Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Add Astros' Framber Valdez To List Of Aces Victimized By Red-Hot Offense

St. Louis' lineup is fearless this season
Nate Hagerty|
Jun 27, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Jun 27, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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The St. Louis Cardinals have quietly become one of Major League Baseball's hottest hitting teams despite their front office doing little to bolster the roster over the offseason.

Although the 162-game season is far from its end, the Cardinals' lineup is among the league's top three in several significant hitting categories, such as OPS, batting average, runs scored and hits.

This year's youth-laden St. Louis lineup refuses to bow down to some of the league's top starting pitchers, including Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez, who the Cardinals torched during Monday night's 8-3 victory.

Astros left-handed pitcher Valdez sacrificed six earned runs on 10 hits, three strikeouts and one walk in four innings pitched against the Cardinals Monday night at Busch Stadium -- incurring his second loss of 2025. The 11-time World Series champions' defeat over Houston's ace marked St. Louis' fourth win over a frontline hurler in just this past week alone -- Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes (Apr. 8) and Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitchers Aaron Nola (Apr. 11) and Zack Wheeler (Apr. 13).

Skenes logged his third-career loss to the Cardinals last Tuesday after St. Louis' red-hot offense posted five runs on six hits in six innings against the phenom flamethrower.

Wheeler, the Phillies' ace, also lasted just six innings against the Cardinals on Sunday, sacrificing four earned runs on seven hits including one home run, three strikeouts and one walk. As for Nola, he lost a tight pitcher's duel to St. Louis youngster Andre Pallante, logging two earned runs on five hits, seven strikeouts and four walks in five innings thrown.

Considering that before the season began, the majority of experts predicted the Cardinals would perform horribly in 2025, it's safe to say that St. Louis is defying the odds. Defeating Valdez, Skenes, Nola, and Wheeler in a one-week span is no easy feat. Sooner or later, teams must recognize the Redbirds as a legitimate threat -- as long as the lineup continues streaking.

More MLB: Cardinals Top Pitching Prospect Placed On Injured List With 'Undisclosed Injury'

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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