Cardinals' Defense Has Been Major Strength For Team During May Surge

The St. Louis Cardinals are playing much better baseball in the month of May. After beginning the 2025 season with a 14-19 record, they have won 13 of their last 17 games and now sit at 27-23, just three games back in the National League Central.

All areas of the Cardinals roster are clicking at the moment. The offense has scored plenty of runs, the starting rotation has held up and the bullpen has been much improved.

However, one thing that sets them apart from others is their elite defense. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch compared this year's defense to that of 2021, when St. Louis had five Gold Glove winners.

"Through the first 50 games of the season, the Cardinals’ defensive metrics echo those of the 2021 club that became the first to win five Gold Glove Awards since St. Louis-based Rawlings began presenting the fielding honors in 1957. The Cardinals also won the team Gold Glove that season," Goold wrote. "That year’s 51 outs above average, according to Statcast data, is the second-most for any club since 2016, the earliest year for which data is available on Baseball Savant."

The Cardinals have always prided themselves on playing elite defense. It's been a trademark of their success over several generations.

The defense remains a strength this year, and it's something that could reward them in the long run. We'll see if they can keep up their solid play on the defensive side and continue to rival the 2021 club.