseman faced off in the general election, where Kriseman was elected on November 5, 2013, by a 10 point margin. He assumed office on January 2, 2014.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Candidates, Declared
In December 2016, advocate and singer-songwriter Paul Congemi announced his bid for mayor. In January 2017, current incumbent mayor Rick Kriseman filed for re-election. In March 2017, African People's Socialist Party activist Jesse Nevel filed for election, as well as Anthony Cates II, a salesman. In May 2017, former St. Petersburg mayor Rick Baker filed for re-election, and Ernisa Barnwell. In June 2017, activist Theresa Lassiter announced her bid for mayoral office.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Primary campaigns
Seven candidates ended up filing for the mayoral office before the cut-off date on June 23. The front-runners include the incumbent mayor Kriseman and former mayor Baker, with minor candidates including Nevel, Lassiter, Cates, Congemi, and Barnwell.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Primary campaigns
At the start of each campaign, Kriseman focused on the continuation of progress which included financing and construction of a new police headquarters and St. Petersburg Pier, poverty, and keeping the Tampa Bay Rays in the city. Baker aimed to win voters with his past management reputation, rebuilding the Sundial, and the Major League Soccer bid for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Minor candidates such as Nevel and Lassiter vowed to focus on poverty and on St. Petersburg's southern historical black community.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Primary campaigns
Upon announcement of his re-election bid, Kriseman received endorsements from congressman Charlie Crist, U.S. senator Bill Nelson, the Sun Coast Police Benevolent Association, and four city council members in March.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Primary campaigns
On June 27, Kriseman and Baker participated in a debate which centered on local issues and questions as well as past campaigns.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Primary campaigns
On July 10, Barnwell was disqualified from the race due to a bounced check upon applying for candidacy. On the same day, the second public mayoral debate was held between both major candidates—Kriseman and Baker—and minor candidates—Nevel, Lassiter, Cates, Congemi, and Barnwell—on issues involving the economy is south St. Petersburg, the police department, and homelessness before being halted by protesters. In the latter, mayoral candidate Congemi went viral after a comment he made on July 18 during a mayoral forum towards another mayoral candidate Nevel and his supporters.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Primary campaigns
On August 9, Ernisa Barnwell was officially disqualified from the mayoral race after a judge dismissed her injunction.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Primary campaigns
Throughout the primary election, Baker had been endorsed by the Tampa Bay Times, various pastors in St. Petersburg, as well as realtors. In August, Kriseman was endorsed by Barack Obama.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Primary campaigns, Primary results
Kriseman and Baker obtained the most votes of any the candidates during the August 29 primary and both will advance a second election on November 7 as neither got the majority vote needed to avoid a runoff election. The day after the primary took place, it was reported Kriseman took 48.36 percent of the vote, or 27,322 votes with all 92 precincts reporting. Baker, a former two-term mayor, won 27,253 or 48.23 percent.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, Primary campaigns, Primary results
Kriseman's win in the actual primary vote was unexpected, since opinions polls conducted before the election showed Baker with not only a wide lead, but enough potential to win over enough voters needed to cross the more than 50 percent majority threshold; at his post-election party, Baker had also given a speech claiming prematurely that he had won the primary as well.


2017 St. Petersburg, Florida mayoral election, General election
At the beginning of the general election on September 6, both Kriseman and Baker temporarily suspended their campaigns to prepare for Hurricane Irma.


2017 Stabæk Fotball season
The 2017 season will be Stabæk's fourth season back in the Eliteserien following their relegation in 2012, their 21st season in the top flight of Norwegian football. Stabæk finished the previous season in fourteenth place and survived the relegation play-offs against FK Jerv.


