MLB Writer Reveals One Key Reason Cardinals Are Contenders

The St. Louis Cardinals have shocked the baseball world and jumped out to a very hot start this season. When the entire baseball world thought the team would be rebuilding, the roster of players had different plans.

Through 56 games, the Cardinals are eight games over .500 and only three games back in the National League Central.

MLB.com's Will Leitch recently highlighted the team's defense as one of the key reasons why the Cardinals are as good as they are right now.

"Meanwhile, Masyn Winn might be the best defensive shortstop in baseball, Arenado has been resurgent at third base (he’s back to being a Gold Glove candidate over there, something he has said might be his primary later-career goal), Brendan Donovan has been excellent at second (and left field when he plays out there) and even Willson Contreras has been much better than expected in his first year at first base," Leitch wrote. "(They’ve even improved at catcher by mostly moving Iván Herrera to designated hitter and having Pedro Pagés and Yohel Pozo split time behind the plate.)

"The Cardinals currently lead baseball in Outs Above Average by a rather dramatic amount, which has improved everything on the roster, including a surprising starting pitching staff. Bats will slump, but gloves won’t. Barring injury, this will remain the best defense in baseball."

Anchored by players like Masyn Winn, Victor Scott II, and Nolan Arenado, this Cardinals defense will never slump. They don't just make the routine plays and boast a high fielding percentage. They also make extraordinary plays and save runs.

This defense is a huge reason the pitching staff has been so successful in St. Louis. The Cardinals success has a lot to do with how well this unit plays on defense.