5 significant changes the Cardinals must make to get back to their winning ways

#2 - It's time for significant changes to their batting order

The Cardinals' offense would likely get a boost from better deployment of their bench this weekend, but I do believe it is time for a signifcant change to their lineup as well.

The most glaring change that needs to be made right now is moving Lars Nootbaar out of the lead-off spot. Over the last month of baseball, Nootbaar is slashing an abysmal .204/.273/.241, striking out far more than he typically does, and no longer drawing walks at a high level either. And unfortunately, the numbers have just gotten worse over the last few weeks, not better.

I've been a huge proponent of Nootbaar in the lead-off spot this season, but that doesn't mean he is immune to a lineup change if he's struggling like he is right now. The Cardinals need more production from their lead-off spot right now, and Nootbaar can't be trusted to do that right now.

The Cardinals have already had hard conversations with other players this season about demotions in the lineup. Masyn Winn was moved down from the top of the order to the ninth spot going into Opening Day. Willson Contreras was moved down in the order after struggling during the month of April. Nolan Arenado asked the Cardinals to move down in the order a few weeks ago. If all three of those guys can experience a drop in the lineup, Nootbaar can handle it as well.

Who would replace him? Well, assuming Donovan is healthy in the next few days, he would slot in perfectly as the club's lead-off hitter for the time being. He has one of the highest batting averages in baseball on the season and the second-highest on-base percentage on the club, and I could see the Cardinals moving him up to that spot.

In the meantime, or even when Donovan comes back, other potential candidates could be Masyn Winn or Alec Burleson. On Winn, he's been extremely productive as the Cardinals' number two hitter and has struggled big time as a lead off hitter in his young career, so maybe that's not the best fit. For Burleson, though, he's fourth among the club's regulars in on-base percentage this year, and over the last 30 days, leads the club in batting average while ranking second to Donovan in on-base percentage. I do think the Cardinals like having a consistent lead-off man, though, and Burleson's splits against lefties would make it tough to start him against southpaws in the lead-off spot.

So, here are the two lineups I am proposing the Cardinals begin running out against right-handed and left-handed pitching for the time being.

vs. RHP
1. 2B Brendan Donovan
2. SS Masyn Winn
3. DH Ivan Herrera
4. 1B Willson Contreras
5. RF Alec Burleson
6. 3B Nolan Arenado
7. LF Lars Nootbaar
8. C Pedro Pages
9. CF Victor Scott II

vs. LHP
1. LF Brendan Donovan
2. SS Masyn Winn
3. DH Ivan Herrera
4. 1B Willson Contreras
5. 3B Nolan Arenado
6. RF Alec Burleson
7. 2B Thomas Saggese
8. CF Lars Nootbaar
9. C Pedro Pages

Against right-handed pitching, I would work Gorman into that lineup as often as possible (more on that in my next slide), and against left-handed pitching, when Jordan Walker returns, he can replace Alec Burleson in that lineup.