Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, left, and JJ Wetherholt, right, pose for a photo after Wetherholt was selected seventh overall by the Cardinals in the first round of the MLB draft Sunday, July 14, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.
LM Otero, Associated Press
ATLANTA — With their highest pick in the draft in nearly 30 years comes the Cardinals' highest draft bonus in a long time, too.
The Cardinals and infielder JJ Wetherholt, the seventh overall selection in this past week's draft, reached agreement on a $6.9-million bonus and are finalizing his first pro contract, sources told the Post-Dispatch. That would be among the highest draft bonuses ever for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals have not announced an agreement and do not comment on such things until they are announced.
A wave of draft signings and announcements is expected at some point from the club as they work their way through finalizing agreements with picks.
Entering the college baseball season, Wetherholt was viewed by industry publications as a potential first overall selection, and even as this past week's Major League Baseball Draft approached some of those same publications had mock drafts with Wetherholt going first overall.
The Cardinals believed the left-handed-hitting infielder who batted better than .400 as a sophomore for West Virginia would be taken well ahead of their No. 7 pick.
As the first round unfolded, the Cardinals became thrilled with the possibility of Wetherholt being available and, as pick No. 6 arrived, had either him or Florida two-way standout Jac Caglianone as their likely pick. The Kansas City Royals selected Caglianone at six, giving the Cardinals the chance to select a player they had been intrigued by for several years and in their preparation for the draft.
The slot value for No. 7 was $6,823,700 as set by the commissioner's office as a guideline. This year's first-round trend had been to go over slot with two picks already setting and then tying the record for the largest draft bonus in years.
The possibility that Wetherholt could go earlier in the draft is reflected in the above-slot bonus he received. He slipped in the draft in part because of the severe hamstring injury he had during his junior year that limited him to 36 games. A .370 hitter in his career at WVU, Wetherholt hit .331/.472/.589 this past season. He had eight home runs and 16 extra-base hits. In his career at WVU, Wetherholt had as many walks (82) as strikeouts (82) in 142 games.
Teams use below-slot signings to balance their overages. Going beyond the assigned bonus purse costs the team a tax on the overage, and the Cardinals are one of four teams to have spent beyond their purse in each of the past 12 drafts.
The last time the Cardinals selected in the top 10 was 1998 when they selected outfielder J. D. Drew with the No. 5 pick. Drew signed a $7-million contract with the Cardinals and made his major-league debut later that same season.
Cardinals assistant general manager Randy Flores speaks with the media via Zoom on Sunday, July 14, 2024, after the Cardinals picked JJ Wetherholt seventh overall in the Major League Baseball draft.
After Kyle Gibson’s control, Cardinals lose grip on lead, fall in 10th to Atlanta in Game 1
ATLANTA — A deep fly ball to center field in the 10th inning completed Atlanta’s comeback against the Cardinals bullpen.
At least neither side will have to wait long for the rematch.
With two games already scheduled and the first delayed 13 minutes by more rain, the Cardinals and Atlanta Braves decided they would need extra innings to determine the outcome of Game 1 Saturday at Truist Park. The Cardinals misplaced a two-run lead in the seventh inning and lined into lousy luck in the 10th inning — all to set up Atlanta’s gimme-putt finish in the bottom of that same inning.
Given a runner in scoring position, by rule, Atlanta dutifully bunted the runner to third, and that gave them a chance to score the deciding run with almost any ball in play. Rookie Chris Roycroft drew the tightrope assignment in the 10th and got ahead of Ozzie Albies before the second baseman lofted a fly ball to center. Albies’ RBI brought Adam Duvall home and gave Atlanta a 3-2 victory, completing the rally long after the Braves could do so little against Cardinals started Kyle Gibson.
The Cardinals raced to a lead for starter Gibson with a blend of speed and power. Masyn Winn capitalized on a misplay in right field to reach third with a triple, and he scored on RBI leader Alec Burleson’s followup single. In the seventh, Nolan Arenado began his second half with a solo homer — pulled into the left-field corner not too far from the Cardinals’ bullpen.
That trio of hits rewarded Gibson for a superb start that had him carrying the zeroes into the seventh inning and allowing no runs while he was on the mound.
The bullpen did that before holding tight later.
Eddie Rosario tied the game with a two-run homer in the seventh inning, but he could not make contact to win the game for Atlanta in the bottom of the ninth. The Braves got the potential winning run as far as third base with Rosario at the plate. Andrew Kittredge kept the outfielder from putting the ball in the air or even in play and struck him out to send the game into extra innings.
In the top of the 10th, the Cardinals had single that could have scored a run but Pedro Pages had to hold up a third. The Cardinals had limited options for a pinch-runner and it would have cost them then DH. Pages at third put runners at the corners and Burleson up with a chance to give closer Ryan Helsley a lead.
Burleson stung the ball — right into bad luck.
First baseman Matt Olson caught Burleson’s liner and tapped first base for the inning-ending double play.
Lead lost in 7th
Two pitches after Gibson left his gem in the hands of the bullpen the lead the Cardinals took for him was gone.
Gibson struck out Marcell Ozuna for the second time and had two outs in the seventh inning when a single brought the inning to outfielder Rosario. Seventeen days removed from being released by the Washington Nationals, Rosario returned to Atlanta, where he was an postseason series MVP during a World Series run and a key part of lengthening their lineup. Rosario hit .183 for the Nationals this season with more strikeouts (54) than hits (40).
He wasn’t particularly picky when it came to who he struggled against, hitting around .180 against both lefties and right-handed pitchers.
Gibson was Rosario away from finishing the seventh.
He did not get that chance.
With a 2-0 lead, manager Oliver Marmol opted to go to a well-rested bullpen and Ryan Fernandez, who emerged in the first half as a reliable setup man and solid reliever with inherited runners.
Two pitches later that 2-0 lead was a 2-2 tie.
Rosario hit Fernandez's slider for first home run since re-signing with Atlanta. His fly ball to right field hit the top of the wall and caromed into the seat for the two-run shot.
Gibson surges into 2nd half
Paired opposite another savvy right-handed veteran in curveball-ing Charlie Morton, the Cardinals’ Gibson outdueled his peer and contained Atlanta’s brawny lineup within its cozy ballpark. Ten of the first 12 outs Gibson got did not leave the infield.
He had All-Star and Home Run Derby participant Ozuna seesawing through at-bats — waving at an off-speed pitch one moment and then taking a called strike 3.
Coming off one of his shortest appearances of the season, Gibson pitched into the seventh for the first time in a month. He struck out six and allowed three hits. The one run he allowed in 6 2/3 innings came after he left the game. He had thrown 100 pitches at the time — the magical, mystical but not mandatory number that sometimes leads to a pitcher leaving his start.
Before turning to the bullpen for the assist, Gibson got help from his defense to escape the only real jam he found himself in. Austin Riley’s leadoff single in the fourth inning gave the middle of Atlanta’s order a chance to dent Gibson’s scoreless beginning. Riley’s single came on the ninth pitch of his at-bat, and Olson followed with an eight-pitch at-bat. Atlanta had run up Gibson’s pitch count by the time Ozuna came to the plate.
The former Cardinal did him a favor.
