Cardinals Truths and Lies 3.0: What's Real and Fake After 13-8 Start

The St. Louis Cardinals keep finding ways to win games.

St. Louis has 21 games under its belt so far this season and is 13-8 and in second place in the National League Central. The only team ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central standings right now is the Cincinnati Reds, who are 14-8 on the season so far.

Now, of course, there's a lot of season left. Right now, we are 12.96 percent of the way through the 2026 campaign. It's been a good season overall to this point. Now, it's just going to be interesting to see what sticks and what shifts over the next few months.

Over the course of the season so far, we have broken down what's real and fake about the club weekly. Last time we broke down the club, the Cardinals sat at 8-8 on the season. Now, St. Louis is 13-8 and things are looking up. Let's reexamine what's true and false about this club.

TRUTH

Apr 17, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits an RBI single during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Jordan Walker's Breakout

Walker is 23 years old and has just been excellent so far this season. He got a lot of national buzz as he racked up homers left and right. Walker has eight homers on the season, but the power numbers aren't the only thing he has done well. Walker is slashing .305/.367/.646 with eight homers, 16 RBIs, three stolen bases, four doubles and 17 runs scored in 21 games played. His last homer was on April 13, but he keeps finding ways to impact winning. Walker is riding a 14-game hitting streak heading into Monday's tilt against the Miami Marlins.

Michael McGreevy And Matthew Liberatore Are Here To Stay

The story of the 2026 season is development and figuring out who will be the core pieces moving forward. McGreevy and Liberatore are both proving that they should be long-term pieces for this rotation. McGreevy has made four starts and has a 2.49 ERA in 21 2/3 innings pitched. Liberatore has made five starts and has a 3.67 ERA in 27 innings pitched. Liberatore is 26 years old and McGreevy is 25 years old. Fortunately, the Caridnals are trending in the right direction in the rotation.

LIES

Apr 4, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matt Svanson (49) pitches in the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigersat Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Cardinals' Bullpen Situation

The Cardinals' bullpen has some massive bright spots and some really low points. Riley O'Brien is pitching at an All-Star level and hasn't allowed a run in 12 appearances while also recording six saves. JoJo Romero, Gordon Graceffo and George Soriano have all been solid overall this season as well. The rest of the bullpen has really struggled. Matt Svanson has a 13.50 ERA, Justin Bruihl has a 6.75 ERA and Ryne Stanek has a 7.71 ERA. If the Cardinals want to keep up this early success, they need to improve the bullpen. Half of the bullpen has thrived, half of the bullpen has struggled.

Dustin May's Early Struggles

Dustin May has made four starts for the Cardinals in the regular season so far and has a 6.98 ERA in 19 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed 13 runs across his first 7 1/3 innings of work but has bounced back with two earned runs across his last 12 innings of work. May went six innings against the Boston Red Sox on April 10 and allowed one run. He followed with six more innings of work against the Cleveland Guardians on April 15 with just one run. Right now, he's in the 84th percentile in fastball velocity, 89th percentile in walk rate and 81st percentile in extension. He's trending in the right direction now.

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