Cardinals Writer Lists Two Reasons To Be Optimistic About Recent Surge

The St. Louis Cardinals have won 13 of their last 16 games after starting the 2025 season with a 14-19 record. Now, they sit just two games back of first place in the National League Central and two back in the Wild Card race.

Few, if any expected St. Louis to be a clear contender, and while there is still a lot of season left, this current stretch is encouraging for fans. There are several reasons to be optimistic.

Mason Keith of Redbird Rants listed two reasons for fans to buy into this team, citing the team's offense and defense.

"After nearly a decade of underperforming team offense behind several different hitting coaches, the team has finally tapped into their potential. The team as a whole is ranked 2nd in batting average and hits across the whole league. 2nd in doubles, 5th in OBP, 7th in RBI, 9th in SLG, and top 10 in strikeouts," Keith wrote.

"So far in 2025, the Cardinals are ranked 2nd. When looking at outs above average, they are far ahead of the next best team. From the old adage used in football, "defense wins championships," the Cardinals in 2025 are taking this to heart."

St. Louis has typically always been a strong defensive team, and with Gold Glove winners across the diamond, the defense remains a strength, even after the departure of Paul Goldschmidt.

The offense had struggled since 2023, but they finally seem to be unlocking their full potential under new hitting coach Brant Brown.