Cardinals Lineup Patterns Tell a Subtle Story About Future

The St. Louis Cardinals have a sneaky-good starting lineup right now that will help this team for a while.

Apr 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (16) congratulates designated hitter Ivan Herrera (48) after Herrera scored a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

While the St. Louis Cardinals didn't enter the 2026 Major League Baseball season with a lot of buzz, they have a sneaky good starting lineup.

St. Louis took down the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-7 on Tuesday in what arguably is the best-looking starting lineup for the club right now. The Cardinals rolled out the following lineup:

1. JJ Wetherholt, Second Base
2. Iván Herrera, Designated Hitter
3. Alec Burleson, First Base
4. Jordan Walker, Right Field
5. Nolan Gorman, Third Base
6. Masyn Winn, Shortstop
7. Nathan Church, Left Field
8. Pedro Pagés, Catcher
9. Victor Scott II, Center Field

Recency bias certainly plays a role here, seeing how the Cardinals racked up 11 runs with this lineup on Tuesday. But, let's do a deeper dive into why this lineup is good for the club as a whole.

Iván Herrera

Apr 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Iván Herrera (48) drives in a pair of runs on a single against the Detroit Tigers in the fifth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Herrera at No. 2 behind Wetherholt is great and already looks like it could be a very solid start to the lineup for the team for years to come. Wetherholt has been crushing the ball out of the ballpark and is a high on-base guy. With Herrera at No. 2, you have another high on-base guy (.414) who can hit the ball a long way himself. Having him as designated hitter and as a depth catcher option arguably is the right call. If the club can keep him off his feet, theoretically, it would help him offensively. But it also opens the door to the handful of elite catching prospects the club has down in the minors.

Pedro Pagés

Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dennis Santana (60) during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images

With the way the roster is currently constructed, Pagés is the best option behind the plate if Herrera isn't back there. He's started to heat up of late. But also this spot in the order at No. 8 would be a very good spot for someone like, say Jimmy Crooks, if he were to be promoted at some point this season. If — and when — Crooks gets the call to the majors, having Herrera near the top of the order and the prospect at No. 8 would bring good balance.

Victor Scott II

Apr 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II (11) celebrates with teammates after the Cardinal defeated the Cleveland Guardians at Busch Stadium. Players and coaches are wearing number 42 in recognition of Jackie Robinson Day. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Scott is going to be someone to watch closely over the next month or so. Lars Nootbaar is expected back in May, which will impact the lineup in general. Walker isn't going anywhere, so you'd think that either Church or Scott would lose some playing time. Right now, Scott is the guy more likely to lose time. But when he's going, he's a weapon out of the No. 9 hole for St. Louis. He had 34 stolen bases last season. When he gets on base, he's always a threat to run and then gives the guys at the top of the order a chance to drive someone in. Right now, he's the club's best option at No. 9. He very well may be in the long term as well, but he needs to bounce back.