Cardinals Hot Streak Isn't a Fluke and One Stat Shows Why

The St. Louis Cardinals have been great early on this season and they can sustain it.

May 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) points out to third base after scoring during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Last year, the St. Louis Cardinals came out of the gate hot. But eventually they cooled and came back down to earth. St. Louis ended up finishing the 2025 season with a 78-84 record.

There was a time, at least early on, when some wondered if the Cardinals could add pieces. Instead, the Cardinals ended up trading Phil Maton, Ryan Helsley and Steven Matz. It wasn't a complete fire sale, but the Cardinals traded veterans away and played out the rest of the season.

While the club started off well last year, they were never as good as it is right now. St. Louis has played 37 games and is 22-15 on the season, good for second place in the National League Central and tied for the fourth-best overall record in the National League with the San Diego Padres. Last year, the Cardinals were 18-19 through 37 games. Right now, St. Louis is four games ahead of that pace.

The Cardinals Can Keep Up This Pace

May 6, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt (26) tracks down a ground ball against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

After starting hot last year and cooling down, it's safe to wonder if the club can sustain it this year. It's a fair question. This is the same club that traded away four All-Stars this past offseason in Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras. While it is a real question, arguably there is one stat right now that should give St. Louis fans hope that it will keep this stretch going and that is the team's record against teams above .500 so far this season.

The Cardinals are 8-2 in 10 games against teams above .500. In comparison, the Chicago Cubs are 8-5 against teams above .500, the Los Angeles Dodgers are 3-3, the Padres are 3-4, the New York Yankees are 1-5, and the Atlanta Braves don't have a contest recorded against a team who was above .500 at the time of their matchup. So, it's not like the Cardinals have had some sort of easy schedule. They haven't. There are only a handful of teams around the league who have played more games against teams with a record above .500. Only the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals have more wins against teams above .500, but the Pirates have played 19 games that fit the description and the Nationals have played 23.

St. Louis has had success against good teams, like the Padres, Dodgers, Pirates and Brewers. This is why fans should be excited right now. This isn't a fluke. This is a young team that had low expectations coming together and simply playing good, all-around baseball.