The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most storied franchises in MLB history. With 11 World Series titles to their name, the Cardinals have been a model of consistency over their 130-year history.

 

The Cardinals enter the 2022 season looking to build upon three consecutive playoff appearances. They will look to challenge the Milwaukee Brewers for division supremacy once again as they deploy an experienced and battle tested group for the upcoming season. The Cardinals remain the only team in the NL Central with a legitimate shot at unseating the reigning division champ, and they have every intention of doing so in 2022.

 

The Cardinals have the pieces in place to make a special run this season, but with an aging core several things will have to break St. Louis' way for them to find success. Below we outline the Cardinals path to glory in 2022.

 

Cardinals 2022 Bold Predictions

1. Adam Wainwright replicates 2021 success

One of the most surprising developments of the shortened 2020 season for the Cardinals was the performance of Adam Wainwright. Following four consecutive down years, Wainwright posted a 3.15 ERA and a 1.051 WHIP over 65.2 innings pitched. Heading into the 2021 season however, many experts were skeptical about how Wainwright's arm would hold up over the course of a full season.

 

Wainwright proceeded to pitch lights out for the entire 2021 season. Over 206.1 innings pitched, Wainwright posted a 3.05 ERA and accumulated 174 strikeouts. For a then 39 year-old pitcher with 16 years of MLB experience, this type of production is otherworldly.

 

What would be truly legendary would be a repeat performance in 2022. For a player with as much class, talent, and experience as Wainwright it is certainly within the realm of possibility for a third consecutive dominant season.

 

Bottom Line: Wainwright produces another sub-3.25 ERA season while pitching over 200.0 innings

 

2. Jack Flaherty, Alex Reyes return to form

Jack Flaherty and Alex Reyes both enter the 2022 season with injury concerns. Both Flaherty and Reyes are battling shoulder injuries that could potentially derail their respective seasons before they even get started. This development would be truly devastating to the team's chances this season.

 

However, there exists a strong possibility these two pitchers avoid serious injuries and are able to pitch significant innings in 2022.

 

When last fully healthy, Flaherty finished 4th in NL Cy Young voting. Alex Reyes was an All-Star last year before going down late in the season. A return to form would massively boost the Cardinals' odds this season, and the franchise would be counting on their performance if they wish to advance further in the postseason.

 

Bottom Line: Flaherty and Reyes both round into form post All-Star break and help propel the Cardinals into the postseason

 

3. Goldschmidt, Arenado become new faces of the franchise

Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright have been the longtime faces of the franchise for the Cardinals. Having been teammates since the 2005 season, both Molina and Wainwright have become synonymous with the Cardinals. The “Yadi/Waino” era in St. Louis has been extremely successful, producing two World Series titles and countless playoff runs.

 

However, all good things must eventually come to an end. There was much speculation that both Molina and Wainwright would retire following the conclusion of last season. But, after further consideration, both franchise icons decided to return for what is anticipated to be their final season with the team.

 

Let this season then signal the passing of the torch from old to new. This season would be the perfect sending off party for Molina and Wainwright, with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado leading the team into the future. Goldschmidt and Arenado both project to be All-Stars this season, and they will look to parlay their individual success into team success come October.

 

It would be a perfect conclusion to the careers' of Molina and Wainwright to go out on top, and they must rely on Goldschmidt and Arenado to get them there. Even if they can't, expect both the news guys to take control moving forward.

 

Bottom Line: Goldschmidt and Arenado produce standout seasons and become the clear leaders in the clubhouse moving forward

 

4. Cardinals win season series vs. Brewers

The NL Central projects to be a two team contest in 2022, with the Cubs, Pirates, and Reds all seemingly entering the rebuild phase. The Brewers and Cardinals will compete head to head several times in 2022, with the head-to-head record factoring heavily into the division title race. Both teams have the talent to win the division, and each have the recent history to put together a special campaign.

The Brewers project to have the head-to-head advantage in pitching, while the Cardinals project to have the advantage in hitting.

One thing going in the Cardinals' favor is the overall history versus the Brewers. Since the Brewers joined the NL Central in 1998, the Cardinals have consistently had their number. Expect this trend to continue in 2022, with the Cardinals winning the season series against the Brewers once again.

 

The Brewers pitching staff will ultimately keep them in the division title race all the way to the end, so it is likely the NL Central won't be decided until the final days of the season.

 

Bottom Line: Cardinals win the season series 11-8, but ultimately finish in 2nd place to the Brewers in the NL Central race. Cardinals lose in the Wild Card round.

 

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