The St Louis Cardinals are entering a rebuild. After missing the playoffs for two straight seasons, they are letting veterans walk and looking to improve their pipeline. As their division rivals improve, it could be a bleak season for a fanbase that has not had many bleak seasons. We have our bold predictions for the St Louis Cardinals ahead of the 2025 MLB season.
The Cardinals let Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew Kitteridge walk in free agency. Their only major-league addition this offseason was relief pitcher Phil Maton. So the team that won only 83 games last year has taken a step back and is not afraid of hiding it. They hired Chaim Bloom, former Red Sox and Rays executive, to run their minor-league operations this year and take over the whole team next year. This is a transition year, which helps inform the bold predictions for the Cardinals.
Who will be the standout player for the Cardinals this year? Will they finally trade Nolan Arenado? There are a lot of questions in St Louis and we have some answers in our bold predictions.
The Cardinals will finish last in the National League Central
For years, the Cubs and Cardinals have duked it out for the National League Central title. In recent years, the Milwaukee Brewers have joined the fray as a consistent 90-game winner. But the Reds and Pirates always took up the last two spots and provided some easy wins for these teams. With both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh adding elite young talent, the Cardinals will finish last in the division this year.
Last year, the Cardinals were tied with the Cubs, ten games behind the Brewers in the division. They were six games better than the Reds and seven better than the Pirates. But with their offseason losses and an expected sell-off at the MLB trade deadline, that cushion will disappear.
The Cardinals have three starting pitchers on expiring contracts that should be traded before the deadline. Steven Matz, Erick Fedde, and Miles Mikolas should all be on the move and if someone wants two years of Sonny Gray, he could go too. That will make them a punching bag for teams jockeying for position in a crowded NL Wild Card race.
Nolan Arenado finishes the year in St Louis
This Cardinals offseason was defined by their quest to trade Nolan Arenado. His no-trade clause prevented a trade to the Houston Astros and they could not work out a deal with anyone on his approved list. So the former MVP will remain at the hot corner in St Louis with three years left on his deal. He will stay with the Cardinals through this season and the drama will pick up again next year.
The highest-profile team with a third-base opening is the New York Yankees but they have so many injuries that they cannot afford to make a trade. Unless a team gets desperate this season, his contract is so expensive that it is easier to make the trade in the offseason. The Cardinals can get more from him when the salary goes down as well, so it is better for everyone.
Arenado will likely not finish out his contract with the Cardinals but he will be there through the end of this season.
Masyn Winn takes a big offensive step forward
The Cardinals rebuild is built on a lot of players but the first one to make a name for himself in the big leagues is Masyn Winn. The shortstop was tremendous last season, leading St Louis with a 4.2 bWAR despite average offensive numbers. His 102 OPS+ was solid for a 22-year-old but his offense will take a bigger step up this season.
Winn made his MLB debut in 2023, playing in 37 games with very poor offensive stats. He had a .467 OPS, which rose to .730 over a 150-game sample in 2024. Another slight tick up and Winn could join some of the elite shortstops in the game as great defenders and dominant hitters.
The Cardinals need great offense from Winn to give fans hope that this rebuild can work. With the pressure on the organization to make this rebuild work, Winn’s performance this year will be important.
What are your bold predictions for the Cardinals this year? Can they surprise everyone and make the playoffs?
The post 3 St. Louis Cardinals bold predictions for 2025 MLB season appeared first on ClutchPoints.
