2 Positive Signs, 1 Sign of Trouble for 2026 Cardinals

The Cardinals have performed better than expected.

Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are set to return home to face the Boston Red Sox after winning a series against the Washington Nationals. They are 7-5 through their first 12 games of the season and just one game back of first place in the National League Central.

This is a far better start than expected for the 2026 Cardinals, who traded away Brendan Donovan, Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray and Nolan Arenado last offseason. The team may be rebuilding, but they are playing much better than they were expected to.

Now that the season is in full swing, here are two positive signs for St. Louis, and one sign of trouble.

2 positive signs for Cardinals in 2026

Apr 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) points to the sky after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Jordan Walker's Resurgence

2026 is going to be a big year for Jordan Walker, especially after two down seasons. So far though, the 23-year-old has quieted any concerns.

He did not reach five home runs until late August last season. This season, he has already reached five with less than a month of the season having been played. He also has homered in four of his last five games.

Walker has helped the Cardinals' offense keep pace with their opponents, hitting .295 with 12 RBI and a 1.049 OPS. If he can keep this up, the Cardinals should be in good shape.

JJ Wetherholt's hot start

The season is only two weeks old, but JJ Wetherholt has been as good as advertised so far. He homered for his first career hit on Opening Day and picked up a walk-off hit the following game.

He also has found a home in the leadoff spot for St. Louis. There may be some growing pains along the way, but the 23-year-old has looked like a true superstar in his first few weeks. He even had a clutch hit on Tuesday night that allowed the Cardinals to complete a 7-6 comeback win over Washington.

If he keeps this up, don't be surprised if he ends up in the Rookie of the Year conversation.

One sign of trouble

Mar 31, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) pitches against the New York Mets during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The pitching staff

The starting rotation appears to be figuring things out, but the bullpen has struggled a bit, and the pitching staff as a whole has posted a 4.95 ERA, which is the second worst in the National League.

Only the Nationals have a worse mark than that. If the Cardinals want to stay in contention, they cannot continue to solely rely on their offense to win them games. The pitching staff needs to step up too, and if it does, the Cardinals should be in business.

But the way things have started on the pitching side is concerning, and their strong start isn't sustainable unless they can pull themselves out of their funk.