7 active MLB pitchers that have dominated the St. Louis Cardinals

As Opening Day is nearly upon us, the St. Louis Cardinals are hopeful to overachieve in order to avoid another lackluster season. Having missed the playoffs since 2022, the Cardinals have dropped games to dominant pitchers over the years. Some of these players are all-time greats, others are upcoming stars, and one in particular has shockingly owned the Redbirds like no other throughout his career. This article will highlight three pitchers who have taken care of the Cardinals over many seasons and four more who have the opportunity to improve on their solid stats against the team while pitching in the National League.

3 pitchers Cardinals fans would prefer not to face

Kyle Hendricks - LAA

Clayton Kershaw - LAD

Max Fried - NYY

Kyle Hendricks may have greater stats than anyone in the major leagues when it comes to facing St. Louis. In 28 career starts versus the team, Hendricks holds a record of 14-4 with 118 strikeouts and an earned run average of 2.51. His win percentage of 77.8 percent and ERA of 2.51 are much greater than his career numbers, which show a win percentage of 54.5 percent and an ERA of 3.68. Luckily, Cardinals fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Hendricks signed with the Los Angeles Angels this season after spending the last 11 years as a member of the Chicago Cubs.

Similarly to Hendricks, Clayton Kershaw has also won half of his starts against St. Louis, sporting an 11-6 record in 22 appearances. In these matchups, Kershaw has struck out 151 while maintaining an ERA of 2.87. The sample size for Max Fried is much smaller than Hendricks and Kershaw, but his statistics are much better. In six starts against St. Louis, Fried has a 5-0 record while holding a remarkable 1.10 ERA. Much to the chagrin of Braves fans, Fried signed a seven-year deal with the New York Yankees in the offseason and will no longer see the Cardinals nearly as much.

4 more pitchers with potential to dominate St. Louis

Aaron Nola - PHI

Paul Skenes - PIT

Justin Steele - CHC

Jose Quintana - MIL

The Cardinals have tried to sign Aaron Nola before, but since extending his contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, he has continued to dominate the Cardinals. In 13 starts against the Redbirds, Nola has an 8-3 record while carrying a 2.56 ERA. With Nola only 31 years of age and under contract with the Phillies until 2031, the Cardinals will have to see plenty of him for the rest of his career.

While the Cardinals may see Aaron Nola a lot before he retires, they’ll see even more of Paul Skenes. Thus far, the Cardinals have been able to get the better of Skenes throughout his MLB career, but that is certainly subject to change. Skenes only has three career losses, two of which came versus St. Louis. With that being said, Skenes still posted 23 strikeouts in three starts against the Redbirds while posting a 1.31 ERA. Dealing with Paul Skenes until he hits free agency in 2030 is not something to clap about, even though his dominance is remarkable.

Justin Steele is another young pitcher who sees the Cardinals regularly, as he resides in the NL Central. In seven starts against the Redbirds, Steele has a 5-1 record, striking out 36, and maintaining a 3.35 ERA. The one-two punch of Steele and Shota Imanaga will continue to be tough on the Cardinals in the coming years.

Last on this list is a former Cardinal who just returned to the NL Central. In 14 appearances versus St. Louis, Jose Quintana owns a 6-4 record with an ERA of 3.95. While Quintana has not dominated the Redbirds like other pitchers on this list, he does hold a winning record against the team and will have plenty of chances to improve on his numbers as a new member of the Milwaukee Brewers. Considering the current direction of both the Brewers and the Cardinals, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Quintana rack up a couple more wins versus the Cards this season.