Cardinals Offense 'Stuck In Mediocrity'; Could Big Changes Be Coming This Winter?

St. Louis needs to rejuvenate the offense

Jul 5, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) gets a fist bump from hitting coach Turner Ward (49) after scoring a run against the Washington Nationals during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports / Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals have been one of the league's worst offensive teams this season and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon.

Although the Cardinals offense is slightly improved from where it was at the beginning of the season, it still ranks No. 24 in the league with 508 runs scored and No. 19 with a .697 OPS.

The numbers St. Louis is putting up on offense won't be enough for a team looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Perhaps it's time for a change to happen this upcoming winter.

"Hitting coach Turner Ward oversees a Cardinals offense that is stuck in mediocrity — 19th in on-base plus slugging percentage (.697), 19th in slugging percentage (.388) and 18th in on-base percentage (.309)," St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Benjamin Hochman wrote Monday.

Ward was promoted to Cardinals hitting coach in the winter of 2022 after starting as an assistant with St. Louis the season before. He has plenty of experience in his current role from years spent with the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks, where he helped Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt win two Silver Slugger awards.

"Possibly his closest pupil, Paul Goldschmidt, is hitting .204 in the past 15 games and .230 on the season. His OPS is .681. At this point, it’s fair to wonder if either should be back next season. Since Aug. 2, only two times has Goldschmidt tallied more than one hit — and both games, the total was two," Hochman continued.

It's obvious that Goldschmidt hasn't looked like himself at the plate this season but he isn't alone. The Cardinals lineup has been without a solidified leader all season and perhaps that stems from the top down.

If the Cardinals decide to part ways with Ward this offseason to try a different approach in 2025, then the organization might want to consider making other managerial changes as well.

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