Five Things That Have Changed for the Cardinals in 2025

Going back to the beginning of May, the St. Louis Cardinals were not looking much like a contender. After dropping the first two games of the month, the Cardinals were sitting five games under .500 with a 14-19 record going into play on May 4th.

The day before, the Cardinals were forced to postpone their game against the New York Mets, after taking a loss against them in the first game of the series the night before. At that point, the Cardinals had lost five in a row against the Mets, having gotten swept in a four-game set in New York back in April. The day off due to rain offered a reset, and one the Cardinals took full advantage of.

Playing in a doubleheader, the Cardinals took both games in one-run fashion, improving their record and offering a springboard that would eventually carry them over .500.

Starting from that doubleheader, St. Louis reeled off a nine-game winning streak, going from 14-19 to 23-19 in the span of eight days. After losing the middle game of their series against the Phillies this week, the Cardinals went on to win the rubber match, and then took the first game of this weekend’s set against the Kansas City Royals.

Suddenly, the Cardinals are right in the thick of the early NL Central race, only one game back from the Chicago Cubs for first place. How did the Cardinals get here, and is it sustainable?

Here are five things that are different about this Cardinals team from the one we watched last season.

1. Victor Scott II is More Than Just a Glove

The 24-year-old speedster is second on the Cardinals in bWAR with 1.5. Scott has a .270 average and an on-base percentage of .333, which pairs well with his 13 stolen bases. 

He has also driven in 18 and scored 22 runs. With just two homers and six doubles, power might not be in his tool set, but he has taken an enormous step forward in 2025. 

In 53 games last year, he had a negative WAR and got on base at a lowly .219 clip with just a .502 OPS. Even with his speed, he only stole five bags last year. In 41 games in 2025, he has swiped more than double that and has only been thrown out once. 

He was a top-five prospect for the Cardinals in 2024. Fans expected a lot of him, but he fell short early on. The adjustments he made over the offseason have paid massive dividends for him, and the Cardinals are reaping the rewards. 

Scott provides tremendous defensive and baserunning value. He is in the 97th percentile for baserunning run value and the 98th percentile for range (OAA). His batting percentiles do not jump off the page, but his .705 OPS, coupled with his value in the outfield and on the base paths, has given the Cardinals a much-needed boost from the bottom of the order.

2. Most Underrated Top 10 Offense in Baseball

Through 42 games this year, the Cardinals rank 10th in runs in baseball and sixth in the National League with 197. Through 42 games last year, the Cardinals were ranked 28th with 153 runs, only ahead of the White Sox and Blue Jays with 126 and 150, respectively. 

The Cards currently boast a run differential of +38. The offense has been surprisingly productive. Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado have contributed to the offense.

After a rough 2024, Arenado has rediscovered himself at the plate. He has 17 walks to 20 strikeouts and has driven in 18 runs. Donovan has been the team’s All-Star this season. His .840 OPS leads the team, plus his .321 batting average is seventh in all of baseball. 

Lars Nootbaar has solidified himself as the team’s leadoff hitter. He has a .808 OPS, 45 hits, 24 RBIs, seven homers, and has nearly as many walks as strikeouts (31 to 32). 

New hitting coach Brant Brown has turned the Redbird offense around. His presence has benefited the whole team, and fans are reaping the rewards with their team on a nine-game heater. 

3. A New Swiff Army Knife in the Pen: Kyle Leah

Last year, Kyle Leah pitched to a 4.07 ERA across 48 2/3 innings out of the Cardinals’ bullpen. It was his rookie season, one where he established himself as a big league reliever. This year, though, Leah is becoming much more than a serviceable relief pitcher. He’s becoming a difference-maker.

Across 24 2/3 innings pitched this season, the righty leads the team in ERA (among pitchers with at least six innings of work) with a 1.09 ERA.  

Leahy has been a dominant reliever and helped get the ball to the setup man. He has made eight appearances in the seventh and four in the eighth. 

He has only taken the mound in games where the Cards are down by one or up four or less. Oliver Marmol has entrusted him when the game matters most, and he has delivered. The Cardinals are 12-7 in his appearances. 

Leahy has been vital for the Cardinals’ bullpen, which has found major success in recent weeks, especially with Jojo Romero not performing well. 

A key for Leahy this season has been getting ground balls. He has a 51.7 percent ground ball rate. Opponents are batting just .111 with an OPS of .389 against him. 

While Helsley is still a shutdown closer, Leahy has been the best arm in the Cardinals’ bullpen this season. 

4. Resurgent Rotation

Perhaps the rotation is the biggest surprise of all this season. It is definitely not up there with the Mets or Royals, the Cardinals’ five-man rotation has been very serviceable all season and dominant as of late.

Erick Fedde, Sonny Gray, Liberatore, Andre Pallante, and Miles Mikolas have combined for a 3.78 ERA, good for 12th in baseball. They are also tied for sixth in innings, giving the team good length. 

Since the Cardinals began their nine-game winning streak on May 4, the rotation has a 3.18 ERA.

Liberatore is finally panning out as a middle-of-the-rotation starter. The southpaw has an ERA+ of 134 and a FIP of 2.30. His curveball is reminiscent of Adam Wainwright’s, and he has been a much-needed and welcome surprise this season. 

5. Catching Depth Coming Through

The Cardinals have three catchers (current and former) in their everyday lineup: Contreras (who now plays first base), Iván Herrera, the designated hitter but also gets behind the plate, and Pedro Pagés, the primary catcher. Plus, Yohel Pozo has played well in his 12 games. 

While Contreras has transitioned to first base, fans are still adjusting to seeing him away from behind the dish. After a slow start, he has been terrific offensively and defensively. He has made just two errors in 268 chances, and has been worth 3 OAA.

The bat has awoken for Contreras. Over his last 13 games, Contreras is hitting .370/.455/.652, with three home runs, 14 RBIs and a 1.107 OPS,

After a solid 2024, Herrera is having a breakout year. He spent some time on the injured list with a knee injury and has only played in 13 games this year, but he has made them count. He has five homers and a 1.387 OPS.

While Pagés is getting most of the reps at catcher, Herrera has stayed in the lineup because of his production. 

Pagés’ offensive production has not been superb this season, but his presence behind the plate has been much needed. He has a solid 31.8 percent caught stealing rate, nine percent higher than the league average, and has 14 assists. He is settling into the major leagues as a defensive catcher. 

Also on the Cardinals roster is catcher Yohel Pozo. In a small sample size, Pozo has an OPS of .825 and a .476 slugging percentage. The Cardinals have a surprising amount of catching depth; any one of the listed backstops can come in the clutch for the Cards.