St. Louis Cardinals unveil Opening Day roster with unexpected modifications
Revamped St. Louis Cardinals Lineup Gears Up for Final Tune-Up Game
Get ready, folks! The Cardinals have revealed their Opening Day roster, and they'll be squaring off against their Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, in a warm-up bout before the regular season kicks off. But the real thunder came when they dropped their lineup for tonight's match. Here's a glance at the squad they're taking to battle:
- LF Lars Nootbaar
- 1B Willson Contreras
- 2B Brendan Donovan
- 3B Nolan Arenado
- DH Alec Burleson
- C Ivan Herrera
- RF Jordan Walker
- CF Victor Scott II
- SS Masyn Winn
There are a couple of surprises in this lineup worth mentioning. First up is the decision to slide Masyn Winn back to the bottom of the order. Although Winn had a stellar rookie season, he stumbled when stationed at the leadoff spot, hitting .248/.290/.402 with a 93 wRC+. Nootbaar and Donovan are more deserving of the leadoff spot at present.
The second shocker is the choice of Alec Burleson over Nolan Gorman. We'll see if this holds true for Opening Day, but John Mozeliak has been singing Gorman's praises as a guy they want to see get around 600+ plate appearances. It's challenging to achieve that if you're not cracking the starting lineup!
Fear not; I'm no Gorman fanboy. I won't be shocked if his struggles in 2024 are an indication of what's to come. But I advocated for giving him some consistent at-bats to see if he can return to his 2022 and 2023 form. However, it's hard to dispute Burleson securing a spot in the lineup over him.
Burleson had an impressive performance against right-handed pitching last season, slashing .292/.341/.464, resulting in a .804 OPS and 125 wRC+. Considering the Cardinals' struggling lineup in 2022, it's tough to argue against him earning a starting position against right-handed hurlers!
We'll see on Thursday if this lineup is the real deal, but if it is, I'm on board.
Now, for a bit of perspective: Historically, the Cardinals' Opening Day lineups featured mainstays such as Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and Willson Contreras. But things have changed since then, with a new crop of players stepping up ([Data]). Let's take a look at the team's core compared to the shifting trends:
| Position | 2023 Player | 2025 Player ||----------------------|-----------------------|---------------------|| LF | Tyler O'Neill | Lars Nootbaar || CF | Dylan Carlson | Victor Scott II || 1B | Paul Goldschmidt | Alec Burleson || SS | Tommy Edman | Masyn Winn || DH | Willson Contreras | Willson Contreras |
The Cardinals are embracing youth with players like Winn and Scott, emphasizing swiftness and defense. The departure of O'Neill and the rise of Nootbaar, as well as positional adaptability, have also factors in.
While the 2023 lineup leaned on established stars, the 2025 version indicates increased emphasis on player development and positional adjustments.
- Alec Burleson, despite Nolan Gorman's potential, has secured a spot in the starting lineup, showcasing impressive performance against right-handed pitching last season.
- In an unexpected move, Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan have been assigned to the leadoff spot, due in part to Masyn Winn's struggles there in the previous season.
- The Cardinals' affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, is set to face the revamped Cardinals lineup in a final tune-up game, awaiting the regular season's kickoff.
- With players like Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II prioritizing speed and defense, the Cardinals are embracing a new era, leaning towards youth and development, as seen in their shifting core lineup compared to past seasons.
