Fans of the St. Louis Cardinals are becoming increasingly irate with every disappointing defeat as the team continues its miserable season with little answers in sight. The Cardinals are in a limbo at both the major league and minor league levels after promising a rebuild and then changing their moniker to a transition.
Manager Oli Marmol went so far as to essentially tell the supporters that management has done nothing to assist the demands of a competing club since the bullpen has been so awful. When the offense got off to a strong start this season, new hitting coach Brant Brown seemed like a genius. However, as the team’s hitting has cooled off, that novelty has worn off. Pitch-to-contact veterans, a reliever who decided to start on their own initiative, and a former top prospect who made a last-ditch attempt to salvage a botched deal make up the starting rotation. Not to mention that a sixth player comes and departs from the rotation mix—but not as a promising young player, but rather as a 33-year-old lefty whose contract is about to expire.
The 2025 St. Louis Cardinals are the result of a badly handled offseason that included a future Hall of Fame third baseman and a partially-fulfilled runway promise for certain players. The Cardinals, who are now among the top teams in baseball while playing at home, are giving supporters little cause for hope because they are historically poor away from home. The fact that this year marks the end of John Mozeliak’s tenure as the team’s decision-maker is a consolation for some Cardinal supporters.
John Mozeliak could buy for a playoff run if the Cardinals are in contention
Chaim Bloom, who led the Boston Red Sox’s makeover and built an exciting minor league system packed of elite prospects, will take over after this season. Mozeliak would undoubtedly hate for his last seasons as head coach to mar his Cardinal reputation because he has witnessed so much success throughout his time with the organization. Therefore, if the club Mo pieced together is in the running for the playoffs at the trade deadline, it could not be out of the question for him to want to end his career on a high note. Both of these outcomes would be unexpected for a team that promised summer adjustments yet returned the great majority of its disappointing squad.
Fans were shocked when Cardinals beat writer Katie Woo was asked how the team will manage this year’s trade deadline on a recent episode of Foul Territory. Woo stated that she could imagine Mozeliak adding to the current squad rather than moving players elsewhere, even if the question was a little loaded and her first reaction noted that the Cardinals had enough of components to deal away.
It would be shocking if the Cardinals could turn things around fast enough to compete in the more competitive NL Central given how their season has begun. By the end of April, the club is expected to miss the playoffs for the third straight year and have fewer than 75 victories for the second time in three seasons. The Cardinals would not want to trade any of their best prospects for a brief postseason window, and even if they were in the middle of things, they would not have much MLB-ready depth to work with if they wanted to add some game-changing components.
Additionally, Bloom will probably have a voice in any agreements that change the franchise, including discussions about player extensions for those who are presently on the roster. With an odd balance of power at the top, it seems likely that this Cardinals squad will stay below.500, but it remains to be seen how they manage the trade deadline. Mozeliak could desire another chance at a ring, but Bloom most likely wants to start his retool early. The Cardinals’ timeline might go even further behind track if they continue to assemble their roster in the same manner.
There are lots of empty seats at the usually sold-out Busch Stadium as Cardinals supporters express their disgust with the organization’s current status. Fans could return to the stadium if the club makes it to the postseason, as they did when they traded Tommy Edman for Erick Fedde, but if they don’t, it could be a disaster for the new management.
