MLB Insider believes Cardinals in good position in NL Central – on one condition

MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal believes that the St. Louis Cardinals are in good position in National League Central, but on one condition.

The St. Louis Cardinals have had some tough luck to start the regular season. Tyler O’Neill has struggled and been on the Injured List for most of the year. The starting pitching and bullpen depth has once again been tested and is in desperate need of reinforcements.

Yet the Cardinals find themselves seven games over .500 (43-36) and only two games back in the National League Central. They are more balanced offensively with left-handers Nolan Gorman and Brendan Donovan and with Tommy Edman and Dylan Carlson paired with Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt.

And Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic believes that the Cardinals are in good shape in the National League Central, but on one condition: that the Milwaukee Brewers, whose starting rotation is depleted due to injuries, lose 1-2 more arms.

The Brewers are heavily reliant on their starting pitching and defense (run prevention unit, as they call it) to win games. They need Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Josh Hader and Devin Williams to perform at their peak levels in order to maximize their roster. If any of them perform at a lesser level, as Rosenthal wrote, the Brewers are a “much different team.”

Adrian Houser dodged a serious injury this week, but his injury further depletes the rotation that is already without Peralta. And another injury could change 1) their trade deadline strategy and 2) could change them into “even something of a seller,” according to Rosenthal.

It remains highly unlikely that the Brewers become a seller, but it underscores just how fragile of a position that the Brewers are in. And if that is indeed the case, the Cardinals – who will be getting O’Neill and Yadier Molina back and should get reinforcements for the rotation and bullpen – will be in position to take advantage.