Cardinals Have Key Advantage Amid Strong Start to 2026

This is what is working in their favor.

Apr 25, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrera (48) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have won the first two games of their series against the San Diego Padres and now sit at a season-high eight games above the .500 mark. They also lead the National League wild card race and are only 3 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

Expectations were low coming into the season, which may be working in their favor. The younger players have more opportunities to showcase their abilities, as well as a full runway without having to worry about their jobs being on the line.

On MLB Network radio, Cardinals reporter Dani Wexelman talked about what is working for the Cardinals and why she thinks they are playing so well.

What is working for Cardinals

May 8, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt (26), right, celebrates with center fielder Victor Scott II (11) after scoring during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

"I think when you have no expectations on the outside, and on the inside, you know what you're about and what your goals are, truly they don't care what anybody says, and they're not really concerned about the results," Wexelman said.

"Wouldn't the Mariners love to bottle this up right now or maybe the Mets? Teams that are really struggling to bottle up this looseness that the St. Louis Cardinals play with."

The simple truth is that the Cardinals are playing without the weight of expectations. They know that they were not expected to do well this season, and that ultimately has fueled them to be a much better team.

The Cardinals are rebuilding, and young players have more opportunities to prove themselves. But they are simply having fun playing baseball, which is something they didn't have at their disposal last season or the year before.

Without the weight of expectations, the Cardinals are playing free and easy, and that has led them to be a much better team.

If they can keep this up, then it may not be too big of a surprise to see them potentially end up in the postseason. There is still a lot of time left in the season, and the National League is very competitive, so it won't be easy.

But sometimes, all a team needs is a change in the vibes, and that seems to be working in the Cardinals' favor. It will be interesting to see if they can keep the good vibes rolling and sustain their hot start.

Fans are having fun watching the team, and the team has given them reasons to return to Busch Stadium.