Cardinals shake up roster to spark resurgence -- and it's working

After losing to Milwaukee on May 27 to cap a three-game sweep, the Cardinals found themselves searching for answers. The offense had gone cold, they had lost seven of nine games, and several everyday jobs suddenly felt less secure than they had on Opening Day.

Rather than waiting for things to fix themselves, president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom began reshaping the roster.

Since then, the Cardinals have promoted Jimmy Crooks, Nelson Velázquez and Blaze Jordan, welcomed back Lars Nootbaar and Nathan Church from the injured list and challenged several regulars with reduced roles or trips back to Triple-A.

The result? One of the hottest offenses in baseball.

Since May 29, the Cardinals rank among the top 10 in baseball in batting average (.277), on-base percentage (.349), slugging percentage (.464) and runs scored (80).

These weren’t panic moves by the Cardinals' front office. They were examples of an organization trying to align performance with opportunity.

Crooks, Jordan and Velázquez all forced their way into the conversation through their strong performances for Triple-A Memphis. At the same time, players such as Nolan Gorman and Victor Scott II reached points where everyday Major League at-bats were no longer serving their development.

Perhaps more important than the production itself, the Cardinals have created something that has often felt missing in recent years: legitimate competition for playing time.

Strong performances are being rewarded. Struggles are being addressed. Positions are not guaranteed simply because of past accomplishments or prospect status. No player is being given up on. And when a change is necessary, the organization has a plan to help that player continue developing.

The Cardinals have also been careful not to create an environment where every 0-12 stretch results in a roster move. Competition only works when players feel like they have enough runway to make adjustments and learn at the Major League level. Scott and Gorman received more than two months of regular playing time before being optioned. Pedro Pagés' role was reduced to reward Crooks with an opportunity while simultaneously giving Pagés a chance to improve his own offensive production.

The message has not been that one bad week will cost a player his job. Rather, the Cardinals have shown a willingness to be patient with young players while also acting decisively when a different development path becomes necessary.

Bloom has repeatedly emphasized that the Cardinals’ long-term goal is to build their next contending core from within. That process requires difficult decisions. Prospects must be given opportunities when they earn them, and established players must sometimes take a step back before they can move forward.

Jordan’s promotion illustrated how fluid those evaluations can be. Until recently, the Cardinals did not view him as a realistic Major League option at third base. But as Gorman struggled, Ramón Urías encountered an injury setback and Jordan continued to hit while improving his defense with Memphis, the organization adjusted its thinking and rewarded him with a promotion.

The early returns have reinforced that decision. Jordan already has four hits in his first three Major League games after Gorman managed just three hits in his final 50 at-bats before being optioned.

The Cardinals have already seen this process work. Jordan Walker needed a reset in Triple-A last season and extensive work in the offseason, and now he’s emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate in the National League. His story serves as a powerful reminder of how a perceived setback can actually help a player reach their full potential.

The Cardinals' recent promotions, along with the returns of Nootbaar and Church from the injured list, have strengthened their starting lineup on a daily basis and given manager Oliver Marmol far more utility with his bench unit. Now the Cardinals' offense is better equipped to do damage up and down their order, and late in games, Marmol has multiple options he can turn to, depending on the situation and what it calls for.

Each position player on the Cardinals roster now has a clear role and purpose, while players in Memphis are doing everything in their power to force their way into the conversation.

For now, this new-look Cardinals roster will try to keep producing. The players receiving opportunities have earned them, and the players who’ve lost theirs are now working to regain their edge.

Competition has helped fuel the Cardinals' offensive resurgence. If Bloom’s recent roster decisions are any indication, rewarding performance and creating opportunity may become one of the defining characteristics of the Cardinals’ next contending core.