Cardinals Have Reached Mark Not Touched Since 2018

The Cardinals continue to surprise people.

Apr 19, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (0) hits a three-run triple to left field against the Houston Astros during the 10th inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals pulled off an impressive sweep over the Houston Astros this past weekend. Now, they are 13-8 and sit just a half-game behind the Cincinnati Reds for the top spot in the National League Central.

The Cardinals have yet to dip below the .500 mark this season, which is a positive sign, especially after having begun their rebuild. Almost everything appears to be clicking for this team, and while it's still early in the season, fans have a reason to be excited.

In fact, their 13-8 start is a mark that they have not touched since 2018.

Apr 13, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Cardinals ended up winning 88 games in 2018, only narrowly missing the postseason. After that, they appeared in the postseason four straight years.

While it didn't end the way they had hoped, there were a lot of positives in 2018, such as Matt Carpenter pushing his way into the MVP conversation. This team is obviously a lot different, but they are certainly playing well.

The 2026 Cardinals are a much younger squad than the 2018 team, but the team is playing loose and relaxed to start the season. In fact, with expectations so low for this year's team, the Cardinals appear to have embraced the role of the underdog.

The team isn't facing any pressure due to their rebuild, and perhaps that has led to them performing better than expected. Gone are Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan, but the young players on the roster are certainly making the most of their opportunities.

JJ Wetherholt, Nolan Gorman, Masyn Winn, Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker now have full runway this season. Walker has gotten off to a hot start, having hit eight home runs thus far and seemingly finally reaching his potential.

As long as the positive signs continue, this could be a team that surprises a lot of people. The NL Central is a tough fight this season, with every team currently over the .500 mark, but the Cardinals are showing that they might be a better team than expected.

The team has won five consecutive games, so things are looking pretty good heading into their next series against the Miami Marlins.

It will be interesting to see if they can keep this up, but there are a lot of positive signs for fans to grasp onto as the rest of the season unfolds. It's been a while since fans have felt excitement around the team.