Barring any rainouts, on Saturday evening against the Marlins, the Cardinals will play their 81st game, reaching the midpoint of what has been, by any reasonable measure, a remarkable season so far.
The Cardinals were widely predicted to finish last in the NL Central this year, and for understandable reasons: They traded away key pieces and committed to a rebuilding project. But yet: As the season’s midpoint approaches, the second-place Cardinals are not just seven games over .500, they’re holding down the top NL Wild Card spot. This team has surprised everyone, sometimes even itself, and it has been undeniably exciting and fun to watch.
Now is an excellent time to take stock of where the Cardinals’ season stands.
What has gone right?
Jordan Walker has become a star.
The Cardinals, as they headed into a new era under Chaim Bloom and his front office, needed one thing more than anything: A superstar around which to build. (It’s something the Cardinals have had, consistently, for decades.) They have long thought Walker’s natural abilities could someday make him that person, but after three middling, frustrating seasons, patience was running thin heading into 2026. (To the point that, ahem, some people argued he should start this season in the Minors.)
But this year it has finally clicked for Walker. He has already set a career high in homers, and he’s finally hitting the ball with authority and, just as important, in the air. He has also shown an ability to adjust to opposing pitchers, and he has improved dramatically in right field. This is the Jordan Walker we were all waiting for.
JJ Wetherholt made himself immediately essential.
Wetherholt, in his first game as a Cardinal, hit a home run to dead center field. In his second game … he notched a walk-off hit. And he has only gotten better since. Wetherholt felt like an established Major Leaguer from the first second he put on a Cardinals uniform, and not only is he now the clear leader in the NL Rookie of the Year race, according to FanGraphs WAR, he’s the eighth-best position player in baseball.
Wetherholt arrived fully formed and has transformed the Cardinals lineup with his on-base ability and his rapidly emerging power. (And he’s been a far better defender at second base than anyone anticipated either.) Wetherholt already feels like he has been a Cardinal for years.
There is actually some excitement at the park.
As the Tarps Off craze has made its way around baseball, don’t forget that it started this year at Busch Stadium, thanks to some club team kids from Stephen F. Austin and a Cardinals roster that’s essentially the same age as those shirtless kids in the stands.
The emergence of the Tarps Off section has combined with that exciting cadre of young players to provide Busch Stadium with a sense of energy that had been lacking the last few years. It has been a while since it has been this much fun at Busch. And they’re just getting started.
What hasn't gone right?
The Gorman/Liberatore duo has stalled.
With Nolan Arenado sent to Arizona and Sonny Gray sent to Boston, the path was cleared for two childhood friends to finally establish themselves in St. Louis: Nolan Gorman would have third base to himself, and Matthew Liberatore was set to be the Opening Day starter. But not much has worked for either player.
Gorman was struggling so much that the Cardinals sent him back to the lab in Jupiter, Fla. Liberatore’s struggles with a consistent four-seamer has diminished the effectiveness of his signature curveball. (He also hasn’t been able to give the Cardinals much length in his starts.) Neither player is entirely out of the Cardinals’ plans, but neither has progressed as hoped.
No exciting young arms have emerged … yet.
It’s too early for the Cardinals to start seeing too many results from Bloom’s overhaul of the organization’s pitching; it would be foolish to push the likes of Liam Doyle or Jurrangelo Cijntje just yet. But for now, the Cardinals’ pitching has continued to be a lot of non-strikeout guys just holding down the fort the best they can.
There have been some pleasant surprises -- from Michael McGreevy and Andre Pallante in the rotation to Riley O'Brien and George Soriano in the bullpen -- but how many pitchers on the Cardinals roster right now are we comfortable saying will still be on the roster in, say, three years?
The catching situation hasn’t resolved itself.
The Cardinals have a wealth of catching prospects, from Leo Bernal to Rainiel Rodriguez, and they’re going to have to do a fair bit of sorting over the next few years. For now, the position remains unsettled.
After making improvements in his strikeout rate at Memphis, Jimmy Crooks got the callup last month, and while his defense has been fine, his OPS is actually lower than that of Pedro Pagés, the starter he was brought up to supplant. Iván Herrera has been making a start or two behind the plate per week, but he has hardly taken control of the position, thanks largely to the same throwing issues we’ve seen in years past. (His bat will keep him in the lineup regardless.) Crooks is going to have most of this year to make his case before the young turks behind him show up, but there’s no question that so far, that case has not been made.
What does it all mean?
The Cardinals are seven games over .500, which means if they go .500 the rest of the way, they will win 85 games. That would have gotten them into the playoffs last year, and in 2023; no matter what, it will keep them in the race all year in this three Wild Card format.
The Cardinals haven’t sacrificed any of their long-term plans, and they still have a chance to play in October this year. It’s tough to ask much more from the first half of the season.