3 St. Louis Cardinals Players Who Need to Be Better Right Now

The St. Louis Cardinals have gotten out to a much better start than many could have ever expected after committing to a rebuild during the offseason. They've seen a huge breakout from outfielder Jordan Walker, who could finish the season with 30 home runs if he continues at this pace.

But the Cardinals need some of their top players to turn their play around. There are multiple franchise players who haven't looked good this year and the Cardinals need them to turn their play around.

Which Cardinals players need to improve their production right now?

DH/C Iván Herrera

Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (48) during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Catcher Iván Herrera is a franchise player for the Cardinals, but he's only slashing .193/.365/.246 with no home runs, three doubles, and only four runs scored.

He's supposed to be one of the top players on the team. He's supposed to add quite a bit of thump to their lineup, but instead, he's only benefiting the team by drawing walks. His .365 on-base percentage is around his career average, but he isn't helping the Cardinals much by hitting .193 and slugging .246. St. Louis is going to need him to pick his production up over the next few weeks.

SS Masyn Winn

Apr 13, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (0) tags out Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn is a franchise cornerstone, too. His floor is higher than most because he provides elite defense at the most important position. Winn is playing good defense again this season, but his offense is struggling.

Winn is 7-for-40 with a slash line of .175/.353/.250 with no home runs, one RBI, and three doubles. This kind of offensive production isn't enough for the Cardinals. They can't build a future with a slew of defensive specialists. They need Winn to contribute on offense, too.

RHP Dustin May

St. Louis Cardinals pitche Dustin May — Apr 4, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) takes the ball to relieve Dustin May (3) in the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Cardinals brought in pitcher Dustin May during the offseason, and it's already proving to be a horrible addition. The Cardinals gave him $12.5 million on a one-year deal this offseason. And it's looking like a complete waste of money.

Through three starts, May holds an ERA of nearly 10.00. He allowed six earned runs in four innings and seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings during his first two starts of the season. But he had a productive performance against the Boston Red Sox last time out. The Cardinals need him to continue trending in this direction if they want to compete when he's on the mound. If he struggles as he did in his first two starts, the Cardinals' $12.5 million investment will age horribly.

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