Ozuna pounced on the first pitch and yanked a hard grounder down the third baseline. Arenado met it near in the bag, and from foul territory started the inning-ending double play. Brendan Donovan had the tight turn at second.
Ankle injury interrupts Tommy Edman's rehab games, delays his return: Cardinals Extra
ATLANTA — The midseason break throughout professional baseball gave Tommy Edman time to address an injury that caused a brief setback in his rehab, but he faces another setback nonetheless in his ongoing return to the majors.
Edman received an anti-inflammatory shot and was prescribed rest for pain and swelling that resurfaced in the ankle he twisted while on rehab, manager Oliver Marmol detailed Friday as the Cardinals resumed the regular season at Truist Park. The Cardinals’ switch-hitting utility fielder has not played in the majors yet this summer due to offseason wrist surgery. The soreness in his ankle, which started after he wrenched it doing fielding drills, will mean he’ll go at least nine days between games. He’s yet to play in the field on his rehab assignment.
He’s set to return to a minor-league lineup Tuesday.
The injury pushes back the timetable for his return, Marmol confirmed.
Injuried Ƶ Cardinals player Tommy Edman walks through the dugout during a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Ƶ Cardinals at Busch Stadium in Ƶ, on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
David Carson, Post-Dispatch
Edman played four games with Class AA Springfield to begin his official rehab assignment. This past Sunday, he went 2 for 5 with three RBIs. Through four games he was 4 for 14 (.286) with three runs, four RBIs, two walks, and four strikeouts. He’s been able to take swings from both sides of the plate without soreness in his wrist for several weeks, and the purpose of the rehab assignment was to help him recreate a spring training schedule and regain his timing at the plate.
He’s only started at DH in the four games.
Before returning to the majors, the Cardinals want Edman to play multiple positions. Advertised in December as the team’s starting center fielder, the plan now is for Edman to see innings at shortstop, center, and second base during his rehab assignment with time in left and right field also likely.
Earlier this season, Edman said he played through the pain in his wrist and chose to finish last season before having offseason surgery. The surgery to repair his right wrist and remove loose bodies was more extensive than expected, the team and player later confirmed. Although the Cardinals initially said he would be available on opening day, internally they had a far more conservative estimate — targeting the All-Star break for his return to the majors.
This past season, Edman hit .248 with a .307 on-base percentage, and his superb defense in center field made him one of the most valuable Cardinals. Edman won a Gold Glove Award as a utility fielder in 2021.
Doubleheader set for Saturday
Persisting rain throughout the evening and a forecast for foul weather all night prompted the postponement of Friday night’s game. The Cardinals and Braves will attempt to dodge raindrops for a doubleheader Saturday. As scheduled, it will be the Cardinals’ fifth doubleheader of the season and since July 10 six of the Cardinals’ past eight games will have been played in doubleheaders.
The first game is set for a noon start Ƶ time and will feature Kyle Gibson as the starter. Sonny Gray will start the night game, which has the originally scheduled time of 6:20 p.m. Ƶ time.
Atlanta plans to skip its scheduled Friday starter to Sunday, going with Charlie Morton in Game 1 and adding Bryce Elder as the 27th man to start Game 2.
The Cardinals will be able to add a 27th man for Game 2.
Winn’s golden edge
One of the metrics used to determine the winners of the Rawlings Gold Glove awards ranks Masyn Winn as the top shortstop in the National League through the first half.
And it’s not close.
The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) released the first-half leaders for the SABR Defensive Index, and Winn’s 7.8 SDI ranks fourth in the National League for all positions. His SDI tops the shortstop position, strides ahead of the second-highest at the position, Colorado shortstop Ezequiel Tovar’s 4.3. They are the only shortstops in the NL with an SDI greater than 4.0. The SDI is the statistical element of the annual for the Gold Glove Awards along with the votes of coaches and managers. SDI is used for about 25% of the vote.
Cardinals center fielder Michael Siani ranks third at his position with a 6.3 SDI behind Washington’s Jason Young (7.7 SDI) and Colorado’s Brenton Doyle (6.4 SDI). The only other Cardinal in the top five at his position is Nolan Arenado, whose 1.7 SDI ranks fifth at third base. Milwaukee second baseman Brice Turang leads the NL with a 9.6 SDI.
Setting the rotation
Entering the second half of the season, the Cardinals began by choosing the pitchers for the first two games in Atlanta and scripting the longest rest for a veteran starter. To maximize his starts in the second half, the Cardinals opened with Sonny Gray on Friday night in Atlanta and will follow with Kyle Gibson for Saturday’s game. The Cardinals wanted to give Lance Lynn the most time between starts, Marmol said, and that puts him Tuesday at Pittsburgh.
Miles Mikolas will start the series finale in Atlanta and Andre Pallante is scheduled to start Monday at PNC Park when the Cardinals visit for their final visit in Pittsburgh.
Extra bases
The global IT outage that created widespread travel troubles and ground stops throughout the country delayed the arrivals of several Cardinals to Atlanta. All-Star closer Ryan Helsley and Matt Carpenter, traveling from Oklahoma and Texas, respectively, were expected to reach Atlanta shortly before game time Friday. Coaches Daniel Descalso and Willie McGee also had their travel disrupted and were expected to arrive later Friday. … Riley O’Brien (flexor tendon) is set to begin his rehab assignment Saturday with Class AAA Memphis. The right-hander has gone through a series of live batting practice outings with increasing intensity. When last he attempted to start a rehab assignment, pain returned to his arm and he had to restart his recovery process. … Steven Matz (back injury) will throw a bullpen session at Busch Stadium on Saturday. It will be his second bullpen session and put him within reach of facing hitters in a controlled setting. … Since 2000, the Cardinals have the second-best winning percentage in games after the All-Star break. Only the Yankees’ .584 is better than the Cardinals’ .575.
Some hit. Some miss. This year, one of my misses has become a quiet hit for the Cardinals.
You won’t find the Cardinals celebrating it, but their offseason decision to press pause on a Paul Goldschmidt extension many once viewed as inevitable continues to pay off. I didn't think the Cardinals should rush the unnecessary extension. But I was convinced they would. I was wrong. The Cardinals, it turned out, agreed waiting was right. They're in a better spot now because of it.
If you are a Goldschmidt optimist — and I still prefer to lean that way because of the first baseman’s career of excellence and his determination to figure out how to save this season — then you are betting on a potential Hall of Famer salvaging a career-worst first half and helping the Cardinals make a postseason push. Get into the bracket, and Goldschmidt's frustrating age-36 season can truly begin anew. That's the postseason's gift.
The Cardinals emerged from their All-Star break in playoff contention despite league-average (at best) offense from star third baseman Nolan Arenado and below league average production from Goldschmidt. If one or both of those guys get going? The Cardinals could go places.
Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt high fives teammates in the dugout after his solo home run in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium on Saturday, June 29, 2024.
Dominic Di Palermo, Post-Dispatch
If you are a pessimist and feel like the once dynamic duo of Goldschmidt and Arenado can’t rebound in a meaningful way and that the Cardinals won’t go far if that is the case, well, you have plenty of fair data to build your case. On the topic of Goldschmidt, though, you arrive at the same destination as the optimists. No one can see this one any other way.