2017 Stabæk Fotball season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2017 Stabæk Fotball season, Squad, Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2017 Stabæk Fotball season, Transfers, Winter
In:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2017 Stabæk Fotball season, Transfers, Winter
Out:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2017 Stabæk Fotball season, Transfers, Summer
In:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2017 Stabæk Fotball season, Transfers, Summer
Out:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season
The 2017 Speed Energy Stadium Super Trucks season was the fifth season of the Stadium Super Trucks series. Paul Morris won his first series championship with a one-point advantage over Matthew Brabham.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
For the third consecutive year, the new SST season began at Adelaide Street Circuit to support the Supercars Championship's Clipsal 500 Adelaide. Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series driver Jeff Hoffman made his series debut, while Gavin Harlien ran his first race since 2015. In Race 1, V8 Ute Racing Series racer Craig Dontas, who helped SST establish a following in Australia, started in the second row and quickly took the lead.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
Although Paul Morris and Matthew Brabham passed Dontas on the final lap, Harlien wrecked after making contact with Erik Davis and flipped, causing the race to be red flagged and Dontas to be declared the race winner. Sheldon Creed beat Toby Price to win Race 2. The final race began with Dontas flipping, leading to a red flag that shortened the race from eight to five laps. Hoffman led the race until Morris passed him and went on to win; Hoffman was eventually involved in a battle with his Royal Purple teammate Harlien, ending when Harlien hit the wall and triggered a wreck that involved Davis, Price, and Travis Milburn.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
The trucks' first American race took place with the IndyCar Series' Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Sprint car racing driver Davey Hamilton Jr. joined the series for his maiden SST start, driving the No. 75 Always Evolving truck owned by Davis. Although Brabham led much of Race 1, power steering issues and a late spin knocked him out of the win; instead, Robby Gordon and Creed fought for the victory, with the former holding the latter off to win his first race at St. Petersburg since 2014. Brabham rebounded by winning Race 2, the first non-Australian SST winner at the track.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
In January, the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and the series formed a multi-year agreement to continue racing at the street course. Brabham took the weekend victory as he won Race 1 and finished second in Race 2; Gordon won the latter. Myles Cheek, who raced in the series' Super Trophy Kart division in 2013, made his series debut at Long Beach as he finished seventh and eighth, including spinning in Race 2.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
Returning to Australia in May, SST's races at Barbagallo Raceway in conjunction with the Perth SuperSprint was their first at a closed circuit. Jake Kostecki ran his first SST weekend in the No. 75, but contact on a ramp with Milburn in Race 1 caused him to roll through the grass; Harlien attempted to dodge Kostecki's truck but stalled his vehicle, eliminating him from the race. Creed avoided the wreck and eventually won the round. Kostecki missed the rest of the weekend due to the damage. Gordon won Race 2, while Creed beat Gordon to the finish in Race 3 by .023 seconds, one of the closest finishes in series history.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
Creed's success continued as he swept the two Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix races. Gordon missed the weekend as he was competing in the Baja 500, with Hamilton serving as the interim No. 7 driver. Stock Car Brasil driver Átila Abreu also made his SST debut at Detroit, driving the No. 51 with sponsorship from his SCB team Shell Oil Company and Monster Energy.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
A week after Detroit, the series followed IndyCar to Texas Motor Speedway for the Rainguard Water Sealers 600, where SST raced on a dirt track featuring elements of the infield, pit road, and the frontstretch. As further promotion for the trucks, TMS' turn two held an off-road expo called the "Off-Road Ruckus", which allowed visitors to drive their off-road vehicles along an obstacle course and observe exhibits. P. J. Jones and Creed won the two races, but Harlien claimed the overall weekend victory with third- and second-place finishes.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
The trucks' next trip to Australia, the Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin as part of the Darwin Triple Crown, was their first points racing at the track; in 2016, Morris, Price, and Brad Gallard participated in an SST demonstration at Hidden Valley. Morris won Races 1 and 3 in close battles with Gordon, but Race 2 saw him hit the tire barrier in a chicane and roll over; Brabham won the round. After the weekend, Gordon took a stadium truck to a nightclub in the city, where he performed donuts.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
He was eventually charged with and pleaded guilty to traffic and anti-hooning violations, leading to a fine, though he defended his actions as he had received prior approval from security guards. The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) revoked Gordon's competition visa for future events, barring him from racing in the country and jeopardizing the series' future. An apology and $10,000 donation to the Australian Road Safety Foundation in October led to the ban being lifted.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
In July, SST joined Monster Jam for a round at the Beijing National Stadium, their first trip to Asia since a demo in Mongolia in 2016 and their inaugural Asian points race. Among the ten SST drivers was newcomer Li Ya Tao. Racing on a dirt oval, Hamilton led the most laps and won the race, but was disqualified as he had not taken the Joker Lap; instead, Brabham was declared the winner.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
The following month, the series was a part of IndyCar's Grand Prix at The Glen at Watkins Glen International. Officially known as the UFD at The Glen, it was SST's first race in the northeastern United States and first on an American permanent road course. Gordon and Brabham won the weekend's two races.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
To close 2017, SST organized the inaugural Race & Rock World Championship at the Lake Elsinore Diamond baseball park. Among those in the field were X Games Austin 2014 gold medalist Apdaly Lopez, female off-road racer Sara Price, NASCAR's Casey Mears, Trans-Am Series veteran Adam Andretti, and four-time AMA Motocross champion Ryan Villopoto. Morris skipped the weekend as he was tending to a rib injury, so he tasked Jerett Brooks with driving his No. 67 truck.


