The Cardinals’ surgery list is SO SPOOKY! Brendan Donovan, Ivan Herrera, and Lars Nootbaar all go under the knife, and Joe McEwing vanishes into the night. We dig up the cursed stat lines of former Cardinals haunting other teams (Helsley’s Mets ERA will chill you to the bone) and ask if Busch Stadium itself is cursed against home runs. Plus, Shohei Ohtani is an unstoppable monster in the World Series, and the Giants and Orioles summon new managers from the crypt.
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We’re wrapping up the 2025 Cardinals season and taking a hard look at what the numbers got right — and what they completely whiffed on. ZiPS nailed Sonny Gray’s ace-level season, Alec Burleson’s breakout, and Masyn Winn’s rise… but missed big on Jordan Walker and Nolan Arenado’s decline. We break down the biggest projection hits and misses, the disappointing –5 win gap from expectations, and the players who kept this team afloat. Plus, we share three things we actually liked about the 2025 Cardinals — because even a chaotic year has its bright spots.
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The Cardinals’ offseason rumor mill is heating up — could Ivan Herrera or Pedro Pagés be on the trade block? We break down Derrick Goold’s latest insights, arbitration projections, and what Mike Shildt’s surprising retirement says about his exit from St. Louis. Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II headline the Gold Glove finalists, while former Bird Tommy Pham makes another appearance. Plus, we check in on the NL/AL CS, Alex Bregman hits free agency, and Emmanuel Clase’s is fired into the sun.
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Chaim Bloom is already making moves — the Cardinals’ new president of baseball ops plans to add a leadership role to reshape the front office and sharpen pro scouting after recent trade misses. St. Louis also lands seven prospects on FanGraphs’ updated Top 100, tying Seattle for the most in baseball. We pick our 2025 team MVP, look at who’s heading to the Arizona Fall League, and check in on a red-hot Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Plus, Skip Schumaker heads to Texas, and a fan pulls off one of the greatest moments of all time. Also, a champion appears to play a game.
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Like Pete Crow Armstrong, sometimes just forgets the basic principles of how this whole thing works.
John Mozeliak officially says goodbye, Chaim Bloom steps in as Cardinals president of baseball ops, and Oli Marmol will return in 2026. Willson Contreras wants to stay in St. Louis, while Sonny Gray and Nolan Arenado are open to waiving their no-trade clauses—potentially clearing over $86 million from the payroll. We dig into what that means for the roster, the offseason, and the team’s future direction. Plus, playoff chatter and a wild week of league news as the Mets collapse, multiple managers are out, and MLB viewership climbs.
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Nolan Arenado gets his possible farewell at Busch, Masyn Winn heads into knee surgery, and Ivan Herrera preps for offseason elbow work. Meanwhile, Herrera’s bat is scorching in September, Burley and Donnie are swinging it well, and even José Fermín is looking like a machine. Sonny Gray might’ve thrown his last start as a Cardinal, and we gear up for the season finale against the Cubs. Plus: automated strike zones, David Fry’s scary injury, and our World Series predictions.
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Ben and guest Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) break down the latest St. Louis Cardinals news as Willson Contreras and Masyn Winn hit the IL, Nolan Arenado returns, and Thomas Saggese heats up. Plus, what’s next for Ivan Herrera and Jordan Walker and a preview of upcoming series vs. the Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago Cubs. We wrap with league news — the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies clinch, and Cal Raleigh makes history — plus our World Series picks.
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We discuss Masyn Winn’s upcoming offseason knee surgery, Willson Contreras’ return, and Brendan Donovan’s rehab assignment, along with notable roster moves including Garrett Hampson’s DFA and Nick Raquet’s remarkable journey back to the majors. On the field, Nathan Church has been the Cardinals’ hottest player in September, while Jordan Walker continues to struggle through a difficult season. With 12 of the next 15 games against NL Central opponents, the upcoming stretch against the Brewers and Reds looms large for the Wild Card race (lol yeah right). Plus, we cover league news including injuries to Trea Turner and Alec Bohm, Anthony Rizzo’s retirement, the NL Wild Card picture, and… “Home Run Karen.”
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We discuss Brant Brown’s comments on Jordan Walker’s preparation and what it says about the Cardinals’ hitting approach as a whole. Injury updates include Riley O’Brien, Alec Burleson, and Yohel Pozo, while César Prieto and Jimmy Crooks join the big league roster and Victor Scott II returns from the IL. On the field, Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pagés are carrying the offense, but Masyn Winn’s health and struggles at the plate raise concerns. Down on the farm, Joshua Baez, JJ Wetherholt, and Won-Bin Cho are all putting up impressive numbers as the system keeps producing. We preview series against the Giants and Mariners and cover league news from Boston’s Chapman extension to MLB’s ongoing betting investigation and Atlanta’s claim of Ha-Seong Kim.