The Cardinals made a 2024 Ryan Helsley level save by declining to pay Goldschmidt handsomely into future seasons before seeing how this one transpired.
One really rough season to end what has been a great contract isn't very bad at all, in the grand scheme of things. And it's certainly a whole lot better than one really rough season starting out the first year of a brand new deal. The Cardinals did the right thing. Credit, too, goes to Goldschmidt for not raising a stink about his expiring contract. Some wouldn't have handled an approaching free agency so professionally.
The Cardinals' approach kept them from competing against themselves. It valued data over emotion. It's a different method than the Cardinals took with some beloved star players in the past, and what has happened since should embolden the team to employ the approach more often when legacy and the hope of seeing certain players finish their careers in a Cardinals uniform attempt to cloud the mind.
Trading for Goldschmidt entering the 2019 season was a massive win for the Cardinals. So was quickly signing him to his first Cardinals extension, one that saw him claim his first career MVP award. But signing him to another extension before getting a sense of what this $26 million season was going to look like would have meant not only paying for past production but also ignoring some concerning numbers.
It's the same route that got the Cardinals burned when they extended Matt Carpenter before he returned this season on a much more affordable single-season deal. If overlooking Carpenter's decline was one of the front office's biggest extension flops, not overlooking Goldschmidt's could go down as one of its better recent business decisions.
Since last June, Goldschmidt over a span of a team-leading 844 plate appearances has averaged .243 with a .320 on-base percentage and a .392 slugging percentage. His on-base plus slugging percentage of .712 during this time ranks 11th among Cardinals who have at least 100 plate appearances. Zoom out and Goldschmidt since last June is at risk of falling out of baseball's top-100 OPS producers among qualified hitters during this span. He exits the All-Star break ranked 90th on that list, with his .712 OPS over the past calendar year and then some found him between first-base names like Jake Cronenworth (.722) and Josh Bell (.710). Not terrible players. But not among the most feared in the National League, either. Which is where Goldschmidt was, without question as the 2022 NL MVP. Things changed. Fast.
Fortunately the Cardinals positioned themselves to watch Goldschmidt’s 2024 second half with clear eyes. Theoretically, they could even entertain trade-deadline discussions with teams that see value in Goldschmidt as a rental bat, though that seems unlikely for the Cardinals, especially when they are in a postseason position.
Point is, they didn’t unnecessarily back themselves into a costly corner. And if Goldschmidt rallies and they want to bring him back in 2025, they still can. For a discounted price compared to what they would have spent last spring.
Few teams make the business of baseball personal. The Cardinals have been one of the remaining holdouts. It can be endearing. It can also be costly. Especially for a team with a strict budget.
When Adam Wainwright retired, the Cardinals were offered a chance to do things a little differently moving forward.
Wainwright, after Yadier Molina, represented a potential pause point on the legacy run of players whose wire-to-wire Cardinals careers made it hard to focus solely on forward-looking projections of future production. More players like that could present themselves in time. Having them should be the goal of any organization that wants to draft and develop internally produced stars.
But it's no knock on Goldschmidt or Arenado to refrain from cramming them into the legacy box. They weren't produced from the Cardinals pipeline. They were acquired, and excellently so, to help patch that pipeline's leak. They both arrived in their 30s, well into careers that present compelling Cooperstown cases. Despite their admirable dedication and impressive seasons here before this shared frustrating one, they have not driven the Cardinals deep into unforgettable postseasons.
There always has been and can continue to be a difference between great players who play for the Cardinals and Cardinals legends. The latter invites legacy accommodations. The former, less so.
The Cardinals played this one right, regardless of who who turns out to be right about this season between the pessimists and the optimists.
Grades for Cardinals ownership, management and field staff: back on track
The Cardinals went off the rails last season, sinking into the National League Central while snapping their string of 15 consecutive winning seasons. This was a sweeping failure by those managing the franchise, from the ownership down through baseball operations and the field staff. This season the franchise is moving back on track after a terrible start, so the grades will reflect that.
Bill DeWitt Jr., right, Cardinals team chairman, and Bill DeWitt III, team president, are interviewed by Scott Watermann at Cardinals Winter Warm-Up at Ballpark Village in Ƶ on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. Photo by Vanessa Abbitt, vabbitt@post-dispatch.com
Vanessa Abbitt
Ownership
The Cardinals have enjoyed massive franchise valuation appreciation over the years. Aside from the pandemic season, the team has remained profitable. Yes, there is still much uncertainty about local television revenue during the next several years.
But it seems clear that Bill DeWitt Jr.’s ownership group could afford to invest more in payroll as the ballclub tries to rebound from last season’s collapse. According to Spotrac, the Cardinals are running a payroll of $174,983,955, which ranks 12th in Major League Baseball. While the Cardinals have refused to slash payroll by traveling the tank-and-rebuild route, the club has also remained cautious with its investments via free agent contracts and long-term extensions for homegrown players.
That led to the product going stale last season into this season. Attendance declined notably as a result.
While the ownership largely stuck with the status quo with the budgeting and management of the team, it did seek some outside help. Former Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom came on board to add a fresh set of eyes to the operation. With Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak appearing ready to transition out of his post and usher in a new leadership structure, this ownership could be making big decisions in the future.
Sticking with the status quo was good enough to get the team back into the playoff chase this season. But the Cardinals have lost some standing both in this market and in the industry as a whole, so there is still more work to do.
Grade: C
John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations for the Cardinals, is interviewed on stage by Spanish broadcaster Polo Ascencio during the Cardinals Winter Warm-up at Ballpark Village on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
Vanessa Abbitt, Post-Dispatch
Baseball operations
John Mozeliak and his staff set out to rebuild the starting rotation for this season and he succeeded. Signing Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn as free agents produced the hoped-for results, although the rotation was showing signs of wear and tear heading into the All-Star break.
The front office made moves to upgrade the bullpen, including acquiring Andrew Kittredge and Nick Robertson in trades and finding Ryan Fernandez in the Rule 5 draft. Unfortunately, fellow bullpen newcomers Keynan Middleton and Riley O’Brien landed on the 60-day injured list with long-term injuries, so the Cardinals haven’t enjoyed the full impact of the renovation.
The front office largely stuck with the position players who were either in place or in development, although the return of Matt Carpenter and the signing of infielder Brandon Crawford added some veteran leadership to the bench. The front office also stuck with manager Oliver Marmol and gave him a two-year contract extension.
The front office did not extend Paul Goldschmidt’s contract before the season. Given Goldschmidt’s dramatic offensive regression during the past two seasons, that reluctance proved wise.
With the Cardinals’ offense getting healthier ahead of the trade deadline, Mozeliak and Co. may have an opportunity to add additional pitching by dealing from the surplus of position players. What the front does or doesn’t do will decide its final grade. But for now …
Grade: B
Ƶ Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, right, talks with pitching coach Dusty Blake as they watch pitchers work during spring training in Jupiter, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Field Staff
Marmol and his coaching staff were up against it back on May 11 when the Cardinals were 15-24 and languishing in the NL Central cellar. All Marmol’s contract extension guaranteed him was a nice severance package if he got fired. The Cardinals had a tough early schedule, but that was no excuse for falling nine games under .500. The team suffered key injuries, but so did many other teams. Again, there was no excuse for the team’s early failure. Marmol and Co. had to get the team back to playing good baseball and, finally, they did.