2017 Stadium Super Trucks season, Season summary
Both races were determined by two heats each, with Lopez and Creed winning on Friday; Mears, Davis, Andretti, and Greg Adler failed to qualify for the Friday feature. Lopez went on to win Race 1. Saturday featured heat wins by Creed and Brooks. The two dominated the second half of Race 2, with Brooks' runner-up finish and Brabham's eighth securing the championship for Morris by one point.


2017 Staffordshire County Council election
The 2017 Staffordshire County Council election took place on 4 May 2017 as part of 2017 local elections in the UK. All 62 councillors were elected from electoral divisions (two of which serve dual-councillor electoral divisions) for a four-year term of office. The system used is first-past-the-post voting.


2017 Staffordshire County Council election
The result was Conservative councillors formed an increased majority on the council.


2017 Stallion Laguna F.C. season
The 2017 season is Stallion Laguna's 1st season in the top flight of Philippines football.


2017 Stallion Laguna F.C. season, League squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2017 Stamford mayoral election
The 2017 Stamford mayoral election was held on November 7, 2017. The election saw the reelection of David Martin.


2017 Stan Wawrinka tennis season
The 2017 Stan Wawrinka season started with the 2017 Brisbane International and ended with a first round loss at Wimbledon.


2017 Stan Wawrinka tennis season, Year summary, Australian Open and early hard court season, Brisbane International
Wawrinka opened his season for the first time in his career in Brisbane after eight consecutive years in Chennai. After a bye in the first round he beat Viktor Troicki. In the quarter finals, Wawrinka beat Kyle Edmund in three sets. In the semifinal the Swiss player was defeated by Kei Nishikori.


2017 Stan Wawrinka tennis season, Year summary, Australian Open and early hard court season, Australian Open
Wawrinka entered the first Grand Slam of the year as the fourth seed. In the first round he rescues, only to be defeated by Martin Klizan. Wawrinka lost the first set 4-6, but the Swiss won the following two sets by 6-4, 7-5. When the match seemed to be in the Stan's hands Klizan recovered and he broke Wawrinka in the seventh game of the fourth set. In the final set Wawrinka was under a break with the score of 2-4. Wawrinka retrieved again and at the end he won the set and the match.


2017 Stan Wawrinka tennis season, Year summary, Australian Open and early hard court season, Australian Open
In the following rounds the Swiss faced in order Steve Johnson, Viktor Troicki and Andreas Seppi. In these three matches Wawrinka lost only one set against the Serbian tennis player and he was particularly in trouble with Seppi who was defeated in three tie-breaks by the Swiss. In the quarter finals Wawrinka's opponent was the French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Wawrinka got rid of Tsonga quickly in three sets. In the semifinal Wawrinka faced his compatriot Roger Federer and was beaten in five sets.


2017 Stan Wawrinka tennis season, Year summary, Australian Open and early hard court season, Dubai Open
Wawrinka is the defending champion in Dubai. The Swiss player lost in the first round against Damir Džumhur in two sets, despite the Wawrinka's advantage of one break in the first set.


2017 Stan Wawrinka tennis season, Year summary, Australian Open and early hard court season, Indian Wells Masters
Wawrinka entered the final and ended up losing to Roger Federer in two close sets.


