The St. Louis Cardinals are firmly in the hunt for the National League Central crown, but not everyone is convinced they’re legitimate contenders. One prominent MLB analyst is pumping the brakes on the hype surrounding their recent hot streak.
“There are two glaring issues: the rotation’s inability to generate strikeouts and the offense’s lack of true power,” wrote ESPN’s David Schoenfield. “While there’s definitely a chance for them to surprise and push the Cubs in the division race, I’m still not fully on board.”
The Cardinals have been scorching of late, going 12-1 from May 4 to May 17. During that stretch, their pitching staff compiled an impressive 2.33 ERA, according to Schoenfield’s analysis. Still, questions linger about how sustainable that success is as the season wears on.
Schoenfield points to the rotation’s low strikeout rates as a significant red flag. Starters like Erick Fedde, Andre Pallante, and Miles Mikolas are each averaging under 6.0 strikeouts per nine innings—a concerning trend in today’s strikeout-heavy game. Because of these lingering concerns, Schoenfield is skeptical that the Cardinals’ early-season surge will last, labeling their performance as more flash than substance. As of Tuesday, St. Louis sits at 27-21, but they still have much to prove.
Cardinals are competitive this year in the NL Central
The St. Louis Cardinals didn’t get off to the start they hoped for in 2025. Offensive struggles plagued the team early, and they wrapped up April with a losing record and more questions than answers.
Since then, though, the tide has turned—largely thanks to a revitalized pitching staff. As ESPN’s David Schoenfield pointed out, the Cardinals have excelled at recording outs efficiently, even without overpowering stuff.
Much of that momentum began when top pitching prospect Michael McGreevy was called up. In his MLB debut, McGreevy delivered a statement performance, earning a win over the Mets by pitching over five strong innings, striking out five, and allowing just one hit and one walk. His outing appeared to spark confidence across the rotation.
Offensively, Brendan Donovan has emerged as a breakout star. The versatile slugger is hitting a scorching .337 and leads the team with 16 doubles. Donovan has notched seven hits in his last two games alone, giving the Cardinals a much-needed jolt at the plate. With series wins over contenders like the Mets, Phillies, and Royals—and recent sweeps of the Nationals and Pirates—St. Louis is heating up. The RedBirds, winners of eight of their last 10, look to keep the momentum going Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers.