Cardinals front office executive calls for perspective during cold streak

The St. Louis Cardinals continue to spiral, as is per usual in the past month. This time, they fall by a score of 10-6 to the Wild Card-threatening Diamondbacks. 

The bullpen was a hodgepodge of middling performances, the offense stalled until garbage time in the ninth inning, and once again, the Cardinals throw away another chance to gain ground in the Wild Card standings. 

Currently, the seemingly always available third Wild Card spot has a cluster of teams in hot pursuit, including the Marlins, Padres, D-Backs, Nationals, and Pirates. 

It’s starting to look like the Cardinals will need some sort of miracle to play October baseball. However, according to Randy Flores, Cardinals assistant general manager who oversees all areas of scouting, fans need to alter their perspective a bit. 

Randy Flores adjusts outside perspective on the Cardinals' recent skid 

In a recent appearance on KMOX, Flores was asked about the big club’s performance and how he digests the rollercoaster of a season. In the midst of a wild Angels series, he shared his thoughts. 

“The crazy thing is, what are we now, a half game out of the Wild Card?” Flores posed. “I think sometimes you just have to take a breath, go back to Spring Training. If you could say, in the middle of July, that we were a half game out of the Wild Card, what would you think about this team? I have a feeling everyone would be ecstatic. …

“So, it is a long season. There are obviously ups and downs. Just look across baseball, look at those teams who have been on insane losing streaks, and then rebounded with some pretty insane winning streaks. There’s plenty of time in the season for us to get hot again.”

Flores raises an interesting point. It’s a nonstory that most fans believed the Cardinals would be one of MLB’s worst teams this season, but he’s definitely correct in his overview that fans may be getting ahead of themselves a bit. 

That being said, what should fans look out for in the second half? 

What should Cardinals fans watch for during the remainder of 2026?

Rather than tether your expectations to a malignant daydream, you’re better suited to root down in reality. 

What’s the reality? The Cardinals aren’t a playoff-caliber team, and they’re about to get worse. 

Amidst the MLB trade deadline, there’s a high chance that St. Louis moves on from expendable pieces. The means to that end is yet to be seen, but POBO Chaim Bloom has made it clear: there’s no trading the future for fool's gold in the present. 

Realistically, the Cardinals have already exceeded expectations and logged some important fact-checking. Some of the biggest questions entering this season have already been answered. 

Is Jordan Walker a big leaguer? Ask Kyle Schwarber. Do the Cardinals have a foundation for the future of their pitching staff? Not quite. And can these Redbirds rally to get fans back in the ballpark? Tarps off, baby. 

Regardless of the next steps, and how futile the Cardinals may become down the stretch, Flores is right. Take a deep breath, and remember, this is just the beginning. 

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