For Mozeliak, the club’s president of baseball operations, it was a very good day.

“Today feels very much like opening day for the St. Louis Cardinals, and there’s a lot of excitement right now in that clubhouse,” Mozeliak said.

St. Louis returned to the field Saturday for the first time in 17 days after its season was derailed by a coronavirus outbreak. The Cardinals began the day having played all of five games this season.

The reigning NL Central champions were all clear for a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, kicking off an extended stay in the Windy City and a busy finish to the pandemic-shortened season.

The Cardinals had a much different look from the team that lost 3-0 at Minnesota on July 29 in their previous game. Star catcher Yadier Molina and infielder Paul DeJong were among 18 members of the organization with confirmed coronavirus cases, shaking up the roster and coaching staff.

Top prospect Dylan Carlson, first baseman John Nogowski, right-hander Seth Elledge, and left-handers Rob Kaminsky and Ricardo Sánchez were brought up from the team’s alternate training site in Springfield, Missouri. Sánchez was designated the 29th man for Saturday’s doubleheader.