Projecting the 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Wild Card roster

You can’t win in the postseason without pitching. An intriguing mix of veterans and young power arms, the Cardinals boast an extremely flexible pitching staff.

Starters: Adam Wainwright, Miles Mikolas, Jose Quintana

This may be a contentious selection, but as it stands, these are my three starters for the wildcard round. Wainwright is your guy; have a quick hook in case he struggles, but you have to trust him if this team is going to make a deep run.

Mikolas is stellar at home and pitched deep into ball games all year. He’s also unflappable and performs well in big moments.

Lastly, I picked Jose Quintana as the game three starter simply because he’s pitching the best of the group right now. Hopefully you don’t need a game three starter at all, but it’s nice to know the Cardinals have a multitude of options (as I’ll discuss in more depth later) in case another starter is needed.

Bullpen: Giovanny Gallegos, Ryan Helsley, Jake Woodford, JoJo Romero, Andre Pallante, Steven Matz, Jordan Hicks*

*If Hicks is hurt, his spot will go to Chris Stratton

Gallegos and Helsley are pitching the eighth and ninth innings, but who is the bridge between the closers and the starter? JoJo Romero has shown flashes, Andre Pallante had a brilliant middle of the season, and Steven Matz is a wily veteran. But without Jordan Hicks, this bullpen looks a lot weaker.

Zack Thompson was considered for this group, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him take the place of Woodford, Romero, Pallante, or Matz. A lot is going to depend on matchups and which pitcher the Cardinals feel is best suited for each of the Padres, Brewers, or Phillies.

Lastly, if Hicks is a no-go, I’d mark Chris Stratton to take his place. Could the Cardinals call-up Packy Naughton or James Naile? That feels unlikely. Either way, it goes without saying that a healthy Jordan Hicks is massive for a successful postseason.

Long-relievers: Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson, Jordan Montgomery

These three might be the secret weapon of these Cardinals. While lacking in the traditional bullpen firemen, the sudden emergence of starting pitching depth is a unique option. I could easily see whichever starters are not tabbed to begin games one and two can be counted on for two, three, even four or five innings.

These three are almost “back-up starters.” Sort of the opposite of an opener, could the Cardinals approach a playoff game with a plan normally seen in spring training or minor league rehab starts? If these are the most talented hurlers on the ball club, I don’t see why not.

With two MVP candidates and a first-ballot hall of famer, the middle of the Cardinal lineup is playoff-worthy. Who will be the unsung hero that steps up? The David Eckstein or David Freese character that emerges from the supporting cast? Here’s who will be on the St. Louis roster and have a chance to become an October legend.

Catcher: Yadier Molina, Andrew Knizner

The easiest section of the roster to project, no question. It’ll be interesting to monitor Yadi’s playing time, as the wild card round has no scheduled off-days. Also, keep an eye on late-game pinch running scenarios if Yadi finds himself on base in a must-score situation.

Infield: Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Tommy Edman, Paul DeJong

A pretty stellar group, especially with how strong Donovan and Edman have finished the season. Paul DeJong is somehow a defensive replacement at shortstop, with Brendan Donovan’s versatility giving Oli Marmol lots of flexibility pinch-hitting and making substitutions.

The only other option here is to recall Nolan Gorman. The Cardinals are lacking a bit from the left side on the bench, and Gorman does provide legit pop. However, I think the Cardinals value Paul DeJong’s defense, and will trust that the left-handed outfielders are enough to get the job done.

Outfield: Dylan Carlson, Lars Nootbaar, Juan Yepez, Corey Dickerson, Tyler O’Neill*

*If O’Neill is hurt, his spot will go to Alec Burleson

In a surprising twist, the only guaranteed starter from this group is Lars Nootbaar in right field. Personally, I’d put Dylan Carlson in centerfield every night as well, but the Cardinals have been limiting his at-bats from the left side. If O’Neill is healthy he will be in the lineup for each game.

Corey Dickerson seems to have finally cooled off. You just know there will be a key moment in the playoffs with him at the plate. And lastly, Juan Yepez is probably the best right-handed bench bat the Cardinals have when Albert gets the start at DH.

Ben DeLuzio could sneak onto the roster if the Cardinals want extra speed and defense. And Alec Burleson could play his way into the team with a strong final week. However, this is the crew that got the Cardinals here– it’s likely the one they will enter October with, too.

Designated Hitter: Albert Pujols

No more playing the matchups; Albert Pujols is in the lineup every night. Maybe the Cardinals save Albert for a late-inning pinch hit opportunity if they are facing someone like Aaron Nola on the Phillies. But I want Pujols to bat as many times as possible.

When the lights shine brightest, your stars have to deliver.