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We discuss the latest Cardinals news, including Willson Contreras’ six-game suspension, updates on Donovan, Scott, Arenado, and Winn’s recovery timelines, and what it all means for the rest of the season. On the field, Nolan Gorman is having one of the best months of his career, Nathan Church is making his case, and the “Pallante Problem” has become impossible to ignore. We highlight McGreevy and Leahy as the team’s most reliable arms since the break, and preview upcoming series against the Reds and A’s. Plus, league news covers Zack Wheeler’s major health setback, the Orioles’ Basallo extension, Cal Raleigh’s home run milestone, and Ron Washington’s return to the Angels.
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We discuss the latest Cardinals roster shuffles with Donovan and Scott hitting the IL, Arenado’s progress toward a return, and Mozeliak’s public backing of Oli Marmol. We look at standout performances from Svanson, McGreevy, and Pagés, while breaking down the team’s troubling offensive trends in August. Plus, we preview the Rays and Pirates series and dive into league news, from MLB’s shifting media deals to Victor Robles’ suspension and realignment chatter.
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The Cardinals are clinging to life in the Wild Card race, and we’ve got updates on Yadier Molina’s involvement, Lars Nootbaar’s bruised knee, and Nolan Arenado’s shoulder recovery plan. St. Louis also picked up RHP Jorge Alcala off waivers, and somehow… they’re still in this? We break down Quinn Matthews’ hot streak, Jordan Walker’s encouraging offensive signs, and Kyle Leahy’s potential leap forward. Then, we preview the upcoming Yankees and Marlins series, plus check in on league news as the Brewers keep rolling and the Twins’ sale falls through.
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In this episode, we discuss the Cardinals placing Nolan Arenado on the IL and the return of a red-hot Nolan Gorman. We break down the trade deadline moves, including deals involving Steven Matz and Phil Maton, and wonder why the team held onto their lefty bats. With several new arms in the bullpen, we talk about what to expect from the reshuffled pitching staff. We preview the upcoming homestand against the Cubs and Rockies, and ask the important questions—like whether it’s time for JJ Wetherholt and time up for Garret Hampson. Plus, we cover a wild week of league news, including Jen Pawol making history and the Padres acquiring half the league.
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The Cardinals made deadline noise, sending Ryan Helsley to the Mets and Erick Fedde to Atlanta, while Brendan Donovan and JoJo Romero continue to draw heavy interest. Sonny Gray is staying put, but Tekoah Roby is out with Tommy John surgery. The team has just four wins since the break and now sits 10 games back in the Central—so what should the rest of the season look like? We preview the upcoming road trip to San Diego and Los Angeles and ask if Ivan Herrera in the outfield makes any sense. Plus, a flurry of league trades, Bryce Harper goes off on Manfred, and we remember Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg.
This week, Nate and Ben talk Canada and the Savannah Bananas, then it’s all Cardinals: Gorman hits the IL, trade chatter heats up, and the rotation continues to fall apart while the bullpen thrives. They break down Pallante’s Jekyll-and-Hyde sinker, discuss Fedde's DFA as the news breaks, and preview the upcoming Padres and Marlins series. Plus, league news, Rich Hill makes history, and a Wrigley fan goes all in for a souvenir.
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It’s All-Star week! Nate is joined by Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) to talk Brendan Donovan’s big night, Liam Doyle’s surprise selection at No. 5, and what the next two weeks need to look like for the Cardinals to be legit buyers. Plus: the bullpen is locked in, the Birds head west, Cal Raleigh swings for the crown, and the Rays have a new owner incoming.
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Brendan Donovan is officially an All-Star! We talk about what that means for the Cardinals and dive into Mozeliak’s comments on ownership’s willingness to invest. Arenado’s battling shoulder pain, Fedde’s mechanics are a mess, and we wonder if it’s time to trade Helsley. We preview the Braves series before the All-Star break and look ahead to the D-Backs. Plus, big moves around the league, a sad farewell to Bobby Jenks, and much more!
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Jordan Walker hits the IL with appendicitis, but the Cardinals cling to a wild card spot as July kicks off. We talk José Fermín’s hot start, Masyn Winn’s star turn, and Sonny Gray’s dominant outing. With a soft schedule ahead, what should the Cards do at the deadline? Plus, a Diamondbacks fan gets banned and the Women’s Pro Baseball League announces its first-ever tryouts.
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Iván Herrera hits the IL with a hammy strain, and Thomas Saggese gets the call-up. The Cards also snag Garrett Hampson off waivers while DFA’ing Jose Barrero. On the field, Burly is crushing June with a 161 wRC+ and just 8 Ks in 88 PAs—but Gormy’s even hotter, slashing .289/.385/.607 with 5 bombs. Libby and Fedde are locked in, Maton’s untouchable, and Andre Granillo grabs his first MLB win and save. We preview the road trip to Cleveland and Pittsburgh, shout out Cal Raleigh’s historic homer binge, and check in on the latest from around the league.
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Ben almost blew up, Jordan Walker’s back, the rotation’s a mess, and we’re wondering if Quinn Mathews will be our new favorite Cardinal by July. Lars Nootbaar can’t hit a fastball, Pallante’s ERA is climbing, and McGreevy might be on the way. We preview a big week with the Reds and Cubs coming to town. Plus: Devers gets shipped to the Giants, Civale and Vaughn swap teams, and—wait—Shohei Ohtani pitched?!
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