St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol is trying to stay honest about the struggles from his first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt has struggled to get his bat going this season, although he did hit a home run on Sunday.

“Those are the types of swings you’re wanting to see. But then he’ll go into the next game and feel off from a movement standpoint. Consistently holding that has been the struggle,” Marmol said, per MLB.com.

The Cardinals hope to get Goldschmidt going even more, as the team makes a push to get a spot in the National League playoffs this season. St. Louis is now 52-47 on the season, after defeating the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. The team defeated Atlanta 6-2, helped by Goldschmidt's homer.

Paul Goldschmidt's season with the Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) is congratulated by third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium.
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Goldschmidt is hitting .225 on the season, with 13 home runs. His batting average is on track to be lower than it has been in several years. Just two years ago, the first baseman finished the 2022 season with a .317 average and more than 100 runs batted in. That season he also won National League Most Valuable Player honors. The first baseman has been part of the rumor mill before the MLB trade deadline, that he will be leaving the Red Birds.

The Cardinals are right in the mix in the National League Central Division this year. If the first baseman's bat continues to heat up, the club will be a hard out in the division. The Red Birds are just five games back in the division standings to the Milwaukee Brewers, with plenty of baseball still to play in the 2024 campaign. Time will tell if Goldschmidt stays on the team for this late season surge.

Marmol clearly wants to encourage Goldschmidt in any way that he can. The first baseman's home run on Sunday was his first in nearly two weeks. The Cardinals need him to look like the guy he was in 2022. Goldschmidt has won four Gold Glove awards, and he's also the recipient of five Silver Slugger awards. When his bat is going, the Red Birds seem to find it easier to get victories.

The veteran first baseman is closing in on 2,000 career MLB hits. He has 1,995 at time of writing. He has also played with the Arizona Diamondbacks, before his time with the Cardinals.

The Cardinals start a huge three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. The Bucs are jockeying for position with St. Louis in the NL Central.