2017 Stan Wawrinka tennis season, Year summary, Clay court season and French Open, French Open
At the French Open Wawrinka, the 2015 champion, reached the final round but lost to Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 6-1. Nadal won a record 10th Roland Garros title on his favoured clay surface, his first Grand Slam victory since the 2014 French Open.


2017 Stan Wawrinka tennis season, All matches
This table chronicles all the matches of Stan Wawrinka in 2017, including walkovers (W/O) which the ATP does not count as wins. They are marked ND for non-decision or no decision.


2017 Stan Wawrinka tennis season, Yearly records, Head-to-head matchups
Stan Wawrinka had a 26–11 (70.3% of wins) match win-loss record in the 2017 season. His record against players who were part of the ATP Rankings Top Ten at the time of their meetings was 3–3 (50.0% of wins). The following list is ordered by number of wins:


2017 Stanford Cardinal football team
The 2017 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cardinal were led by seventh-year head coach David Shaw. They played their home games at Stanford Stadium and were members of the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference. They finished the season 9–5, 7–2 in Pac-12 play to win a share of the North Division title with Washington. Due to their head-to-head win over Washington, they represented the North Division in the Pac-12 Championship Game where they lost to USC. They were invited to the Alamo Bowl where they lost to TCU.


2017 Stanford Cardinal football team, Previous season
In 2016, the Cardinal finished the season by defeating North Carolina 25–23 in the Sun Bowl.


2017 Stanford Cardinal men's soccer team
The 2017 Stanford Cardinal men's soccer team represented Stanford University during the 2017 NCAA Division I men's soccer season. It is the 44th season of the university fielding a program. It the program's sixth season with Jeremy Gunn as head coach. The Cardinal played their home matches at Cagan Stadium.


2017 Stanford Cardinal men's soccer team
The Cardinal's 2017 season saw the Cardinal threepeat and win the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament for the third-consecutive year. The Cardinal also won the Pac-12 Conference championship for the fourth consecutive year. Stanford's NCAA success marked only the second time in NCAA history that a Division I program won the Men's Soccer Championship for three straight seasons. The last feat was Bruce Arena's Virginia teams that won the NCAA tournament from 1991 through 1994.


2017 Stanford Cardinal men's soccer team, Roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2017 Stanford Cardinal men's soccer team, Professional departures, MLS Draft Picks
The following members of 2017 Stanford Cardinal men's soccer team were selected in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.


