11 Cardinal killers who are still lurking in Major League Baseball today

Less than two weeks away from Opening Day, the Cardinals are hoping to surprise many this year. Missing the playoffs in back-to-back years since 2022, the Cardinals have fallen victim to the bats of many position players over the years. Some of these players are all-time greats, others are longtime division rivals, and even a couple are unexpected names. This article will break down 10 position players who have killed the Cardinals, five who have done so with over fifty career games played against the Redbirds, and another six who have good numbers against the team with plenty of opportunity to improve on them before their careers are finished.

Dominance sustained over 50+ games

Freddie Freeman - LAD

Ian Happ - CHC

Adam Frazier - PIT

Bryce Harper - PHI

Starling Marte - NYM

Among all current big leaguers, no one has torched the Redbirds like Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman. In 78 regular-season matchups versus the Cardinals, Freeman has 95 hits, 15 home runs, 49 runs batted in, and a batting average of .353. Wreaking havoc on the National League since 2010 and taking home a World Series MVP last year, Freddie Freeman will have plenty of opportunity to add to his numbers. Next is division rival Ian Happ. Even though Happ’s .257 batting average versus the Cardinals is just okay, he’s really killed the Redbirds throughout his career with power. In 110 regular season games played against the team, Happ has recorded 89 hits, 59 runs batted in, and 26 home runs. 26 home runs in 110 games comes out to a home run hit every 4.2 games played against the Cardinals. 

Another division rival who has torched the team is Pirates' second baseman Adam Frazier. Known for his exceptional contact-hitting ability, Frazier has hit .301 in 90 games against the Cardinals. This sample size includes 87 hits, seven home runs, and 44 runs scored. Unfortunately for Cards fans, Frazier signed a deal to return to Pittsburgh this offseason after having played in the American League since signing with the Mariners in 2022. Similarly to Freeman, Bryce Harper has been terrorizing the National League throughout his entire career. Beginning his career with the Washington Nationals in 2012, the two-time MVP has also dominated when facing off versus St. Louis. In 66 regular-season games against the team, Harper has recorded 74 hits, 13 home runs, and 51 runs batted in, and he has posted a batting average of .319. Although Harper still plays in the National League, Cardinals fans are happy that he remains in the NL East as opposed to the Central.

Rounding out the first five is another player who now plays in the NL East: Mets outfielder Starling Marte. Although Marte has played for the Diamondbacks, Marlins, Mets, and Athletics, Cardinals fans remember him as a tough out while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Of all the players mentioned throughout this article, Marte has the most games played against the Cardinals, having played in 123 contests against the Redbirds. In those 123 games, Marte has recorded 139 hits, 43 runs batted in, and eight home runs while scoring 63 runs and batting .285. That's not to mention the work Marte has done in the field, as he won back-to-back Gold Gloves as a member of the Pirates in 2015 and 2016. 

Other players on their way

Manny Machado - SDP

Mookie Betts - LAD

Will Smith - LAD

Justin Turner - CHC

Manuel Margot - MIL

Kyle Tucker - CHC

Moving on to five more players, these remaining selections either have great numbers versus the Cardinals in a much smaller sample size or play within the NL Central and have plenty of opportunity to improve on their career numbers versus St. Louis. Playing his first six and a half seasons in the American League, Manny Machado doesn’t quite have 50 games played against the Redbirds but he does carry great stats against them. Through 43 regular-season games played, Machado has accumulated a .305 batting average, 53 hits, 14 home runs, and 42 runs batted in, driving in nearly a run in every game played against the team. Next is Mookie Betts, who, like Machado, played six years in the American League before moving over to the National League. In 31 games versus the Cards, Mookie has 37 hits, 19 runs batted in, seven home runs, 23 runs scored, and an average of .301. As Machado and Betts show no signs of stopping, this NL West duo is likely to stick it to St. Louis a few more times before they retire.

A third Dodgers player on this list is two-time All-Star Will Smith. In 26 matchups versus St. Louis, Smith has posted 27 hits, 14 runs batted in, eight extra-base hits, and 42 total bases. The 29-year-old Smith is likely to have plenty of opportunities versus the Cardinals, having signed a 10-year contract extension with the Dodgers. Of the remaining five players, Justin Turner is the only one who has over 50 career matchups against the Cardinals. In those 63 matchups, Turner has 56 hits, 21 runs batted in, 27 runs scored, and a batting average of .298. Many Cardinals fans will also remember that Justin Turner ended the Cardinals' shutout bid with a solo home run in the heartbreaking 2021 Wild Card matchup versus the Dodgers, a game that the Redbirds ended up losing on a walk-off home run. Now that Turner has signed with the Chicago Cubs in free agency, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to strike against the Cardinals this year.

In nine big league seasons, Manuel Margot has compiled solid stats against the Cardinals. In 25 games against the team, Margot has hit .321 with 27 hits and 13 runs scored. Considering Margot’s career batting average of .254, .321 is quite a significant jump. Additionally, Margot just found a home in the NL Central, agreeing to terms with the Milwaukee Brewers on a minor league contract. Lastly, another Cub that Cardinals fans should fear is Kyle Tucker. Since being acquired by the Cubs in the offseason, Tucker is expected to be the best position player in the NL Central for this year and perhaps many to come. Although Tucker has the smallest sample size versus St. Louis, he did dominate the Cardinals in four games against them, batting .538 with seven hits and seven runs batted in. Even though these numbers are certain to decrease, the Cardinals are likely to have another lackluster season in 2025, and Kyle Tucker is almost certain to become the next Cardinals killer.