The 2024 season started off promisingly after the 2023 season brought the St. Louis Cardinals’ first losing season in decades. The team is now hovering around .500 and the fan base is fed up with a team that lacks the fire of previous Cardinals teams.
Changes need to be made, and they cannot happen quickly enough.
Here are some things the fan base can look forward to in the final weeks of the season.
The Cardinals have made several changes to their roster in recent weeks in an effort to maximize their potential and at least put in a good performance in their final games of the 2024 season. President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak promised that more changes are coming as they look at players in the minor leagues and their use.
Several players, including Steven Matz and Lance Lynn, are expected to return to the roster after stints on the injured list. To make room for their return, other roster moves will need to be made. While neither player is a must-watch starter, the team will need to see what they have in these players as they look toward the 2025 season.
Michael Siani became a fan favorite in the middle of the field, but a freak injury has kept him out of action. Victor Scott II has made some great plays since returning from Memphis, but will he stick around when Siani returns from the injured list? It could be a few more weeks before he returns.
Willson Contreras’ broken right middle finger has led to Ivan Herrera being recalled from Memphis to back up Pedro Pages. Contreras wants to return to the field, but the injury will give him time to work with the pitching staff and help Pages and Herrera. He shouldn’t rush to return. He should rest and soak up the experience of helping out. We still have several years left with Contreras. He needs to be healthy.
Mozeliak wants to challenge more players at the major league level, and making moves to ease those challenges will impact how the team looks in the future.
