Every former Cardinals player in the 2024 World Series

Earlier this month, I did a deep dive on the former St. Louis Cardinals players on every playoff team. Now, just two of those teams remain. The New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. This year's World Series will be a battle between high-powered rosters and superstar-caliber talent, but also one with a few former Cardinals playing a big role. Here are all three former Cardinals playing in the 2024 World Series.

Luke Weaver - New York Yankees

It's strange that even a few Cardinals fans are lamenting the deal that sent Luke Weaver away from St. Louis as it was the same deal that brought in 2022 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt. After all, none of the other pieces in that deal, most notably Carson Kelly, panned out in Arizona either. However, as fans' views on Goldschmidt have soured, Weaver has excelled as a high-leverage reliever and now closer for the Yankees this Postseason.

After the Diamondbacks let Weaver go in 2022, he failed to stick with the Royals, Reds, and Mariners before finding a home in the Bronx. He made three solid starts for a struggling Yankees team last year before transitioning into the bullpen full-time in 2024. In 84 innings pitched, Weaver recorded a 2.89 ERA and an incredible stretch in September where he was nearly unhittable vaulted him into the coveted closer role as incumbent Clay Holmes struggled.

Aside from a magical comeback led by "Big Christmas" Jhonkensy Noel, Weaver has been spotless in the playoffs so far. It'll be interesting to see how he handles the toughest lineup he's faced in October so far, as the star-studded Dodgers have decimated the pitching staffs of both the Padres and Mets.

Tommy Edman - Los Angeles Dodgers

Ah yes, the talk of the town. In a lineup with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, and even more All-Stars, Tommy Edman was the one who stepped up when the lights shined brightest to send the Dodgers to the World Series. While many fans may have been shocked that the utility man was batting cleanup in such a powerful lineup, Cardinals fans were very familiar with the reasoning: there was a lefty on the mound.

Edman also seems to have a knack for the clutch moment. He combined his prowess against lefties with his timely hitting last season for a pair of consecutive walk-off hits against then-Padres closer Josh Hader. So are we really surprised he came through for the Dodgers when it mattered most?

Still, Edman's go-ahead double in the deciding victory of the NLCS along with the dagger 2-run shot off Sean Manaea in the 3rd inning propelled him into an overnight sensation in the city of stars. It also sent Cardinals fans into panic mode as their organization once again became a laughing stock. Fair criticism or not, the Cardinals have produced three Championship Series MVPs since 2020, none of whom won the award in St. Louis. Edman joins a list of Randy Arozarena and Adolis Garcia as players who got hot at the right time, just for a different team.

However, the Tommy Edman trade is perhaps the most defensible of the three players let go by St. Louis. Pundits all around MLB rated the Cardinals' acquisition of Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham at the trade deadline as one of the best moves, and many sites named the Cardinals the winners of the deadline. Of course, the Fedde and Pham moves didn't pan out as St. Louis failed to qualify for the Postseason yet again, so in hindsight maybe it wasn't such a great trade.

It's certainly hard not to go with the revisionist history, but it is simply not the right way to go. The Cardinals took a shot at earning a playoff spot and all they gave up was their injured center fielder who hadn't played all year. They failed to make the playoffs, but there just weren't enough spots for every contender. Trading a fan favorite like Edman is always a tough pill to swallow, but it's possible to root for Edman's success without shaming a front office that gave up minimal resources for a shot to compete.