2023 Season

April 8, 2023: Nolan Arenado blasted the 300^th home run of his career against the Brewers.

Season Preview:  Everyone is picking the Cardinals to win the NL Central, but if you know anything about this division, you know that nothing is a sure thing. That being said, St. Louis is loaded with talent from top to bottom, including superstars Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, as well as up-and-coming hitters Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar, Nolan Gorman, Dylan Carlson, and Jordan Walker. The Cards’ pitching staff is also deep and talented. The only question mark may be the team’s bullpen, which has a hard time keeping its closers healthy in recent years.

2022 Season

Season Recap: The Cardinals rode the inspiring performances of all-time greats Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, and Adam Wainwright to the NL Central crown with 93 wins. Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt both reached 30 homers and 100 RBIs and played great defense, while Tommy Edman stole a team-high 32 bases. The team’s only weakness was the reliability of its bullpen—which in past years had been its strength. It cost them dearly in the Wild Card loss to the Phillies.

September 14, 2022: Pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina started their 325th game together. This broke the record set by Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan of the Detroit Tigers in the 1960s and ’70s.

August 29, 2022: Albert Pujols blasted a home run off of Reds pitcher Chase Anderson during a 13–4 victory. Anderson was the 450th different pitcher Pujols has “taken deep” in his career—breaking the record of 449, held by Barry Bonds.

August 25, 2022: Corey Dickerson had hits in his first two at bats against the Cubs to give him 10 hits in a row over three days. All of the hits came in a series against Chicago.

Season Preview: Only three players (Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds) have hit 700 home runs. Albert Pujols could become the fourth in 2022. He rejoined the Cardinals, his first MLB team, to become their main Designated Hitter. Pujols joins a power-packed lineup that includes Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, and Tyler O’Neill. The St. Louis bullpen has a bunch of live arms and a starting staff with enough experience to get them back to the playoffs.

2021 Season

Season Recap: St. Louis fans had nearly given up on the 2021 season when their team won 17 games in a row in September to claim a playoff spot. Old-timer Adam Wainwright pitched brilliantly all year long, the club’s power hitters played well in August and September, and everyone on the bench found a way to help the Cardinals win. Nolan Arenado, Tyler O’Neill, and Paul Goldschmidt each slugged more than 30 home runs, while relief pitchers Alex Reyes and Giovanny Gallegos saved 43 games. A magical season ended with a narrow loss to the Dodgers in the Wild Card game.

September 23, 2021: Adam Wainwright struck out the 2,000th batter of his career in a game against the Brewers. Three weeks earlier he was named NL Pitcher of the Month for August.  

Season Preview: In a tightly packed NL Central, the addition of Nolan Arenado could make the difference between a so-so record and a division title. The slugging third baseman joins Paul DeJong, Paul Goldschmidt, and young star Dylan Carson in a power-packed lineup. Jack Flaherty leads a veteran pitching staff.

2020 Season

Season Recap: After missing many early-season games due to the coronavirus, the Cardinals had to play 32 games during September to make up the lost time. They did well enough to make the playoffs, but lost to the Padres in the Wild Card round. Manager Mike Schildt did a good job finding fresh players down the stretch. Slugger Paul Goldschmidt was among the many St. Louis players who came through with good seasons under difficult circumstances.

Season Preview: St. Louis fans have an exciting team to follow in 2020. Jack Flaherty and Dylan Carson seem on their way to superstardom, while veterans Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Carpenter, and Adam Wainwright are proven leaders. The NL Central could go down to the final weekend and chances are good that the Cardinals will be battling for first place.

2019 Season

Season Recap: Many times during the regular season and the playoffs, the Cardinals had their backs against the wall—and rallied to win. Their string of success finally ended against the Nationals’ great pitchers in the playoffs. Marcell Ozuna, Paul DeJong and Paul Goldschmidt powered the offense, with help from Tommy Edman and Kolten Wong. Starting pitchers Jack Flaherty and Dakota had breakout seasons, and the bullpen survived a season-ending injury to closer Jordan Hicks. St. Louis fans watched quality baseball all year long until the bats finally went cold in the NLCS.

March 29, 2019: Paul Goldschmidt hit three homers against the Brewers. He is the first player ever to clear the fence three times in his first or second game with a new team.

Season Preview: While other teams made splashy deals over the winter, the Cards quietly added a pair of impact players in Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew Miller. They join a core that includes Paul DeJong, Marcell Ozuna, Michael Wacha, and Yadier Molina. St. Louis is making an all-out effort to win the NL Central; their pitching will almost certainly determine their success.

2018 Season

Season Recap: With a little more starting pitching, the Cardinals might have won a dozen more games and cruised into the playoffs. Miles Mikolas won 18 games to lead the staff, but no other pitcher won more than 8 games. Bud Norris saved a shaky bullpen, but the Cards managed just 88 wins—four fewer than they needed for a Wild Card spot. Matt Carpenter led the St. Louis offense with countless clutch hits, while first baseman Jose Martinez was a pleasant surprise with a team-best .305 average.

Season Preview: Missing the playoffs two years in a row was a new experience for St. Louis fans, but that has not dimmed their expectations for 2018. A new cast of characters is leading the offense, including Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong, and Marcell Ozuna. The club’s starting pitching is solid, and there are plenty of live arms in the bullpen. If veteran leaders Yadier Molina, Matt Carpenter, and Adam Wainwright stay healthy, the Cards look like a 90-win team.

2017 Season

Season Recap: Everyone expected the Cardinals to have a bounce-back year after missing the playoffs in 2016, but at 13–25 record against the Cubs and Brewers sunk their season. The team suffered its fair share of injuries, but the farm system provided worthy replacements, including rookies Paul DeJong and Jose Martinez. While the starting pitching was good, the bullpen was not—another unhappy surprise for St. Louis fans.

