The State of the Cardinals: Winning streak tempers season slide, but can it last?
Mets triumph is first STL series win since May 21.
Some things take time: paint drying, The 2023 St. Louis Cardinals are stretching that patience marker as far as they can, but a series win over the weekend could be the kick in the ass that this team genuinely needs with the All Star Break three weeks away.
Monday’s comeback win over the Washington Nationals, the new owners of the worst record in the National League, gave the team just their second winning streak of the season, with their season-high mark sitting at just four games. Facing Washington and the not-so-good Chicago Cubs this weekend allows the team to create some breath of a response to their worst start in over 15 years.
Or, they could lose tomorrow and continue to struggle with consistency. The erratic sometimes-on yet mostly-off nature of this team allows little room for assurance. A 30-43 team still has a lot of work to do in order to climb back in, especially when you consider the divisional deficit (eight games) is less than the wildcard spot deficit (9.5 games). Playing in a bad division only takes a bad team so far.
Let’s face it, folks. This team isn’t good, even with a three-game win streak. Can they keep it going? The recent upside lays a blueprint for the good times to continue. It’s not like the Birds are just finding the holes and getting lucky here lately; they’re playing cleaner baseball.
They’ve made zero errors in the last three games. In two of those games, the starter has pitched into the seventh inning. Jack Flaherty may have gotten battered around for six runs today, but he only walked one and got into the seventh. A fresher pen can pick up a young starter like Matthew Liberatore on Sunday if they aren’t roasted from pitching 4-6 innings most days.
Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado being their productive selves helps ton, but Brendan Donovan punching a three-run home run today punctuates a versatile attack. Jordan Walker is spraying hits everywhere. Tommy Edman is finding ways to score runs, and Paul DeJong seems to hit a dinger whenever he slumps too hard.
Don’t expect much from this team just yet. 5-6 wins in a row are required for them to hold onto a pulse. Think about it. In order to get back near respectability, St. Louis would have to go on an eight-to-ten game winning streak. During that time, they’d need help from divisional opponents, all the while making sure those opponents don’t get too far ahead in the wildcard race.
The Cardinals dug themselves a half-grave so far. Climbing out of it requires more than a fluffing of victories that come off more surprising than gratifying. String them together, take down some bad teams, punch the good ones in the mouth, and put that $157 million payroll to good use.
Until next time,
Stay hydrated.
