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2024 record: 73-58, 5th place in NL Central, 13 GB Pittsburgh
Predicted finish: 81-81, 3rd place in NL Central, 9 GB Cincinnati
Key additions: SP Shane Bieber (trade with Cleveland); IF/DH Wilmer Flores (free agent); LHP Julio Robaina (Rule 5 Draft); RHP Guillermo Zuniga (trade with Philadelphia); OF Luis Gonzalez (trade with Colorado); OF Pavin Smith (trade with Arizona); C Carson Kelly (free agent).
No longer here: SP Jack Flaherty (traded to Cleveland); OF Odubel Herrera (free agent); Matt Koperniak (traded to Oakland); LHP Jose Castillo (released); Andrew Chafin (free agent); RHP Jake Woodford (traded to Colorado); C Julio Rodriguez (traded to Colorado).
Top prospects: SS Masyn Winn; RHP Tink Hence; OF Tre Fletcher; OF Cameron Leary.
Roster outlook
Position players[/B]
Coming off their worst record since 2007, the Cardinals didn't make many moves in terms of position players.
Instead, they're hoping for a return to form of players like 3B Nolan Arenado, IF Tommy Edman and C Sean Murphy who all had down years in 2024.
They also will be looking for improvement from touted youngsters IF/DH Nolan Gorman and RF Jordan Walker who both have been slow to grow into the hype which has surrounded them.
CF Cedric Mullins was limited to 73 games because of injuries last season. OF Dylan Carlson seems to be on the cusp of being a top-notch outfielder.
1B Paul Goldschmidt has been the steady fulcrum of the offense since arriving in St. Louis in 2019.
Newcomer Wilmer Flores will get the first shot at being the team's designated hitter.
Look for Masyn Winn, who will begin the season at AAA Memphis, to eventually become the everyday shortstop. He had a chance to win the job in spring training but struggled at the plate.
Starting Pitching
The Cardinals starting pitching ranked among the worst in the NL, particularly through the season's first half.
They hope they have taken a step toward solving that issue by acquiring No. 1 starting pitcher Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians.
Bieber, 29, went 19-5 last season for the Guardians and 49-25 over the last three.
William Cuevas (10-13) and David Matos (9-13) hold down the second and third spots in the rotation.
Yonny Chirinos (2-4) and Chris Rodriguez (4-1) round things out.
Cuevas has been a consistent winner throughout his career, while Matos, 25, is still just entering his third season in professional baseball after leaving Cuba.
Chririnos and Rodriguez were both acquired in mid-July and had their moments of performing well while with the team.
Bullpen
St. Louis will open its season minus its closer of the past three season as Ryan Helsley is expected to be out up to eight more weeks with a strained hamstring.
Freddy Pacheco (6-4, 1 save) will slide into the closer's role.
He will be joined on the right-side by Bryan Baker (8-3, 1 save), Nick Robertson (3-4, 1 save), Conner Lunn (5-6) and newcomer Guillermo Zuniga (0-1).
Baker made the NL All-Star team last summer. Lunn is making the conversion from being a starter much of his career.
From the left-side, Aaron Bummer (5-4, 1 save), Garrett Williams (1-1), and Brooks Raley (0-1, 1 save) all return from last season.
Rule 5 Draftee Julio Robaina (5-14) joins the team after splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen with Texas.
Despite being overworked because of the starting rotation's inability to go deep into games, the Cardinals still had a top six bullpen in the NL.
If they can survive the loss of Helsley, it should again be a team strength.
Outlook: It's tough for any team to go from worst to first but in a division where Pittsburgh won the division with an 86-76 this might be one time where it could be a possibility.