Last year, the Cardinals started 10-24 but then surged 14-6 in May, coming within four games of first place in the NL Central. During that time, I wrote a piece posing the same question as today.
In that piece, I claimed the Cardinals were back, but I was soon proven wrong. After reaching 24-30, they finished the season 47-61, landing last in the NL Central. Is this year different?
The Cardinals fell to nine games below .500 by Mother’s Day, but a win that day sparked a resurgence. Now, they’re 23-26, five games out of first place, and only 1.5 games behind in the Wild Card race.
Instead of prematurely declaring the Cardinals’ return, I’ll consider both sides of the argument.
**Yes, the Cardinals are back**
I thought the Cardinals were done after falling nine games below .500, but they’ve found their stride. Perhaps the double-ejection of Oli Marmol and Daniel Descalso against the Brewers lit a fire under them. They fought back from deficits against the Angels and Orioles, showing resilience.
On paper, this team should be better than their record, even with Goldschmidt and Arenado struggling. Sonny Gray is pitching like an ace, with solid performances from Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn, and a resurgent Miles Mikolas. The offense is producing in key moments, and the bullpen has been outstanding. Sweeping one of the best teams in baseball is encouraging. A strong performance against the Cubs this weekend would boost confidence further.
**No, the Cardinals are not back**
Despite recent improvements, sustainability is questionable. The team looks better on paper than last year, but we had similar expectations then too. While sweeping the Orioles is positive, remember they took three out of four from the Dodgers last May but still had a poor season.
The team struggled to win two games against the Angels, who are without Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. The Cardinals might need a reset, as the same leadership and roster make it hard to envision them becoming serious contenders. Even mediocre teams have good stretches, but hoping this roster will fulfill its potential seems unrealistic. It might be time for the Cardinals to embrace change and try a new approach.