The turnaround began on May 12 when the Cardinals squeezed out a 4-3 victory in Milwaukee to avoid a four-game sweep. Marmol and bench coach Daniel Descalso both got ejected in that game for riding the umpires — and their outburst clearly spurred the team.
The decline of Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado forced Marmol to take a new approach to the batting order. The field staff had to work around the lengthy absence of catcher Willson Contreras and Lars Nootbaar with injuries. There were vexing slumps, too, most notably by slugger Nolan Gorman. While the starting rotation and back end of the bullpen have remained stable, Marmol and pitching coach Dusty Blake have had to rotate relievers through the other slots.
Marmol and Co. lost a lot of games earlier this season, but they didn’t lose the players. The Cardinals rallied from May 12 on to tighten up the division race and move into the middle of the wild card chase. That was no small task.
Contenders at the breakpoint: Will pressure for playoff return spark urgency in Cardinals?
Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta is taken down at home by Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras after Contreras was tagged out trying to slide home on a passed ball in the second inning Friday, April 19, 2024, at Busch Stadium.
David Carson, Post-Dispatch
ATLANTA — In so many ways, they’ve been the complete opposite of the Cardinals when it comes to building a contender — shedding starters instead of accumulating them, losing a manager instead of committing to him, missing the best closer in the game instead of launching one — and yet in one significant way, the Milwaukee Brewers remain the same.
They’re still, despite it all, in first place.
“I don’t know. You tell me,” said outfielder Christian Yelich this past week at the All-Star Game when asked how Milwaukee has bucked perceptions and been in first place for 97 consecutive days.
“Everybody thought we were going to be horrible this year, finish last,” he continued. “I think we’re kind of used to it. We go into the season and we’re kind of just never picked to do anything. We’re the ones in the offseason who should sell all our players and trade for prospects and play for the future. You lose your manager. You lose two of the best pitchers in baseball. One of the best closers in the game is out for the year. So everybody is like: Hey, you should give up. I think our team kind of takes it like: Alright, well, let’s see what we can do. We have a great culture, and we know how to win games.”
The Brewers have usurped the Cardinals’ perch — and their talking points.
The regular season resumes Friday from the All-Star break with Sonny Gray leading the Cardinals into Atlanta, and it’s not sensationalism to say the National League Central remains a five-team race. Atop the division is the team that entered with no external expectations at all. And just behind those Brewers are the second-place Cardinals, the team that entered the season with so much internal pressure to turn last year’s coal into diamonds.
A franchise player nearing free agency and a front office inching toward a transition of power only adds subplots to a pivotal season for the Cardinals’ current era.
With the best record in the National League since Mother’s Day at 35-22, the Cardinals closed on the Brewers but stumbled into the break splitting a series with the Cubs and losing four of their past six at home. The Brewers (55-42) own a 4 ½-game lead on the Cardinals (50-46). Four division teams are scrunched within four games of each other, between the Cardinals and last-place Cubs (47-51). All five teams in the division either hold a playoff berth as the second half begins or are within 3½ games of one.
Standings are close. Games are closer.
“I mean, you throw in that extra wild-card (playoff berth), and I feel like every game is nitty, gritty playing the Cardinals and playing the Brewers,” Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds said. “And playing the Reds, for us, is like that. I feel like every game is really close, going back and forth. It feels like our division is very, very, very tight.”
The Cardinals reached a winning record by defying the probabilities of so many close games with arguably the league’s top bullpen and a supportive mix of youth (on offense) and seasoning (in the rotation). Led by All-Star closer Ryan Helsley’s club record 32 saves at the break, the Cardinals have lost only twice when leading after the seventh inning. They’re 44-0 when leading after the eighth — and 27 of their 50 wins have come by two runs or fewer. In the 50 victories, Cardinals pitchers have a 2.13 ERA, and the offense has put that to the test.
The Cardinals have yet to see the lineup they imagined or the leaders they’re familiar with. Cornerstones Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado had two of the least productive first halves of their careers. The Cardinals have had precisely zero games with the outfield they advertised because Tommy Edman has yet to return from wrist surgery and Lars Nootbaar has missed times with two different injuries.
“Offensively, we were in a spot that we were really unfamiliar with,” Nootbaar said. “No one was really clicking at that point. I know I said repeatedly I trust the guys in this clubhouse to do their thing, and they did. It hasn’t been one person or one thing. The bullpen has done a tremendous job. Starting pitching has been great. Offense is starting to come around. Obviously, we’re in a good spot to help ourselves be in an even greater spot. That’s cool.”
As the second half starts, here are the steps to go from good to great as that pressure builds, an era approaches its potential end, and the 2024 Cardinals face a series of revealing and defining litmus tests.
At the core
Despite the breakout efforts of rookie Masyn Winn and slugger Alec Burleson, who leads the Cardinals in homers and RBIs, the Cardinals offense has lagged, especially in two prominent areas. The Cardinals have the fewest home runs in the majors with runners in scoring position and next-to-worst slugging (.340) and OPS (.639) with the chance to exploit those opportunities. They also struggle mightily against lefties with a .621 OPS. The next-closest team with a winning record has a .679 OPS vs. lefties.
Trace the fault lines of the Cardinals’ offensives woes and inevitably they lead back to where the offense is supposed to start — the middle-order hitters two years removed from MVP finishes. While leading the team in RISP at-bats with 87, Goldschmidt has only two extra-base hits. A career .297 hitter with RISP with a .511 slugging percentage, this year’s batting .172 with a .218 slugging percentage. Goldschmidt is hitting .201 at home. His slugging against lefties has dropped from a career .585 to .396 so far this season. Arenado’s career .937 OPS vs. lefties is down to .609 this season. Bothered by different arm injuries, his home run rate per at-bat has been halved.
The Cardinals aren’t going to find a right-handed hitter available in the market or from their system who can substitute for the expected production of their two highest-paid players.
They aren’t the keys to igniting the offense — they’re the engine.
Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman turns to throw to first and complete a double play after forcing out Brewers second baseman Brice Turang in the fourth inning Friday, April 19, 2024, at Busch Stadium.
David Carson, Post-Dispatch
All the right moves
If the first move to address a need decides the division, the Brewers already made it when they added a starter. It’s more likely the biggest move will shape the division and could win it. Back to their buying ways at the trade deadline after a year’s hiatus, the Cardinals are shopping for depth and pitchers, and they will measure the market for a starter who upgrades their rotation. There are options, according to multiple sources.
Past interest in Nathan Eovaldi could rekindle if Texas turns seller. If the Cardinals are in the business of undoing previous mistakes, Max Scherzer is a Ranger, though he recently told “Foul Territory” he did not plan to waive his no-trade clause again. Angels All-Star lefty Tyler Anderson and White Sox right-hander Erick Fedde are intriguing because they have reasonable contracts through 2025. Toronto’s lefty Yusei Kikuchi would be a rental.
5 to watch
Sonny Gray, RHP: The headliner of the Cardinals' reboot of their rotation with veterans this winner, and they've received what they needed from Gray. He hurdled some difficult starts to be a candidate for the All-Star Game. But what they want is what he can give them in the second half: an ace.
