The St. Louis Cardinals’ season has certainly been full of surprises.
While it may not have been what many expected, it’s certainly been intriguing. Following a low-key offseason, the Cardinals exceeded expectations early on. At one point, they were one of the National League’s most impressive teams. However, things took a downturn at the most inopportune moment.
The Cardinals struggled leading up to the All-Star break and eventually went on to sell ahead of the trade deadline. Now, questions are still lingering.
ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle shared a column highlighting lingering questions for a guide for each organization for the rest of the season following the trade deadline. For the Cardinals, unsurprisingly, Doolittle talked about how the season has been a “head-scratcher.”
“No. 18. St. Louis Cardinals,” Doolittle said. “Win average: 79.4 (Last: 85.5, 13th). In the playoffs: 2.6 percent (Last: 43.2 percent). Champions: 0.1 percent (Last: 1.0 percent). Hope for a run: There’s always another next year The Cardinals’ slide, combined with their deadline-related offloading, has them on more of a path to challenge the Pirates for last than the Reds for third. And wasn’t that the design all along? It’s too bad St. Louis played well early this season, or it might have gone into full reset mode earlier, though all of those no-trade clauses would have made it difficult.
“This is a proud franchise, but this season has been a head-scratcher. If, from the end of last season, the aim of the organization was to maximize its chances of winning in 2025, the Cardinals could have mounted a sustained run. And it’s hard to see what would have been lost in the effort.”
The Cardinals made plenty of noise during the offseason, hinting at potential trades, but ultimately, they largely stood pat due to no-trade clauses. Even as the trade deadline approached, they couldn’t make many moves for the same reason. While the season has been full of unexpected twists, their hands have been tied in part by these clauses. That said, there’s still time left, and it will be crucial to see which players step up before Chaim Bloom arrives and starts making changes.
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