2017 Stanford Cardinal men's soccer team, Professional departures, Homegrown contracts
The following members of the 2017 Stanford Cardinal men's soccer team signed homegrown contracts with their academy clubs.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2017 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2016–17 season, and the culmination of the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion and defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Western Conference champion Nashville Predators, four games to two. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The Penguins won the Stanley Cup in their opponent's rink, for the fifth time.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals
During the regular season, the Penguins finished second in the league with 111 points, which gave them home ice advantage in the series. The series began on May 29 and concluded on June 11. The Penguins made their second consecutive Finals appearance, marking the third time in their history they had done this, following their appearances in 1991–1992 and 2008–2009. This was the first time since 2009, a rematch between the Penguins and Detroit Red Wings, that any team appeared in consecutive Finals. The Penguins also became the first team since the Red Wings (in 1997 and 1998) to win the Stanley Cup in consecutive years and the first to do so since the introduction of the salary cap. They also became the fifth franchise to accomplish this feat more than once.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals
This marked the second consecutive season in which a Western Conference team made their first appearance in the Finals; the San Jose Sharks made their Finals debut the year prior. This was the first time in NHL history that two United States–born head coaches faced off against each other in the Stanley Cup Finals.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals
The Penguins won the first two games of the series despite being massively outshot by the Predators in both games. Nashville tied the series at two with a pair of convincing wins at home. However, Penguins goaltender Matt Murray shut out the Predators for the remainder of the series. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan became the third coach in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup in his first two seasons as a coach with his team, joining Pete Green of the original Ottawa Senators (in 1920 and 1921) and Toe Blake of the Montreal Canadiens (in 1956 and 1957). This was the first Final since 1983 in which no game was decided by one goal, and the second Final in three years to have none of its games reach overtime.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals, Pittsburgh Penguins
This was Pittsburgh's second consecutive Finals appearance, and sixth overall. The Penguins did not make any major transactions during the offseason, instead signing head coach Mike Sullivan to a three-year extension. At the deadline, Pittsburgh acquired defencemen Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit via trade, which proved helpful for depth when star Kris Letang suffered a season-ending injury just weeks before the playoffs started.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh finished with 111 points (50–21–11) during the regular season to finish second in the Metropolitan Division and second overall among playoff teams. Center and team captain Sidney Crosby led the Penguins with 89 points, which ranked second in the league, and won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 44 goals. Phil Kessel led the team in assists with 47.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals, Pittsburgh Penguins
In the playoffs, the Penguins defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in five games, eliminated the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals for a second consecutive year, this time in seven games, and edged the Ottawa Senators in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals after Chris Kunitz scored in double overtime of game seven.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals, Nashville Predators
This was Nashville's first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in its 19-year history.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals, Nashville Predators
During the offseason, Nashville traded defenceman and long-time team captain Shea Weber to Montreal for defenceman P. K. Subban, and during the regular season, traded for forwards Cody McLeod and Vernon Fiddler. The Predators also re-signed forward Filip Forsberg during the offseason.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals, Nashville Predators
Nashville finished with 94 points (41–29–12) during the regular season to finish as the second wild-card team in the Western Conference, and the 16th overall and last-seeded playoff team. Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson tied for the team lead in regular-season goal-scoring with 31 each. Ryan Johansen led the team in assists with 47. Arvidsson and Johansen tied for the team lead in points with 61.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals, Nashville Predators
The Predators started the playoffs by upsetting the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in four games, becoming the second team in NHL history to be the lowest seed in their conference to sweep the top seeded team in the opening round (1993 St. Louis Blues). They followed that up by eliminating the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks, both in six games. Kevin Fiala and Johansen sustained serious leg injuries in the second and third rounds respectively, and both missed the remainder of the playoffs.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals, Nashville Predators
The Predators became the third team to be the lowest seed in their conference in NHL history to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, joining the 2006 Edmonton Oilers and the 2012 Los Angeles Kings. The Predators were also the third different franchise that head coach Peter Laviolette led to the Stanley Cup Finals. He won the Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, and also took the Philadelphia Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game one
Late in the first period, penalties from Nashville forwards Calle Jarnkrok and James Neal gave Pittsburgh a full two-minute 5-on-3 power play, and Evgeni Malkin scored to make it 1–0. Just 1:15 later, Conor Sheary scored into an open net after a cross-ice pass from Chris Kunitz caught Nashville's defence off guard. In the final seconds of the period, a centring pass from Nick Bonino deflected off Mattias Ekholm and into the net to give Pittsburgh a 3–0 lead. Following Bonino's goal, the Penguins went 37 consecutive minutes without a shot on goal, including the entire second period.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game one
The Predators used power-play goals from Ryan Ellis and Colton Sissons to make it 3–2, and Frederick Gaudreau scored immediately following a Penguins power play to tie the game midway through the third. Soon afterwards, Pittsburgh's first shot since the first period resulted in a Jake Guentzel goal to give Pittsburgh the lead again. Bonino scored again into an empty net to clinch the victory for Pittsburgh.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game two
Midway through the first, the Predators took their first-ever lead in a Stanley Cup Finals game when Pontus Aberg scored around Olli Maatta. The Penguins tied it late in the period when a Guentzel tip sneaked past Pekka Rinne. After a scoreless second period in which the Predators took twice as many shots as the Penguins, Pittsburgh came out firing in the third, scoring three goals in 3:18. The first was Guentzel's twelfth of the playoffs, making him the first rookie since Dino Ciccarelli to score twelve times in a single postseason. The next two goals came 15 seconds apart and prompted Predators head coach Peter Laviolette to replace Rinne with backup Juuse Saros. Nashville never cut into the deficit as Pittsburgh won the game by 4–1.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game three
Jake Guentzel came within one goal of Dino Ciccarelli's rookie playoff record when a shot 2:46 into the game got past Pekka Rinne. In the second period, Roman Josi and Frederick Gaudreau scored only 42 seconds apart to quickly give Nashville the lead. Neal scored with 23 seconds left in the second to give the Predators a two-goal lead. In the third period, a breakaway by Craig Smith and a goal by Ekholm provided insurance in a 5–1 victory for Nashville. Near the end of the game, several misconducts were assessed after a cross checking by Phil Kessel drew a crowd and fights broke out.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game four
Calle Jarnkrok gave Nashville an early lead, but a breakaway goal by Sidney Crosby tied the score at one. In the second period, after a Penguins breakaway was stopped by Rinne, Gaudreau's wrap-around shot appeared to be stopped by Matt Murray, but video review showed the puck sneak under Murray's paddle and across the goal line before Murray sent it back out. A breakaway goal by Viktor Arvidsson gave the Predators their third goal of the game. Rinne would stop all nine shots faced in the third period and an empty-net goal by Filip Forsberg gave Nashville a 4–1 win and tied the series 2–2.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game five
Justin Schultz scored for Pittsburgh early in the first period on the power play. Two more goals from the Penguins caused Nashville to again replace Rinne with Saros in net to start the second period. Pittsburgh scored three more times in the second, the first from Conor Sheary. Guentzel assisted on Sheary's goal, tying the rookie record for points in a single postseason (21). Kessel and Ron Hainsey scored the last of Pittsburgh's six goals; Kessel and Crosby both ended the game with three points. Neither team scored in the third period, making Matt Murray the first rookie since Cam Ward in 2006 to record a shutout in the Stanley Cup Finals. During the third period, 20 penalties were assessed, the most in one period since the third game of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game six
The game remained scoreless until the final two minutes of the third period when former Predator Patric Hornqvist scored with 1:35 left in the game. Nashville challenged for goaltender interference, but the on-ice ruling was upheld. Carl Hagelin added an empty net goal with 15 seconds remaining.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game six
During the second period, a quick whistle prevented a Predators' scoring chance that almost certainly would have resulted in a goal. Referee Kevin Pollock thought Matt Murray had covered a Filip Forsberg shot, but the puck was, in fact, loose in the goal crease, when Colton Sissons tapped it in.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Stanley Cup engraving
The 2017 Stanley Cup was presented to Penguins captain Sidney Crosby by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman following the Penguins 2–0 win over the Predators in game six


