Monday’s sharing of the first installment of All-Star voting feedback for the popularity contest that is the MLB All-Star Game made me wonder who will win it this year.
Not National League vs. American League.
I’m talking Cardinals vs. former Cardinals.
Let’s face it. Last year was brutal. The ex-Cards won in blowout fashion.
Former Cardinals turned American League All-Stars Randy Arozarena and Adolis Garcia were outfield teammates. Not just on the AL roster, either. In the starting lineup. Hitting third (Arozarena) and sixth (Garcia). Former Cardinals pitching prospect turned Diamondbacks star Zac Gallen took the bump for the National League. Not as a reliever, either. He was the NL starter.
Meanwhile, Nolan Arenado was flying solo for the current Cardinals, making 2023 the second time in the past four All-Star games — there was no game in 2020 because of to the pandemic — that just one active Cardinal was included.
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If this season is going to be different, the Cardinals (and their fans) have work to do, Monday showed. A flock of Cardinals can be found in the National League’s top 10 in voting for various positions, but none cracked the top three. The notables: Willson Contreras (fourth at catcher), Arenado (sixth at third base), Nolan Gorman (seventh at second base), Paul Goldschmidt (eighth at first base), Masyn Winn (eighth at shortstop) and Alec Burleson (10th at DH).
Contreras is deserving, but his forearm injury and the absence it caused will hurt him in the race against his Brewers brother. William is out in front as Willson tries to rush back. Wynn’s case got a boost Monday with his two-run homer in the 12th inning against Miami that was the difference in the Cardinals’ 7-6 victory, and his chances could improve even more in coming weeks for an unfortunate reason. Shortstop vote leader Mookie Betts just suffered a broken hand.
It’s telling that the Cardinals landed zero in the NL’s top 20 vote-getters among outfielders. Not even the most optimistic fans can get fired up about voting for that position group. Hard to blame them.
Right now, the Cardinals seem to have one no-doubt All-Star, and he’s not eligible for the fan vote, which is limited to hitters. Ryan Helsley should be an automatic, thanks to his MLB-leading 30 games finished and 24 saves. The others? Work to do. Pitching and bench spots are plentiful, and the Cardinals have some additional down-ballot candidates.
Now, how about those pesky former Cards?
As for last season’s ex-Cards All-Stars, Garcia is eighth among AL outfielders in the fan vote. Arozarena is 20th. Garcia’s average (.216), on-base percentage (.273) and slugging percentage (.412) are all the lowest he’s had since his star turn with the Rangers. Arozarena’s on-base plus slugging percentage with the Rays (.617) is his Tampa low and even lower than Garcia’s .685 OPS in Texas. Gallen (5-4, 3.12 ERA) was off to a strong start again this season until a hamstring injury tripped him up after his 11th game. That could hurt his case.
Early assumptions that new names would join the ex-Cards All-Stars could have been premature.
Tyler O’Neill grabbed tons of attention with his immediate power surge in Boston — and his numbers still are good — but he’s been limited to seven June starts because of knee pain. Closer turned starter Jordan Hicks (4-3, 3.01 ERA) made headlines with a strong start in San Francisco, but he hasn’t lasted six innings in a start since April — including leaving after five innings on Monday when he faced the Cubs.
Serious question now: Does Marcell Ozuna count?
Entering this week the former Cardinals short-timer led the NL in homers (20) and RBIs (62) as the Braves’ designated hitter. He was averaging .322 and slugging .612. Prepare to see Ozuna in Arlington.
I don’t think Cardinals fans sweat this one too much, though. Ozuna’s off-field issues in Atlanta have been hard to ignore. The bigger what-if surrounding his time with the Cardinals is about the pitching prospects (Gallen and Sandy Alcantara) traded away to get him from the Marlins in the first place.
There’s another name worth mentioning.
It looms on the digital display of AL strikeout leaders that pops up every so often at Busch Stadium.
Jack Flaherty (4-4) has a 3.01 ERA through 13 starts for Detroit. He’s already reached 100 strikeouts, and is averaging 11.6 of them per nine innings, which would be a career-best if he can maintain it. All but three of his starts have lasted at least six innings. He’s secured as many quality starts (nine) as Cardinals-leading Miles Mikolas and Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola, the free agent many (myself included) hoped to see the Cardinals sign this past offseason. Flaherty is even sidestepping injuries, returning to make his most recent start after a back scare.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals have an uncertain spot in their rotation again. Drew Rom, acquired in the Flaherty trade with Baltimore at last season’s trade deadline, struggled in 2023 and had shoulder surgery this season. Flaherty signed for just $14 million for one season with Detroit. Add it all up, and this one could be sounding the Ex-Cards Angst Alarm System. But I don’t really hear it ringing. And I won’t press the big, red button, either.
Flaherty and the Cardinals needed to move on from one another. His tossing of Contreras beneath the blame bus was when I finally punted. Still, he looks like a potential All-Star candidate right now.
Forget AL vs. NL. Cardinals against ex-Cards could come down to the wire.