The Cardinals began the season by raising their championship banner for winning the 2006 World Series. They played the first game of the 2007 season in a rematch of the 2006 NLCS as they hosted the Mets for a three-game series. The homestand ended with disappointment, however, as the Mets swept the Cardinals, outscoring them 20–2. Later in April the Cardinals suffered a major setback when ace pitcher Chris Carpenter was placed on the disabled list due to arthritis and impingement. The team struggled for most of the month of April, getting off to a 10–14 start.