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Stanley Cup engraving
The following Penguins players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Stanley Cup engraving, Engraving notes
Included in the team picture, but left off of the Stanley Cup.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Television and radio
In Canada, the series was broadcast by Sportsnet and simulcast by CBC Television in English, and TVA Sports in French. In the U.S., NBC broadcast most of the games; games two and three were aired by NBCSN. In the U.S., the games were seen by an average of 4.762 million viewers, an increase of 19% over the 2016 finals, and the highest-rated finals without an Original Six team. Despite competition from the 2017 Tony Awards broadcast and the return of ABC's Sunday-night game show block, game six achieved a total viewership of 7.086 million.


2017 Stanley Cup Finals, Television and radio
The NHL on Westwood One/NBC Sports Radio carried the games throughout the United States on radio and through online streaming, while the home calls of Nashville (WPRT-FM/Predators Radio Network) and Pittsburgh (WXDX-FM/Penguins Radio Network) was available both over the air in their home markets and through online streaming.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 12, 2017, after the 2016–17 regular season and concluded on June 11, 2017, with the Pittsburgh Penguins defeating the Nashville Predators four games to two in the Finals to win the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive year.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs
The Washington Capitals made the playoffs as the Presidents' Trophy winners for the second consecutive year with the most points (i.e. best record) during the regular season. The Detroit Red Wings failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 1989–90 season, ending the NHL's longest active playoff streak at 25 consecutive seasons; the streak was also tied for the third-longest streak in NHL history. The longest active playoff streak moved to the Pittsburgh Penguins with eleven consecutive appearances.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs
The Edmonton Oilers made the playoffs for the first time since 2006, ending a record-tying playoff drought for a team with ten years missed (the Florida Panthers also missed the playoffs between 2001 and 2011 inclusively). For the first time since 2006, both Alberta teams, the Oilers and the Calgary Flames, qualified for the postseason in the same year. For the first time since 2013, and the fourth time since 2002, all three Eastern Canadian teams (Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Maple Leafs) qualified for the playoffs. In all, five Canadian-based teams made the playoffs, matching 2004 and 2015, after a season in which none of the seven teams in Canada contended. Five Original Six teams made the playoffs, with only the previously mentioned Red Wings failing to make it.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs
The first round saw eighteen overtime games, eclipsing the previous record of seventeen overtime games in the first round set in 2013. There were 27 total overtime games in these playoffs, one short of the record set in 1993. It was also the first time since 2001 that no first round series went the full seven games.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs
For the eighth season in a row (and the twelfth time in the last fourteen seasons), a California-based team was in the Western Conference Final.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, Playoff seeds
This was the fourth year in which the top three teams in each division make the playoffs, along with two wild cards in each conference (for a total of eight playoff teams from each conference).