Ryan Helsley, RHP: Buoyed by a 31-for-31 streak of successful saves and role that’s allowed him to thrive, Helsley has the makings of a record-setting season for a Cardinals closer. Given how comfy the Cardinals are in close games, he may get a run at 50 saves.
Goldschmidt & Arenado: The Cardinals have played their way into contending and avoiding the question of whether they’d trade Goldschmidt, a free agent in November, to a contender. So in what could be their final months together as Cardinals teammates, two of the finest infielders of their generation have, if they can return to their career norms, the ability to carry the team to more than just the desired division title.
John Mozeliak: A fixture on this annual midseason list for several years running. With one full season remaining on a contract he says is his last, the president of baseball operations is fashioning the final touches of his legacy. Will that add a dash of urgency to his proven pragmatism, a swatch of trade-deadline flair to his tailor-made moves?
The fans: Attendance has drifted this season — some of the smallest crowds at Busch III, fewer than 40,000 tickets sold for a home game against the Cubs — and competition for attention and entertainment dollars is high. Ratings have dropped, mostly due to the ongoing deterioration of the current broadcast model. After a last-place finish and a slow start that seemed like more of the same, the Cardinals have a compelling style and a spark. Can they turn that into the aura that brings wins and playoffs back to Busch? Fans are watching — until they have reason not to.
Defining grind
Two weeks after the July 30 trade deadline, the most rigorous test remaining on the Cardinals’ season begins. Between two series against Cincinnati, the Cardinals play 22 consecutive games from Aug. 16 to Sept. 8 against winning teams.
Twelve are against teams currently in first place.
That stretch of games pits the Cardinals against clubs with a combined .556 winning percentage, and it features visits to Busch Stadium by the Dodgers and former Cardinals manager Mike Shildt’s Padres. The Cardinals also visit the Yankees toward the end of 16 games in 16 days. And six of those games, right in the crucible of this challenging schedule, are against the Brewers.
Simple math
Those six games are also the final six games against the first-place Brewers. In the past 12 months, Milwaukee traded its ace Corbin Burnes, lost its All-Star starter Brandon Woodruff to shoulder surgery, missed decorated closer Devin Williams due to a stress fractured, and watched manager Craig Counsell leap south to riches on the North Side of Chicago. All those losses, and still the Brewers win — especially against the Cardinals. But counterintuitively, the head-to-head matchups show how close the rivals actually are. The Cardinals are 1-6 against the Brewers. They are 49-40 in their other games.
Without the wins vs. the Cardinals, the Brewers are 49-41.
To best the Brewers, start by beating the Brewers.
“When you dig yourself a hole it takes a ton physically for the clubhouse and emotionally to get out of it and get to where we are right now,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “We’re not close to being done.”
Cardinals’ TV ratings on record-low pace amid continuing distribution problems: Media Views
The Cardinals have soared in the past two months, compiling a 35-22 record dating back to Mother’s Day — May 12. That has hoisted them into what would be a wild-card playoff spot if the season ended today, a major improvement after their last-place finish a season ago.
But their television ratings haven’t followed the on-field surge, a disparity certainly correlating in large part to the distribution and financial troubles faced by Diamond Sports Group. That’s the parent company of Cards regional telecaster Bally Sports Midwest.
The team is set to return to action Friday night in Atlanta after the four-day All-Star break and resumes play with its local rating down 25% over the same stage last year, which ended as the Cardinals’ worst-rated season in records that date to 1990. Their games this year are being seen in an average of 4.2% of the market according to Nielsen, which tracks viewership.
If that’s how it ends up, it would be significantly below the 5.2 figure BSM drew last year and continue a downward spiral. In the five years before the coronavirus pandemic hit, the Cards’ local rating averaged 7.9. In the three full post-pandemic seasons, the figure has been 6.2. If this year’s current figure holds the after-shutdown figure would be 5.7. Even in the pandemic year (2020), when the season was truncated to 58 games, the rating was 5.4 — better than the figure last year and thus far this season.
An enormous contributing factor to the viewership doldrums involve financial disputes. Multiple programming distributors that many Cardinals fans use are unwilling to pay the fee being charged in order to carry Bally Sports Midwest, leading them to simply not show BSM. It is a list that has been growing in recent years. While Bally Sports Midwest is on major carriers in its service region such as Charter (Spectrum), DirecTV, Fubo, AT&T U-verse, DirecTV Stream and Mediacom, it is not carried on YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, Xfinity (Comcast), Dish Network and Altice.
The issue is tied to Diamond being in bankruptcy for more than a year, a situation that might finally be resolved — or at least given clarity — in hearings scheduled for July 29-30 in Houston presided over by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Chris Lopez. Because Diamond has teams under contract in the NHL and NBA in addition to Major League Baseball, the outcome of the case could set the future of the business side of local and regional sportscasting for years to come.
“There’s been a lot of good work done, and I don’t want to lose sight of it,” Lopez said at a hearing in May. “I know everybody’s got a real stake in where we are. And I get it.”
Another factor contributing to the Cardinals’ ratings decline is that there is no option to directly purchase the telecasts, including via streaming, in the BSM territory without subscribing to a distributor that carries that network. Complicating matters even more is that some far-flung areas are blacked out of access to the productions because of territorial restrictions.
Although the Cards are No. 1 in Ƶ television on nights they play, they are sixth in local ratings among U.S.-based MLB teams. That puts in jeopardy the streak of 14 consecutive seasons in which they’ve been among the top four in the country.
“Ratings may be down but still are among the highest ratings of all MLB teams,” BSM general manager Jack Donovan said. “There are lots of games remaining, and I expect ratings to gain momentum as we head down the stretch.”
The two highest-rated Cardinals telecasts of the season thus far were for national telecasts on Fox (KTVI, Channel 2 locally). Leading the way was their 6-5 victory over San Francisco on June 20 in Birmingham, Alabama — which was a tribute to the Negro Leagues and the legacy of Willie Mays, who died a few days earlier. The contest, on a Thursday night, drew a 9.4 rating in Ƶ.
That was followed by an 8.2 figure for a Saturday night home game against the Chicago Cubs on May 25. Next is BSM’s 7.5 rating for the club’s home opener, a Thursday afternoon game again Miami on April 4.
All-Star run rolls on
For the first time since 2007 a Cardinal did not participate in the All-Star Game. Their lone representative this year, relief pitcher Ryan Helsley, pulled out the day beforehand to rest his arm.
All-Star Game, Home Run Derby by the numbers
Ratings in recent years for Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game and Home Run Derby nationally and in Ƶ, according to Nielsen. (Where Ƶ ranked nationally among the 56 major markets is in parentheses):
Notes: Games on KTVI (Channel 2), home run contests on ESPN/ESPN2.
The rating is the percentage of the pool of potential viewers tuning in.