July 11, 2017: Yadier Molina, playing in his eighth All-Star Game, belted a game-tying homer in the 6th inning off of Ervin Santana of the Twins.

2016 Season

November 1, 2016: Even when things don’t go right, the Cardinals usually find a way to win. This was the case in 2016, but the team surprised baseball fans by falling two victories short of a Wild Card spot. Nine players hit 10 or more homers, but no one stepped up to become the true leader of the offense. Only one pitcher, Carlos Martinez, won more than 15 games.

October 5, 2016: The Cardinals battled until the last day of the season, but missed a Wild Card spot by one game. Injuries to their three Matts—Carpenter, Holliday, and Adams—hurt the offense. Great years from infielders Aledmys Diaz and Jedd Gyroko could not make up the difference. Carlos Martinez had a breakout year on the mound, and Alex Reyes looked good in a September call-up.

2015 Season

October 14, 2015: The Cardinals went 22–7 to start the year and held off the Pirates and Cubs to win the NL Central. Injuries were a problem all season long, and the aches and pains finally caught up with the team in the playoffs, when they lost to the Cubs. Matt Carpenter and Jason Heyward led the offense, while Michael Wacha, John Lackey, and Trevor Rosenthal were the top pitchers.

April 5, 2015: Great pitching is the story in St. Louis for 2015. The Cardinals are loaded with talented arms, including Adam Wainwright, John Lackey, Lance Lynn, Carlos Martinez, Michael Wacha, and Trevor Rosenthal. Newcomer Jason Heyward and Matt Holliday power a versatile offense.

2014 Season

November 1, 2014: The Cardinals edged the Pirates in a close NL Central race thanks to great years from role players Matt Carpenter and Jhonny Peralta, and pitchers Adam Wainwright and Trevor Rosenthal. St. Louis continued to roll in the playoffs, upsetting the high-priced Dodgers in the NLDS. They staged an amazing Game 1 comeback trailing 6–2 in the 7th inning. The Cards plated 8 runs and held on to win 10–9. Unfortunately, they ran into red-hot Giants in the championship series, losing 4 games to 0.

March 31, 2014: The Young pitchers and experienced hitters add up to a strong St. Louis team in 2014. Three up-and-coming stars—Oscar Tavera, Trevor Rosenthal and Kolten Wong—will get a chance to be difference-makers. If they come through, the Cards could run away with the NL Central.

2013 Season

December 9, 2013: Former manager Tony La Russa was elected to the Hall of Fame. His record with the Cardinals was 1,408–1,182. La Russa won three pennants and two World Series between 1996 and 2011.

October 30, 2013: The Cardinals battled the Pirates and Reds to win the NL Central and rolled through the playoffs to win the pennant with clutch pitching and timely hitting. St. Louis won two of the first three games against Boston in the World Series, but could not hold the lead. Rookie Michael Wacha was brilliant in the postseason, but was unable to stop the Red Sox offense in the sixth and final game.

September 5, 2013: Matt Adams hit home runs in the 14th and 16th innings in a game against the Reds. He was the first Cardinal to his two extra-inning home runs, and the first player in the baseball history to hit two homers in the 14th inning or later.

April 23, 2013: Adam Wainwright issued his first walk of the season, after striking out 35 batters. No pitcher since 1900 had begun a season by striking out out more than 30 batters before allowing his first walk.

March 30, 2013: The Cardinals come into 2013 with enough talent and depth to win the NL pennant. Allen Craig, Mike Adams, Michael Wacha, and Shelby Miller look like future superstars. Adam Wainwright, Carlos Beltran, Yadier Molina, and Matt Holliday give St. Louis veteran leadership.

2012 Season

October 23, 2012: The Cardinals fought all year to win a Wild Card berth. They made it all the way to the National League Championship Series by beating the Washington Nationals in Game 5 of the Division Series—after trailing 6–0! St. Louis held a 3 games to 1 lead in the NLCS against the San Francisco Giants. However, San Francisco’s pitchers held the Cards to two runs in the final three games to win the pennant. Considering 2012 was supposed to be a “rebuilding” year, the team had a great season.

July 21, 2012: In a game against the Chicago Cubs, the Cards tied a big-league record set in 1936 by hitting seven doubles in the same inning. The players recording two-baggers in the seventh inning for St. Louis were Allen Craig, Carlos Beltran, David Freese, Jon Jay, Allen Craig (again), Skip Schumaker, and Matt Holliday. Schumaker also had a triple in the inning.

June 15, 2012: Carlos Beltran became the first switch-hitter with 300 homers and 300 stolen bases. His 300th steal came against his first team, the Kansas City Royals.

May 11, 2012: The team retired uniform number 10 to honor Tony La Russa, the manager who led the Cardinals to the World Series championship in 2006 and 2011. Before La Russa, other famous St. Louis players who wore the number included Johnny Mize, Pepper Martin. and Ken Oberkfell.

April, 2012: When most baseball fans see the letters LAA, they think of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. When St. Louis fans see those letters they, they think of Life After Albert. Lance Berkman will take Albert Pujols’s place at first base, while newcomer Carlos Beltran will try to make up some of the home runs the Cardinals will lose now that Albert is an Angel.

From 1882 to 1891, baseball fans in St. Louis rooted for a team in the American Association called the Browns. Although the team had the same owner, most historians do not consider it the same team as the one that joined the National League in 1892. From 1885 to 1888, the Browns were one of the best teams in baseball, winning the Association pennant four years in a row.