Time for a tougher approach with Nolan Gorman, as the Cardinals' initial strategy has proven effective
Letting Loose the Powerhouse: Unchain Nolan Gorman for St. Louis Cardinals' Success
The St. Louis Cardinals' ambitious plan to reinvent slugger Nolan Gorman appears to be bearing fruit, but it's high time to put away the kid gloves. As of Wednesday, Gorman's astounding .995 OPS over the last 30 days skyrockets to an impressive 1.375 over the last fortnight. The issue lies in Gorman's meager average of only one at-bat per day during these periods, with 35 and 16 at-bats each.
In the initial days of the 2025 season, it made sense that Gorman was sidelined frequently. Alec Burleson had snatched the DH position against right-handed pitching, Jordan Walker required daily plate appearances, and once Ivan Herrera became a primary DH, it became increasingly challenging to squeeze Gorman's bat into the lineup.
However, recent developments have rendered these excuses moot, especially considering the conspicuous absence of playing time for Gorman over the last week.
Unshackle Gorman and Watch the Magic Unfold
I'll delve deeper into this, but the Cardinals' patience in managing Gorman's playing time earlier this year may, in fact, be flourishing. The gripe, however, lies in the fact that they still aren't exploiting Gorman's promising plate improvements to their fullest extent.
We're all aware of Gorman's slump at the plate last season, and it didn't seem to improve much in spring training or April. Behind the scenes, though, Brant Brown and the Cardinals' coaching staff were working tirelessly to refine Gorman's swing. His on-field results in recent weeks appear to suggest that he's managing to iron out those kinks.
Since May 11th, Gorman has clobbered .343/.395/.600 (.995 OPS) with a .257 ISO and 179 wRC+ across his 38 plate appearances. Gorman has noticeably reduced his strikeout rate by nearly 10 points compared to last year (28.9 K%). His growing comfort at the plate is apparent, and there are both mental and mechanical adjustments that Gorman has made, leading to his resurgence at the plate.
Head over to X to witness @JacobE_STL's insightful comparison of Gorman's mechanics for a clear representation of his work on his front side to address his plate imbalance issues.
Gorman himself has spoken candidly about how his infrequent playing time has allowed him to focus on his mechanics, oblivious of field results. In a sense, this practice offers a unique form of runway, enabling Gorman to work closely with the Major League coaching staff every day to rebuild his swing, ready to exhibit his enormous power potential once more.
That moment arrived last week, unfortunately overshadowed by Jordan Walker's injury. Regrettably, the Cardinals persist in prioritizing Ryan Vilade over Gorman against left-handed pitchers. While Vilade deserves respect, at this stage in his career, he should be regarded as a last-ditch option. He's receiving far too many opportunities in preference to Gorman, who should be a first-choice pick.
With Brendan Donovan experiencing a toe problem, the Cardinals' indecision should finally come to an end for the time being.
I've previously underscored this, but Gorman boasts the type of power potential essential to the Cardinals' lineup. He offers an irreplaceable element that no other player on the roster can match. It would be shortsighted not to seize the chance to unleash Gorman and determine if he's found the missing pieces. As of the season, the Cardinals rank 23rd in homers and 13th in slugging percentage, and Gorman's power can escalate that ceiling for this team.
Will he capitalize on these opportunities? We'll soon find out. A limited sample size so far has seen Gorman excel beyond expectations, but the Cardinals must grant him more batting opportunities to unlock his true potential.
- With Gorman's exceptional performance in recent weeks, the St. Louis Cardinals could elevate their MLB slugging game by capitalizing on his power potential.
- As the Major League Baseball season progresses, it's crucial for the St. Louis Cardinals to unshackle Nolan Gorman and give him more playing time to fully showcase his baseball talents.
