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Entering the 2024 season, the St. Louis Cardinals’‘ most glaring need was undoubtedly starting pitching. Unfortunately for the team, it’s the offense that is failing miserably to start the season. The front office addressed the starting pitching by bringing in veteran starters Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson. However, nothing was done to improve the offense, and that’s understandable. The Cardinals’ offense was supposed to be their strength.
Cardinals’ Offense Ranked at the Bottom
The team ranks at the bottom in some very important categories. They ranked 24th in batting average at .226, 29th in homeruns with 13, 24th in RBI’S with 66, 25th in OBP at .300 and 24th in OPS at .353. Honestly, they are lucky to have the record they do with such a horrendous offensive performance.
There are several games they could have won with some timely hitting, but it seems that when the Cardinals’ offense manages to get runners on base, strikeouts and double plays are what follows. The organization is depending heavily on their stars Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt to be the back bone of the line-up. Both got off to slow starts. However, Arenado’s bat has recently come alive, but Goldschmidt has continued to slump horribly. Additionally, they were counting on former top prospects Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman to be a big part of the line-up, but so far, it’s been nothing but ground balls from Walker and strikeouts for Gorman.
Marmol Confident They Will Turn it Around
The Cardinals’ manager Oliver Marmol has backed his players, seemingly confident that they will turn things around. But what other choice does he have? In regard to Goldschmidt and Gorman, he had this to say.
“You can do all the shuffling you want. At the end of the day, if those two guys aren’t in the middle of it, hitting doubles and homers, then…at the end of this, both of those guys we have a lot of trust in. Marmol then continued, “In order for us to be who we’re gonna be, those guys are gonna have to do what we count on them to do, and they will. We have a ton of trust that Gorman and Goldy are going to be just fine.”
Goldy and Gorman Show signs of Life
Goldschmidt entered play on Monday hitting .179, and a 20-game streak without an extra-base hit. Additionally, Gorman’s average was sitting at a paltry .169 following his recent stuggles.
On Monday, the Cardinals’ offense came back from an early 3-0 deficit, with a solo homerun from Goldschmidt in the seventh to tie things up at three. Gorman then walked it off with a blast off of the first pitch he saw. Undoubtedly, both players felt a sense of relief.
The Cardinals’ offense desperately needs these two among others to produce in a big way if they’re to have any success this season. The pitching has been keeping them in games, but so far, the offense has been a no-show. Hopefully, their performance on Monday will spark the offense.
