The St. Louis Cardinals are struggling to keep their playoff hopes alive, and their chances are dwindling rapidly. The team’s playoff odds have dropped from 55.6% on July 8 to 4.2% on August 19, a decrease of 51.4% in just over a month. They’re currently 11 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central and five games behind the Atlanta Braves for the last NL Wild Card spot.
The Cardinals’ run differential is also a concern, at -62, which is the eighth-worst in the league. This means they’re giving up significantly more runs than they’re scoring, making it difficult for them to compete with top teams. Their offense has been a major issue, particularly with runners in scoring position, where they’ve batted just .224 this season.
Despite their struggles, the Cardinals are still fighting for a playoff spot, but it’s getting increasingly difficult. They’re barely holding on, seven games behind the last National League Wild Card spot. With only 31 games remaining in their season, the Cardinals need to play near-perfect baseball to have any chance of making the playoffs.
Even if they win every three-game series and split each four-game series, they’ll likely still be a few games out of a playoff spot. The Cardinals’ front office is contemplating strategic moves, including potentially waiving Tommy Pham, who has struggled since joining the team. However, no immediate plans to do so have been announced. The team’s next moves will signal their evaluation of their postseason viability.
