Front Office of St. Louis Cardinals Risks Fan Ire with Potential Deadline Approach
Lost in Transition: The 2025 St. Louis Cardinals' Rocky Start
The St. Louis Cardinals might need a miracle to salvage their disappointing season, as fans question the team's commitment to a winning roster. Despite promising a rebuild and a transition, the Cardinals find themselves stuck in a rut – both in the majors and minors.
The team's bullpen has been a disaster, leaving manager Oli Marmol to publicly question the organization's support for a contending team. The new hitting coach Brant Brown's hype has worn off, as the offense struggles with cold spells. The starting pitching lacks depth and relies on pitch-to-contact veterans, along with a reliever-turned-starter and a former top prospect. It doesn't help that a 33-year-old lefty, on an expiring contract, fills out the rest of the rotation.
The offseason mismanagement is a stain on the team, with a third baseman expected to have a Hall of Fame career and an underwhelming roster returning for another season. Their lackluster play at home, mixed with historically poor performances on the road, isn't offering Cardinal fans much hope.
John Mozeliak's final season leading the team might be a game-changer. After this season, he'll pass the torch to Chaim Bloom, fresh from revamping the Boston Red Sox and creating a top-tier minor league system. Mozeliak has enjoyed years of success as a Cardinal executive but things could get messy if his final season tarnishes his legacy.
It's tricky to predict how the Cardinals will navigate the trade deadline. Katie Woo, the team's beat writer, suggests Mozeliak might opt to reinforce the roster rather than sending players elsewhere. However, the team's struggles may make it impossible to catch up in a tough NL Central.
Even if they're in the thick of the race, sending veterans for game-changing pieces would be risky – and the Cardinals' limited MLB-ready depth makes it even more so. Add in the influence of incoming general manager Chaim Bloom, who probably wants to kickstart the retooling process early, and the situation grows complicated.
If the Cardinals neglect to shake things up, their path to contention could get delayed even further. Disgruntled fans are staying away from Busch Stadium, and a postseason push could be their chance to win them back. But a fallen short playoff run might upset the new leadership, as fans remain skeptical after the Tom Edman for Erick Fedde deal.
Enrichment Data:
Mozeliak may consider a playoff push if the Cardinals are in contention at the trade deadline. To do so, he could offload veterans, such as:
- Nolan Arenado: With his huge salary ($52 million from 2025–2027) and declining offensive output, trading him could be a solution. The Dodgers, needing third base help, seem to be interested.
- Miles Mikolas: After a poor season (5.70 ERA), his $55.75 million contract that expires in 2025 could be a liability. Moving him would free up rotation spots for prospects.
- Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray also have no-trade clauses, but Mozeliak could negotiate partial salary retention to make deals with contenders more appealing.
In case of veteran departures, young players like Thomas Saggese or Jordan Walker might step into starting roles. Shedding high salaries would allow Mozeliak to reinvest in pitching depth or extend deals for emerging players.
- The St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen, mismanaged and underperforming, has left manager Oli Marmol publicly questioning the organization's support for a contending team.
- In the 2025 MLB season, the St. Louis Cardinals, struggling with aspects such as their bullpen, find themselves in trouble with an expiring contract for a 33-year-old lefty and a lackluster offense.
- John Mozeliak, faced with the prospect of an expiring contract and a struggling team, may consider trading veterans like Nolan Arenado and Miles Mikolas to bring in game-changing pieces and enrich the team's prospects, such as Thomas Saggese and Jordan Walker.
- The brown seats of Busch Stadium are starting to show the impact of the mismanaged aspects of the team, as disgruntled fans stay away and the Cardinals' path to contention becomes more difficult, with high salaries and underperforming players in need of replacement.
