Putting the St. Louis Cardinals’ win streak into perspective

It’s time to put the St. Louis Cardinals’ historic 16-game winning streak into perspective.

The St. Louis Cardinals have won 16 consecutive games. They may never lose again. Kidding. I think.

What the Cardinals have done, bringing their once 1.4 percent postseason chances to a guaranteed playoff berth, is arguably the biggest storyline of this baseball season. They have defied the odds and have established themselves as a postseason nightmare in a winner-take-all wild card game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

But when you put this 16-game winning streak into perspective, as Jayson Stark of The Athletic did, it makes it even more impressive. There are 10 teams who haven’t won 16 games in *any* month this season, with those teams being the Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.

The Cardinals’ magic number is now one and they can clinch a playoff berth on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Their winning streak is the longest since Cleveland won 22 consecutive games and the longest in the National League since the New York Giants won 16 games in a row in 1951.

Making this stretch even more impressive is the Cardinals are getting production from all parts of the team. Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt and Tyler O’Neill have been great, but Harrison Bader has 13 runs, 24 hits, 13 extra-base hits and 12 RBI during St. Louis’ streak. Adam Wainwright has had a brilliant year in his age-40 season while Jon Lester and J.A. Happ have stepped up. The defense is elite. The bullpen has been better since shifting Giovanny Gallegos to the ninth inning.

Winning 16 consecutive games doesn’t happen by accident. Sure, it takes a bit of luck, but the Cardinals are peaking at the right time — and are in position for a Cinderella run when it seemed almost impossible only a month ago.