Cardinals Writer Criticizes Team For Use Of Young Outfielder

The St. Louis Cardinals have lost their last two series and came into a weekend matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a major test at hand. They managed to win the series opener by a final score of 5-0 behind a dominant Sonny Gray.

The Cardinals also moved to within four games of first place in the National League Central and improved to 35-28 on the year.

However, one decision they have made in recent days has left fans puzzled. Since Jordan Walker went on the injured list, they have had Ryan Vilade on the roster.

J.T. Buchheit of Redbird Rants criticized manager Oli Marmol for playing him against left-handed pitchers instead of giving Nolan Gorman more reps.

"The Cardinals' 'runway' was intended to serve as a measuring stick as to whether certain young players had a future within the organization. Vilade is not someone whom the Cardinals expect to serve as a long-term answer; his role is as a depth piece. So, the fact that he is receiving plate appearances over Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson is mind-bending," Buchheit writes.

It's understandable to want to use right-handed bats against left-handed pitchers. But this decision goes against everything the Cardinals preached about "runway" in 2025.

This is the year to see if Gorman can hit lefty pitchers and be an everyday player. Vilade is not meant to be an everyday player. If the Cardinals were going to prioritize matchups, it would have made more sense to call up Thomas Saggese and start him at second base against left-handers.