Year
Game National
Game STL
Derby National
Derby STL
2024
3.8
6.6 (7)
2.8
3.4 (7)
2023
3.9
5.2 (6)
3.1
4.7 (4)
2022
4.2
10.4 (1)
3.6
10.2 (1)
2021
4.5
8.7 (6)
3.8
6.3 (11)
2020
No competition
COVID-19
pandemic
2019
6.2
8.2 (8)
4.5
4.3 (22)
2018
6.5
10.6 (2)
4.4
4.9 (12)
2017
6.5
12.1 (2)
5.5
6.0 (13)
2016
6.4
10.4 (2)
3.2
6.5 (5)
2015
7.7
17.9 (3)
4.2
11.3 (2)
2014
7.9
14.3 (3)
3.4
5.8 (5)
2013
8.1
16.4 (2)
4.1
7.4 (5)
2012
8.1
20.5 (1)
4.2
8.4 (4)
2011
7.9
17.8 (1)
4
7.8 (4)
2010
9.1
20.5 (1)
4
10.2 (1)
2009
10.4
37.0 (1)
5.1
18.9 (1)
2008
11
20.3 (1)
5.5
7.7 (9)
2007
9.9
18.9 (1)
4.3
10.9 (1)
2006
10.6
20.7 (2)
4.4
8.1 (5)
2005
9.8
23.3 (1)
4.1
8.0 (5)
2004
10.2
18.8 (1)
4.7
6.1 (13)
2003
11.1
22.5 (1)
3.5
8.1 (2)
2002
11.4
15.4 (6)
5
7.5 (7)
Nonetheless Ƶ finished sixth nationally among major markets in TV ratings for the contest, continuing a remarkable run for the city. It now has had a top 10 finish in each of the 22 All-Star contests in records available dating to 2002. It has been first 10 times, No. 2 on five others and third twice. That’s 77% of the contests being in the top three.
All the games have been shown on Fox/KTVI, and Nielsen says 6.6% of the Ƶ market tuned in to Tuesday’s contest. The list was topped by a bit of a surprise. Pittsburgh, hardly a baseball hotbed, led it as the Steel City evidently is caught up in Skenes-mania. Pirates rookie phenom Paul Skenes was the National League’s starting pitcher and despite going only an inning Pittsburgh generated a 9.9 rating. The Pirates had just one other player on the roster, outfielder Bryan Reynolds. Philadelphia, which had eight representatives, was next (8.6). Third was Kansas City, which had four Royals on the AL roster, at 8.5.
Nationally, Fox drew 7.44 million viewers — the second-smallest audience on record. It only surpassed last year’s 7.01 million figure. Nonetheless, the Midsummer Classic traditionally is the most-watched All-Star contest conducted by the major North American sports leagues and was so again this year. The NFL’s Pro Bowl Games drew just under 5.8 million, the NBA All-Star Game was at 5.4 million and the NHL All-Star contest was at 1.4 million.
Derby day
Ƶ ranked seventh nationally in ratings for the Home Run Derby, its third consecutive top 10 finish after the previous four events averaged being No. 14.
Nielsen says 3.4% of the market tuned in to the coverage Monday night, which ran on ESPN and ESPN2. That’s after the Gateway City was fourth last year, with a 4.7 rating, and first the season before that. There was a big caveat in 2022, though, as Cardinals legend Albert Pujols was in his farewell fling and made it to the semifinals before being ousted by Juan Soto. Pujols’ presence helped generate a 10.2 rating then in Ƶ, the market’s best rating for the contest since drawing an 11.3 figure for the 2015 competition that also featured Pujols (then with the Angels) reaching the semifinals.
The Gateway City’s rating for this year’s event was behind Missouri’s other major market, Kansas City, which drew a 6.5 rating and was in third place. But unlike Ƶ, KC had a local player in the competition. The Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., who made it to the final round before losing to the Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández. Philadelphia led the way, with a 7.5 rating, followed by a 6.6 figure in Baltimore.
Nationally the contest averaged 5.45 million viewers after being at 6.11 million last year.
Costas to be honored
Nationally renowned sportscaster Bob Costas, whose career began at KMOX (1120 AM) in Ƶ in the 1970s before it ascended at the national level, has been selected to be honored for lifetime achievement in sportsmanship at this year’s edition of the Musial Awards.
The annual ceremony in Ƶ recognize good deeds and sportsmanship in athletics, with this year’s event set for November 23 at Stifel Theatre. Previous winners of the award Costas will be presented include Bill Bradley, Albert Pujols, Wayne & Janet Gretzky, Hank Aaron, Bart Conner & Nadia Comaneci, Jim Thome, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Cal Ripken Jr., Arnold Palmer and Joe Torre.
“This award is especially meaningful to me because of my great regard for Stan Musial, both as a player and a person, and because of my enduring connection to Ƶ,” Costas, who lived in the area for many years after leaving the local airwaves, said in a statement. “And of course, I am very appreciative of having my name mentioned alongside the extraordinary past recipients of the Musial Award. When you put all those factors together, this is an honor I will always cherish.”
In today’s 10 a.m. “Ten Hochman” sports video — brought to you by — Ben Hochman discusses the Cardinals at the break. Also, a happy birthday shoutout to Scott Foley! And as always, Hochman picks a random Ƶ Cards card!
Cardinals open 2025 at home vs. Twins, begin season with a slate of interleague series
The Budweiser Clydesdales circle the warning track during ceremonies before the Cardinals’ home opener against the Marlins on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals announced Thursday, July 18, 2024, that they will open the 2025 season at home against the Twins on March 27.
David Carson, Post-Dispatch
ATLANTA — For one of the few times in the past dozen years, the Cardinals will open the regular season at home for 2025, but the schedule is not without a modern twist.
The Cardinals host the Minnesota Twins on opening day March 27 at Busch Stadium. That begins a three-game visit from the American League club and the start of a schedule that has the Cardinals completing three interleague series before playing a team from their own league.
They’ll visit Fenway Park before their first National League series.
Their season will end with September weekend at Wrigley Field.
Major League Baseball and the Cardinals released the 2025 schedule Thursday afternoon. As part of the current collective bargaining agreement, all 30 teams play at least one series against each other, so there is no longer the rotation of interleague foes by division. The locations of the interleague series just swap from year to year so that in odd years the Cardinals visit Boston and host the Yankees, and in even years they head to the Bronx and welcome the Red Sox to Ƶ, as examples.
Because the Athletics visit Ƶ on Sept. 1-3, the Cardinals will play a regular-season series in Sacramento, California, at the earliest in 2026, if the A’s remain there. The 2025 schedule does identify the Athletics as ATH because they will no longer call Oakland (OAK) home.
The 2025 season will be the Cardinals’ second opening day at home in the past three seasons, though before that, they would go years without hosting opening day. Since 2012, the Cardinals opened a regularly scheduled season on the road nine times and hosted on MLB’s opening day only twice.
The Cardinals prefer to limit home games in April because of the chilly or rainy weather and the difficulty selling tickets when school is in session.
They will have five home series in March and April, hosting the Twins (March 27-30), the Angels (March 31-April 2), Philadelphia (April 11-13), Houston (April 14-16) and division rival Milwaukee for the first time (April 25-27).
The Cardinals will have the Fourth of July weekend at Wrigley against their rival Cubs, and they will not return there until the final series of the regular season, Sept. 26-28. The Cardinals host the Cubs for a four-game weekday series at Busch Stadium from June 23-26, and the Cubs return for their second and final regular-season visit Aug. 8-10, a weekend.
The Cubs begin their 2025 season with a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan. That will also mark Shohei Ohtani’s return with his new team and perhaps his return to the mound as a two-way player after recovering from elbow surgery.
