ST. LOUIS >> Yasiel Puig was smiling Tuesday afternoon, cracking jokes, looking nothing like a man who’d just been benched for a playoff game for the first time in his major-league career.

He learned his fate the same way the rest of us at Busch Stadium did: by seeing Andre Ethier‘s name in the lineup card. But Puig said in Spanish that he didn’t need to talk to manager Don Mattingly about the decision.

“We need to win that game,” Puig said. “I’m not working well on the field against St. Louis. It’s gone really bad in this series but … we’re doing the best we can. I’d like to hit every time I’ve gone up to bat, but haven’t been able to do so and I just win this game today with Ethier back there and with all of the guys that are playing. We know that we’re going to win with (Clayton) Kershaw on the mound and then continue at home with (Zack) Greinke.”

Mattingly, for his part, gave one reason for the lineup change — the first in the series — and stuck with it as if he were testifying under oath before Congress.

“We just feel this gives us the best chance to win today,” Mattingly said.

The Cardinals have been pounding Puig with fastballs away in Games 2 and 3. Puig is 1 for 8 with seven strikeouts in those games. He went 2 for 4 in Game 1 against Adam Wainwright, who couldn’t command his fastball and might not start Game 5 if the Dodgers are still playing Thursday. Only three qualified pitchers in all of baseball threw a greater percentage of fastballs this season than Miller.

In other words, Mattingly knows what’s coming and he doesn’t like the matchup.

Ethier hit one of his four home runs this season against Miller. He’s 2 for 6 in his career against Miller.