The Biggest Reason Cardinals Keep Winning Isn't What You Think

The St. Louis Cardinals have done a lot well so far this as they have outperformed expectations.

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

The St. Louis Cardinals entered the 2026 Major League Baseball season with low expectations and questions all over the place across the rosrter.

That's because the Cardinals traded Sonny Gray, Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras. The Cardinals have one of the youngest rosters in the league and the club is using the 2026 season to see what these young guys can do. While this is the case, the young Cardinals haven't just rolled over. Right now, St. Louis has a 14-10 record and is 1 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds for first place in the National League Central.

So, how have the Cardinals been able to exceed expectations so far this season?

At first glance, the overall pitching may be thought of as why St. Louis has been good so far this season. The Cardinals' pitching is arguably better than last season, but right now they are ranked 23rd in the league in starting rotation ERA at 4.46. The bullpen has some elite pieces, like Riley O'Brien who arguably is the second-best reliever in baseball right now behind Mason Miller, but the overall bullpen ERA is 5.17, good for 25th in the league.

The Cardinals Have Done A Lot Well

Apr 17, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt (26) hits an infield single during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The numbers are a bit skewed because the season is still young, but arguably the biggest reasons for the Cardinals' success this season so far have been surprising power and elite defense. Right now, the Cardinals are tied for 11th in the league with 27 homers as a team. Outside of Nolan Gorman and maybe Alec Burleson and Iván Herrera there wasn't expected to be a ton of power potential from the club in 2026. Jordan Walker has been a pleasant surprise with eight homers in 23 games played. Burles, Herrera and Gorman all have three homers each. JJ Wetherholt has flashed some power early and also has three homers. The team in general, has had more success with the long ball than expected.

Defensively, the Cardinals have been excellent as well. Right now, the Cardinals are in fourth place in baseball as a team with nine outs above average. JJ Wetherholt and Masyn Winn both have four outs above average apiece so far on the season.

So, the Cardinals are doing the little things right. They play great defense, move runners along and have had some success in the homer department. Outside of defense, the Cardinals aren't near the top of the league in a lot of categories. They just do a bit of everything well, which is what you need with a young roster.