The Cardinals have expressed interest in some day playing a regular-season game in Asia. They’ve participated in the London Series in 2023 and played this past month at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Cardinals’ 2025 schedule is kind to their travel and could lead to some creative decisions between road series.
They have multiple road trips when they can avoid flying between series, opting to take a bus, train or, if they prefer, a caravan of cars.
In June, the Cardinals have a four-game road series in Milwaukee and then bop down to the Southside to visit the Chicago White Sox. Later that same month, the Cardinals visit Cleveland for a three-game series and then can elect to drive the two hours for their second and final visit to Pittsburgh’s PNC Park of the regular season.
That three-city road trip ends at Wrigley for Independence Day.
The Cardinals also have paired road series between San Diego and Los Angeles, and in May, they play the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies in consecutive road series. It was back in 2009 that the Cardinals took a train from Washington to Philadelphia between series and, at the same time, completed a trade for outfielder and future Cardinals Hall of Famer Matt Holliday.
MLB is also introducing “Rivalry Weekend.” That May 16-18 event will feature 11 series between “prime interleague rivals” and four additional regional rivalries that are within the same league, such as Pittsburgh facing Philly.
That weekend, the Cardinals will visit Kansas City for a Show-Me Showdown.
The All-Star Game will be July 15 in Atlanta. The Midsummer Classic heads to Truist Park in suburban Atlanta four years after Major League Baseball made the in-season decision to relocate the game to Colorado and Coors Field amid criticism of Georgia’s change to voter laws. The MLB draft is also set to be held in Atlanta, likely starting the weekend before the 95th All-Star Game.
The times and broadcast schedule for all of the 2025 games will be announced at another time.
Here’s how veteran voices and a strong bullpen were critical to Cardinals’ first half
Matt Carpenter and Alec Burleson share a laugh in the Cardinals dugout after Carpenter's double scored Burleson in the eighth inning of a game against the Cubs Saturday, May, 25, 2024, at Busch Stadium.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
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In a modern age of baseball dominated by analytics and metrics, chemistry and the clubhouse dynamic likely fall into the same category as luck and momentum. Which is to say they can be considered antiquated notions and feel out of place in a sport ruled by measurements and calculations that cover everything from sprint speed and pitch velocity to spin rate and launch angle.
Yet somehow, team chemistry and the presence of veteran leadership might be one of the biggest factors in the Cardinals getting to the All-Star break four games above .500 (50-46), in second place in the National League Central and currently in a wild-card playoff spot.
This all comes after they could’ve been left for dead in early May.
“I think it goes back to last year,” said. “We started out in a hole, and we didn’t get out of it. I think some guys might have panicked a little bit last year.
“I think once that started at the beginning of this year, we kind of took a step back and said, ‘All right, it’s nothing we haven’t done before, but how do we get out of this?’ Whether that was conversations, or that was different things like that. We’re just resilient. This group is a lot of fun.“
Last season, the Cardinals were 14-25 through 39 games. They went on to have a winning record in May (15-13) but ultimately posted a 71-91 record, a last-place finish that was the franchise’s worst season since 1990.
This season, the Cardinals were 15-24 through 39 games, just one game better than last season. Since, they’ve gone 35-22 (.580 winning percentage). They lost three games in a row just once in that span.
The biggest additions from outside the organization on the position player side were veteran bench players and . They have combined for just 185 plate appearances through the first 96 games.
Carpenter, 38, and Lynn, 37, each began their careers in the organization and now have more than 10 years apiece in the major leagues with multiple teams.
“Last year, we had a lot of young guys — especially at the end of the year,” said Burleson, who made his debut in 2022 and played in 16 games that season. “And we were all trying to feel it out, figure it out.
“Obviously, the young guys last year — we’re a year older this year. But Carp, Craw, even some of the pitchers — Gibby, Lance, guys like that — they’ve been big influences on keeping this clubhouse together.”
Has the presence of those veterans played a part in the group’s resiliency, or is that reading too much into their impact?
“They’re the ones that are keeping this together,” Burleson said. “They were the voices when stuff wasn’t going right. And they’re still the voices when things are going good for us right now. Yeah, definitely give those guys credit.”
A retooled pitching staff
When they made the additions of Lynn, Gibson and Gray, the Cardinals touted their experience and ability to create a clubhouse culture as well as their track records of providing a bulk of innings and quality starts.
President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak and manager Oliver Marmol pointed to the starting rotation’s shortcomings as an area that helped derail last season.
Through 96 games last season, Cardinals starting pitchers had thrown 503 1/3 innings and posted an ERA of 4.70 and a 7.3 WAR according to . In that span, their pitchers had 10 starts where they didn’t complete five innings and allowed five or more runs.
Through 96 this season, Cardinals starting pitchers have thrown 512 1/3 innings with a 4.40 ERA and 6.3 WAR according to . In that span this season, their starters also had 10 starts where they didn’t complete five innings and allowed five or more runs.
Last weekend, Marmol pushed back against the idea that the number of innings pitched tells a full story for this year’s rotation in comparison to last year’s.
“There’s a difference between a guy giving you five or you force him to give you five because you’re down nine,” Marmol said. “I feel like we were in that boat a lot more often.
“I hear you from a raw innings standpoint, but that’s why I talk about limiting damage and not allowing it to snowball, keeping it within striking distance. Even when they don’t feel great or have their best stuff, they still find a way to get you through it. And it’s been modeled well for other guys.”
The Cardinals’ projected five-man rotation has seen limited time this season. Gray began the year on the injured list due to an injury that set back his spring training progression and put him behind schedule.
At the beginning of May, Steven Matz went on the IL with a back injury. Andre Pallante, who began this season in the bullpen, has assumed that fifth starter role since late May. Pallante is 4-3 in eight starts (4-4 overall).
“Pallante has a lot of conversations with Gibby and Lance about exactly that: How do you not allow the game to speed up on you?” Marmol said. “And if you think about Pallante when he got punched in the face before, things would kind of unravel pretty quickly.
“Now, you’re seeing him make pitches and leave guys stranded. That’s a skill in itself, to stay calm when everything else doesn’t seem like it’s slow.”
The bullpen has proven itself the strength of the club this season, and it has been leaned on heavily.
Through the same number of games last season, Cardinals relief pitchers had an ERA of 4.43. Opposing teams had also posted 25 come-from-behind wins, including five when the Cardinals led after seven innings. Opponents also won five games with the score tied after seven innings.
This season, Cardinals relief pitchers have an ERA of 3.50. Opponents have 18 come-from-behind wins but just two with the Cardinals ahead through seven innings. The Cardinals have lost five when the score was tied after seven innings.
Closer Ryan Helsley went into the break leading the majors with 32 saves, and he earned his second career All-Star selection. Left-handed setup man JoJo Romero is tied for the MLB lead in holds (26), and right-handed setup man Andrew Kittredge ranks third with 25 holds.
“Our bullpen has been really good,” Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado said. “We blew a lot of leads last year, and this year, our bullpen is really just keeping us in ballgames and giving up a chance to score runs.”
Scratching out wins with youthful offense
Sixty-six of the Cardinals’ first 96 games were decided by three runs or fewer. They went 18-12 in one-run games and 10-9 in two-run games.
