The St Louis Cardinals have had a dreadful start to their 2023 season. They still have a shot at the NL Central.
The Cardinals have a 29-43 record. They are in last place in the NL Central, 8.5 games back of the Brewers.
They are 4.5 games back of the fourth-place Cubs. The Reds are in second place and a half-game back of the Brewers. The Pirates are in third place and 2.5 games back of the Brewers.
It's June, and even with their frustrating play as of late, there is time remaining for the Cardinals to go on a streak where they can get back into contention in the division. Yes, it's a massive what-if for the Cardinals. If any team can do it, it is the Cardinals.
Other than "devil magic," here is how the Cardinals can win the NL Central.
No. 3 reason the Cardinals can win the NL Central: Experience
The Cardinals are typically the team leading the NL Central. They have been at or close to the division's top for several seasons. This terrible trend the Cardinals are on is not typical. The team is filled with players, such as Paul Goldschmidt, Willson Contreras, and Nolan Arenado, who have "been there."
As the season progresses, having a team of guys who know how things go later in the season will be beneficial. They know the streaks you can get on. They know the weather can play a huge factor. They know that baseball is a game that has to be played, and the game can't rely on media critic prognostications.
No. 2 reason the Cardinals can win the NL Central: Potential
The Cardinals' line-up has the potential to do lots of damage. When everyone is focused on producing with consistency, high-scoring games are possible. Once the team has Goldschmidt, Arenado, and Contreras all hitting and the role players such as Tommy Edman, Dylan Carlson, Brendan Donovan, and Lars Nootbaar start getting hits, this team can put together a lot of runs.
Add in prospects Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman, and you'll see the team Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has been hoping to see producing.
Once the Cardinals start consistently producing, the team can look impossible to beat.
No. 1 reas Rest of NL Central is terrible
No team in the NL Central has capitalized and taken the lead. The Cardinals are 8.5 games out of first place as of Monday afternoon. In considering the play of the other teams in the NL Central, anything seems possible.
The Brewers have only a half-game lead over the Reds, who are on an eight-game winning streak. The Pirates are 2.5 games back and have lost six in a row. The Cubs are just four games back. The Cardinals have a two-game winning streak. After the way the team has played recently, this two-game winning streak seems impressive and gives the confidence that this team is going in the right direction.
So far, this season shows that anything is possible in the NL Central — even the Cardinals' having a comeback and taking it over.