St. Louis Cardinals Surprise in 2025 With Hot Bats, But Abysmal Pitching Threaten Playoff Dreams
Who saw this coming? The St. Louis Cardinals entered the 2025 MLB season surrounded by low expectations, with many bracing for a rebuilding year. And after crickets this offseason that saw the front office make just one hardly mentionable move—signing right-hander Phil Maton—who can blame the skeptics. Even Ryan Helsley has been tepid at best.
But here’s the twist: the Cardinals’ offense is on fire.
Despite president of baseball operations John Mozeliak opting not to deal remaining veterans like Ryan Helsley or Nolan Arenado, and largely standing pat over the winter, this Cardinals lineup has exploded out of the gates. Through the early weeks of April, St. Louis leads all of Major League Baseball with a scorching .301 team batting average, ranks second in OPS at .862, and sits in the top five across the board in hits (100), runs scored (62), and home runs (14). Not bad for a team many left for dead just a month ago.
If only the pitching staff wasn’t straight up trash. Can someone tell me why Miles Mikolas still gets innings as anything other than an usher?
The Repugnant Rotation
The Cardinals’ rotation has been, let’s say, less than ideal. Ranking 28th in ERA with a painful 6.44 mark, the starting corps has struggled mightily. Veterans Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, and Mikolas were expected to anchor this group, but so far they’ve failed to provide the leadership, or results, the team needs to contend.
The Brutal Bullpen
The bullpen hasn’t fared much better. Despite entering the season as the reigning Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year, flame-thrower Ryan Helsley has posted a concerning 4.50 ERA, with a shaky 1.75 WHIP and an 8:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio across just four innings. That doesn’t exactly merit the new commercial he stars in.
After opening the year with an unexpected series sweep of the Minnesota Twins, the Cardinals have fallen to 4-5 following a brutal sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox.
Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. The Cardinals’ youth movement is alive and thriving. Young stars like Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar, Iván Herrera, and Jordan Walker are delivering at the plate. And let’s not forget five-time Silver Slugger Nolan Arenado, who continues to be a force in the lineup despite swirling trade rumors.
Bottom line? This Cardinals team can hit with anyone. But unless the pitching staff turns things around—and fast—the offense may not be enough to carry them to October.
For now, there’s hope in the Gateway City. But in a stacked National League, hope needs a little help from the mound.