They’ve done so with an offense that’s in the bottom half of the league in scoring (4.15 runs per game, 22nd), on-base percentage (.310) and slugging percentage (.384).
“Everything else has been a grind, so I just feel like we’re built for it now,” Arenado said. “We just kind of expect it, and we’re just ready for it.”
Paul Goldschmidt and Arenado have been the cornerstones of the infield as well as the club for the past few seasons. Goldschmidt won the National League MVP in 2022, and Arenado finished third in the voting.
Last season, both saw their offensive statistics dip, but they were still among the team’s most productive hitters.
This season, neither has performed up to expectations. Goldschmidt has slashed .230/.291/.373 with 13 home runs and 37 RBIs, while Arenado slashed .270/.323/.381 with eight home runs and 40 RBIs.
Burleson has been a driving force on offense with 17 home runs to go with a slash line of .288/.320/.494.
Rookie shortstop Masyn Winn has settled into the leadoff spot and been an offensive catalyst, with a .284 batting average and a .332 on-base percentage.
Brendan Donovan, who had 221 games in the majors entering this season, bounced back from the elbow injury that cut short his 2023 season and has slashed .276/.345/.411 with eight home runs and 45 RBIs.
The Cardinals cost themselves runs with poor defensive play last season. They finished the season with negative runs saved (minus-seven) as well as negative outs above average (minus-seven) and runs prevented (minus-seven).
So far this season, , two runs prevented and one out above average.
When asked what has enabled the Cardinals to be in this position entering the break, Goldschmidt credited the mentality of the group and their consistent daily approach.
Goldschmidt also attributed part of that to the makeup of the clubhouse.
“The more experience you have, the more you’re going to say, ‘Hey, I’ve been through losing streaks or been through winning streaks or seen amazing comebacks’ or whatever it may be,” Goldschmidt said. “That’s been a huge part of our success, having guys like Carp, Crawford, Gibby and Lance just come in and they’ve set a great example on the field, off the field as well.
“There are guys like that that we’re always looking towards. They have a ton of experience. It has definitely been a huge part of our success. That doesn’t always show up in the box score, but conversations they’re having in the bench or on the plane or on the bus or just hanging out or just watching how guys go about their business has definitely had a very, very, very positive effect on the group.“
Hochman: A coach once called him Babe Ruth, but not for his hitting. Now, Alec Burleson swats MLB homers.
The Cardinals’ Alec Burleson celebrates with first base coach Stubby Clapp after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning, scoring Masyn Winn, against the Giants on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
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Before he led the Cardinals at the All-Star break in the triple crown stats, Alec Burleson was a high-schooler compared to Babe Ruth — but not for his hitting.
“So he played for the South Charlotte Panthers, which is a good travel organization,” said Cliff Godwin, the head baseball coach at East Carolina University. “The first time I ever saw Alec Burleson play, it was the summer before his sophomore year. And Don Hutchins is the owner of that organization, been doing it for a long time, big leaguers have come through that program.
“So I’m talking to him about his guys, and he says, ‘Alec Burleson — he’s the best hitter that’s ever been in our program.’ I’m like, ‘Which guy is he?’ And he points over to this guy that’s got, like, a Babe Ruth body. And I’m like, ‘Don, the (out-of-shape) kid over here?’”
Now, as you’d expect the story to go, Burleson got into the batter’s box and swatted a homer.
Instead, he singled to right field — “and he has to run straight through the bag,” Godwin said, “because the guy from right field is going to throw him out!”
But what Godwin soon found out is what all of Major League Baseball is discovering in 2024: “He’s a damn good baseball player,” Godwin said. “He and MacKenzie Gore (the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2017) are probably the two most competitive humans that I’ve ever recruited.”
Burleson, 25, is the breakout player for the 2024 Cardinals, who currently sit in the National League’s second wild-card spot. It’s a pretty cool story. Initially penciled in to be a fourth outfielder this year, Burleson is now a starter and a menace to MLB pitching. In his past 25 games, Burleson is ninth in the National League in OPS (.991). And for the season, he’s got an .814 OPS, to go with team-highs in batting average (.288), homers (17, tied with Nolan Gorman) and RBIs (53).
Where would the Cardinals be without Burleson?
Probably outside of a wild-card spot right now.
Burleson’s burgeoning career began in North Carolina (he’s from tiny Denver, North Carolina, about 40 minutes from Charlotte) and then at East Carolina, where he played just wonderfully for Godwin. And he pitched!
Now, Godwin is one of those baseball guys who’s among the league leaders in “stories per conversation.” And like a proud papa, he rattled off a bunch about Burleson to this reporter, including a story about a different reporter.
Back when “Burly” was an East Carolina freshman, a reporter who covered local recruiting stopped by practice. The reporter asked Godwin about young players to keep an eye out for.
“Alec Burleson,” Godwin said. “He’s going to hit in the three-hole.”
Alec Burleson? Definitely wasn’t a draft prospect coming out of high school. Heck, he wasn’t highly recruited, the reporter pointed out.
“But I said,” shared Godwin, “‘Hey man, I’m telling you — this dude can hit.’ And yeah, the rest is kind of history.
“But he did pitch and hit for us, and around the draft, some scouts didn’t think he would hit for power (in the majors). ‘Look guys, let me tell you something — when he starts lifting (weights) just as a position player and not also as a pitcher, he’s going to be able to hit at least 20 home runs in the big leagues.’ ... And the guy has done nothing but hit through all levels of professional baseball.”
The Cardinals' Alec Burleson doubles on Monday June 24, 2024, in the third inning of a game against the Braves at Busch Stadium.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
Burleson battles. Always has. What a cool trait. He never gives up on an at-bat. Seldom strikes out. Overcomes doubters seemingly daily.
And he often carried his team in college, doing anything Godwin asked, be it pitching on little rest or playing a field position he’d never played before. And in what’s become a famed 2020 MLB draft for the Cardinals organization, Ƶ selected Burleson in the second round (70th overall).
In 2021, he played at Class A, AA and AAA, combining for a .270 average, 22 homers and 76 RBIs in 119 games.
In 2022, he won the batting title in the Class AAA International League (.331).
In 2023, he hit .244 for the Cardinals — but his expected batting average, per data collected by Baseball Savant, was .277 (and in the 85th percentile of all MLB players).
And now, in 2024, his numbers accurately articulate his prowess.
“He’s got the best hand-eye coordination of any human being that I’ve ever coached,” said Godwin, who has spent time as an assistant at Ole Miss, Central Florida, Louisiana State, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.
Godwin played at East Carolina with Chad Tracy, who played nine years in the majors, hitting .274. Tracy twice hit 20 or more home runs, including his 2005 campaign for Arizona, during which he hit 27 homers along with a .308 batting average and a .911 OPS.
Coincidentally, Tracy stayed at Godwin’s home this very week, as Tracy’s daughter, who plays softball, was on a recruiting visit.
“And I said, ‘Dude, I’ve never said this to you, but Burly has got better hand-eye coordination than you did,’” Godwin said. “‘And I thought you were the best hitter that I’d ever seen, when I was playing with you.’ And he kind of looked at me. And I’m like, ‘Dude, watch him in the box.’”
