Through all the ups and downs the St. Louis Cardinals have endured during the 2024 MLB season, they're still well within reach of a playoff spot.
The Cardinals head into play on August 12 just 1.5 games out of the National League Wild Card and with a reinforced roster coming out of the trade deadline, they'll have plenty of opportunities to lock up a spot in October.
But don't mistake some key deadline moves for a John Mozeliak roster overhaul that's going to carry the Cardinals to the top of the National League over the next six weeks. The team still has holes — they're just less glaring. They still lack starting pitching depth, but Erick Fedde gives them a little more. Their bats still lack pop, but Tommy Pham has hit well since returning to St. Louis.
Even in an expanded playoff, all the Cardinals have to do is get in and get hot. Here's how they can maximize their chances.
Tommy Pham must out-perform his career numbers down the stretch
The Cardinals headed into the trade deadline in search of at least one outfield bat that could add some pop to a middling offense. They found their man in Pham, an 11-year veteran who began his career in St. Louis.
Pham spent the first half of the season with the White Sox, hitting .266 with a .710 OPS in 70 games. Those are relatively pedestrian numbers, yes, but a minor upgrade over Lars Nootbaar and the injured Michael Siani nonetheless.
Pham hit a pinch-hit grand slam in his first at-bat with the Cardinals, setting the tone for an electric start in his second stint with the team. Overall, he's hitting .300 with an .892 OPS in 41 plate appearances with St. Louis. Pham has also hit lefties well all season, which the Cardinals have struggled with. St. Louis has a team .655 OPS against left-handed pitching, while Pham has an .865 OPS against them.
Since Pham came over, St. Louis is 6-7 with an offense that still runs middle-of-the-pack in the Major Leagues. Their .260 team batting average and 105 team wRC+ scream “average,” which would be fine if their pitching staff wasn't also mediocre.
Another starting pitcher must step up beyond Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde
Ideally, the Cardinals would have added one more starter in addition to Fedde at the deadline, but they'll have to go to battle with what they have and hope he and Sonny Gray can provide enough a punch at the front end of the rotation.
Fedde has only made two starts with St. Louis so it'd be unfair to grade him on those alone. He was, however, so good in the first half of the season that he quickly became one of the more attractive starters at the trade deadline. In his first year since returning from a season in Korea, Fedde has a 3.28 ERA and 1.147 WHIP.
Coupled with Gray (3.65 ERA, 1.066 WHIP), the two make a formidable 1-2 punch. But even if the Cardinals manage to sneak into the playoffs, two quality starters is only enough to get you through that initial round.
Andre Pallante could be a candidate to be that third pitcher. His 4.21 ERA and 1.362 WHIP isn't much to celebrate, but over his last seven starts those numbers drop to 3.38 and 1.150 respectively.
Or the answer might not even be on the roster right now. Lance Lynn threw off a mound over the weekend and wants to return “hopefully within the next time or two through the rotation.” The 37-year-old veteran won the 2011 World Series with the Cardinals and seemed to be rounding into form before he hit the IL at the end of July. He gave up three total runs in his final three starts before his injury.
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