JUPITER, Fla. -- Mike Shildt spent the winter workshopping potential batting orders and the spring experimenting with them. By Sunday, the Cardinals’ manager had settled on the one he liked best.

The Cardinals closed Grapefruit League play featuring the same lineup they expect to use on Thursday, when the club begins the regular season facing Jhoulys Chacin and the Brewers at Miller Park. It’s a lineup that includes new first baseman Paul Goldschmidt hitting second, one spot ahead of Paul DeJong. Goldschmidt, in 48 games as a two-hole hitter, has a career 1.098 OPS.

Matt Carpenter and Marcell Ozuna will remain anchors in the leadoff and cleanup spots, respectively. Yadier Molina fits fifth, followed by Dexter Fowler, Kolten Wong and Harrison Bader.

Sunday marked the first day this spring that the Cardinals had all of their projected starting position players take the field together, and Goldschmidt clubbed a solo homer in the first inning.

“I love it,” Carpenter said following the team’s 2-1 win over the Marlins. “I think when you can sandwich Goldy where he is behind me, that has a chance to be very good, obviously with DeJong and Ozuna following him. The bottom of our lineup is strong, too. I think it’s got a chance to be a really productive offense.”

Much of the uncertainty surrounded where Fowler would settle. Shildt batted Fowler first and second throughout much of Grapefruit League play before meeting with the right fielder on Friday to let him know that he’d begin the year further down. Fowler, coming off a career-worst season, went 10-for-50 with two homers, two walks and 15 strikeouts this spring.

“This guy had an amazing offseason,” Shildt said. “He’s come in and been super engaged in the clubhouse. He’s back to being Dexter. I just appreciate him on a personal and professional level, and I’m happy for him and I’m glad he’s in our lineup.”

The most fluid portion will be the bottom, where Bader could hit ahead of Wong against a left-handed starter.

Rotation order set

While everyone has known since February that Miles Mikolas would draw the Cardinals’ Opening Day start, it wasn’t until Sunday that Shildt revealed how the rest of the starters would slot in behind him.

Following Mikolas in Milwaukee will be Jack Flaherty (Friday), Dakota Hudson (Saturday) and Michael Wacha (Sunday). That sets Adam Wainwright up to face the Pirates at PNC Park on Monday, April 1, and it means that Flaherty is on tap to start his first Cardinals home opener on Thursday, April 4.

“It’s freakin’ sweet. It’s freakin’ awesome,” Flaherty said of the honor. “I think we try to be so professional about some things and some answers that we say, but we’re people and individuals and that’s just something that’s freakin’ cool.”

Flaherty finished out his spring with four scoreless innings in Sunday’s victory.

Carpenter in, Gyorko out

Both Carpenter and Jedd Gyorko stayed behind as the team departed for Memphis, Tenn., so that they could stockpile at-bats in Minor League camp this week. Carpenter is slated to hit leadoff every inning in a game on Monday and then will face Luke Gregerson in a simulated game Tuesday before traveling to Milwaukee.

Gyorko’s stay won’t be as brief.

Sidelined by a right calf injury since March 3, Gyorko will need a bit more time to see pitches and get his timing right before taking his place on the Cardinals’ bench. He also hasn’t yet been cleared to run the bases at full speed. The Cardinals believe he could be ready to rejoin the club in time to be activated for the home opener.

“We feel like he could have shown up in Milwaukee, taken a good at-bat and been able to play,” Shildt said. “I just don’t think he would have been set up to be successful for the grind of starting the season.”

With Gyorko beginning the year on the 10-day injured list, both Drew Robinson and Yairo Munoz were able to secure spots on the Opening Day roster.

“They both had good competition with each other,” Shildt said, “and it turns out they both won.”

Roster moves

The Cardinals reassigned catcher Joe Hudson to Minor League camp this weekend, but they won’t make their final round of cuts until closer to Opening Day. Officially, 38 players remain in Major League camp.

There should be no later surprises, though, as Shildt confirmed on Sunday that John Brebbia would fill the last opening in the team’s bullpen.

“It definitely caught me off-guard, especially with the spring a lot of these guys have had,” said Brebbia, who gave up three runs over nine spring innings. “I’m super fortunate that they’re giving me the opportunity.”

Up next

The Cardinals will close their exhibition schedule with a 7 p.m. CT game at AutoZone Park in Memphis, home of their Triple-A affiliate, on Monday. Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha are slated to start opposite one another. The Cardinals will feature members of their Opening Day roster on both clubs.