Not long ago, it felt like the St. Louis Cardinals were heading for a forgettable season. With a record well below .500 and fans growing more frustrated by the day, it seemed like the team might already be out of the playoff picture by mid-May. But just like that, everything changed. Now, there are reasons to believe they can still be playing come late October.
It was the nine-game winning streak from May 4 to May 12 that completely shifted the tone of their season.
Before that streak, they were 14-19 and looked like a team with more questions than answers. But it all started to turn around in New York. That series against the Mets was the spark, especially thanks to the pitching. Since this run, Sonny Gray, the second-year Cardinal, threw six scoreless innings with ten strikeouts on May 19 against the Detroit Tigers, the American League’s top team. Many other pitchers including Miles Mikolas have also stepped up, giving them much needed consistency in the rotation.
On the offensive side, things finally started clicking. For weeks, the lineup had struggled to string together runs, but during the streak, guys like Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan were able to find themselves. Donovan currently leads Major League Baseball (MLB) in hits and is ranked the best second-baseman in the league. The Cardinals currently sit at a record of 17-6 since April 25 and just hung 11 runs on the Tigers on May 19. At the time, the Tigers had the best record in baseball.
You’ve also got to give credit to manager Oliver Marmol, who has made some real adjustments. Unlike the past where he has let him stay in the game for too long, Marmol pulled Mikolas after just 5.1 innings and one earned run on April 30. Myself along with many other Cardinals fans did not have confidence in Marmol coming into the new season. He’s making a serious case for himself to stick around beyond this season. Some are even considering him to be an early favorite for manager of the year.
Young players like Victor Scott II and Masyn Winn are really making names for themselves so far. They’re fast, aggressive, and can really hit the ball. Scott II has found himself a good role in center field for the club, while Masyn Winn has been playing shortstop and giving the lineup power and speed in the lead-off or second spot.
This Cardinal’s team is young and fun to watch. The Cardinals are still climbing out of an early hole, and playoff baseball is definitely not guaranteed yet, but the vibe around this team feels completely different than it did just a few weeks ago. There’s no reason they can’t get themselves back into the playoffs. What once looked like a lost season might just be shaping up to be one of the best comeback stories in recent Cardinals history.
