Nolan Gorman's shoddy defense is hampering the Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals haven't had a lot to boast about in 2025, but one aspect of the game that they can hang their hats on is their defense. The Cardinals rank as the top team in baseball in Statcast outs above average, at 39. (The Milwaukee Brewers are a distant second, with 27 OAA.)

The main factors for the Cardinals' excellent showing in this stat are shortstop Masyn Winn, with a major league-leading 21 OAA, and center fielder Victor Scott, with 14 OAA. Nolan Arenado, frequently cited alongside Brooks Robinson as the best defensive third baseman of all time, has diminished in the field in recent seasons and holds only 2 OAA in 2025. But although Arenado's defense has not reached its old heights, the Cardinals are surely craving anything resembling average defense at the hot corner while Arenado sits on the injured list.

Nolan Gorman is exhibiting horrendous defense at third base.

Gorman, who was developed as a third baseman before switching to second base in 2021 when the Cardinals acquired Arenado, has taken over as the Cardinals' primary third sacker in place of Arenado, who landed on the IL on Aug. 1 with a shoulder strain. Gorman has struggled immensely at third base, and with Arenado not expected back in the foreseeable future, it leaves the Cardinals in desperate need of a capable glove at the position if they want a puncher's chance to compete for a Wild Card spot.

Gorman has committed four errors at third since Arenado went down, all of them throwing miscues, and several other throws were close calls that first baseman Willson Contreras was able to rein in.

The Cardinals have played Thomas Saggese at third base when Gorman wasn't manning the position, and he may be forced to receive more reps there if Gorman can't clean up his defensive issues. If the Cardinals cut ties with Arenado in the offseason and eat the rest of his contract, they may need to seek out another third baseman via trade or free agency unless they want to shift Brendan Donovan or rising prospect JJ Wetherholt to that position.

Once a prized prospect for the Cardinals, Gorman has been bitten by recurring back issues and, outside of a strong 2023 season, has not lived up to most fans' expectations and is a candidate for the Cardinals to trade in the offseason. However, his concerning defense at third base could scare some teams off given the importance that most clubs place on the ability to play multiple positions.

Arenado's still-strong defense may have led some Cardinals fans to take him for granted in the field and focus on his career-worst batting output instead, but many Cardinals supporters may now be pining for him to return and plug the gaping hole that has been created at one of the most important positions on the field.