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, Playoff bracket
In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series following a 2–2–1–1–1 format (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series). The team with home ice advantage played at home for games one and two (and games five and seven, if necessary), and the other team was at home for games three and four (and game six, if necessary). The top three teams in each division made the playoffs, along with two wild cards in each conference, for a total of eight teams from each conference.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, Playoff bracket
In the First Round, the lower seeded wild card in the conference played against the division winner with the best record while the other wild card played against the other division winner, and both wild cards were de facto #4 seeds. The other series matched the second and third place teams from the divisions. In the first two rounds, home ice advantage was awarded to the team with the better seed; in the last two rounds, it was awarded to the team that had the better regular season record.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (A1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (WC1) New York Rangers
The Montreal Canadiens finished first in the Atlantic Division earning 103 points. The New York Rangers finished as the Eastern Conference's first wild-card, earning 102 points. This was the sixteenth playoff meeting between these two teams with New York winning eight of the fifteen previous series. They last met in the 2014 Eastern Conference Final, in which New York won in six games. Montreal won all three games in this year's regular-season series.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (A1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (WC1) New York Rangers
The Rangers eliminated the Canadiens in six games. In the first game of the series, Tanner Glass and Michael Grabner scored the only goals of the games as the Rangers won the game 2–0 on Henrik Lundqvist's 31-save shutout. In game two, the Canadiens tied the game with 18 seconds left, then in overtime, Alexander Radulov pushed it past the Rangers' goaltender to give Montreal a 4–3 victory. Radulov continued his scoring into game three, getting a goal and an assist to help the Canadiens achieve a 3–1 victory.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (A1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (WC1) New York Rangers
The Rangers ended a six-game home-losing streak after game four, winning 2–1 over the Canadiens to tie the series 2–2. Mika Zibanejad got the overtime-winner for the Rangers in game five after Chris Kreider deflected a pass off of Canadiens defenceman Alexei Emelin, landing towards the forward who put it past goaltender Carey Price in a 3–2 win. Mats Zuccarello scored twice in game six as the Rangers eliminated the Canadiens in a 3–1 victory to advance to the second round.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (A2) Ottawa Senators vs. (A3) Boston Bruins
The Ottawa Senators finished second in the Atlantic Division, earning 98 points. The Boston Bruins earned 95 points in the regular season to finish third in the Atlantic. This was the first playoff meeting between the contemporary Ottawa franchise and Boston, and the first Boston-Ottawa series since the 1927 Stanley Cup Finals. Ottawa won all four games in this year's regular season series.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (A2) Ottawa Senators vs. (A3) Boston Bruins
The Senators eliminated the Bruins in six games. In the first game, the Senators gained a 1–0 lead into the third on Bobby Ryan's goal in the second period, however, the Bruins scored twice in the final period with Brad Marchand having the final tally 2:33 before the game ended 2–1 for Boston. In game two, Ottawa came back from a two-goal deficit in the third period and won via Dion Phaneuf whose goal in overtime helped tie the series 1–1 after a 4–3 conquest.


2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (A2) Ottawa Senators vs. (A3) Boston Bruins
In game three, Ottawa had a three-goal lead with Mike Hoffman scoring twice, but the Bruins came back with three goals in the third period. In overtime, Bruins forward Riley Nash took a roughing penalty and on the ensuing power play, Bobby Ryan tipped in a pass from Kyle Turris ending the game 4–3 for the Senators. Bobby Ryan scored the only goal in game four, at the 5:49 mark of the third period, allowing the Senators to achieve a 3–1 series lead.