One-time Cardinals bullpen laughingstock continues to craft a remarkable turnaround

One team's trash is another team's treasure, and that may apply to former New York Mets castoff and emerging St. Louis Cardinals bullpen weapon Ryne Stanek as he continues to weave a glorious second half.

From the start of the season through June, when Stanek emerged from the Cardinals bullpen, doom and despair soon followed. Over that stretch, he held a 5.12 ERA in 31.2 innings, continuing the swift decline that began after his trade from the Seattle Mariners to the Mets in 2024. But since the calendar flipped to July, Stanek has looked like a man reborn, as he owns a 3.07 ERA in his last 14.2 innings.

Stanek's crowning achievement in St. Louis so far came in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 11, and it meant even more for those who are still clinging to the hopes of the Cardinals snagging a Wild Card spot. In the eighth inning, Stanek entered the game in an attempt to clean up the mess left by Caleb Ferguson, who had walked the bases loaded. With zero outs, Stanek induced a weak grounder to first base. Alec Burleson tossed the ball to the catcher, who then fired it to first base to complete a 3-2-3 double play. Stanek then induced a flyout to deep center to preserve the Cardinals' 1-0 lead. St. Louis would go on to win the game 2-0.

Cardinals manager Oli Marmol received plenty of grief earlier in the season for continuing to put Stanek on the mound, but Stanek's revival is further proof that a team needs to continue trotting bullpen arms out in an attempt to remedy their struggles. Rookie Luis Gastélum is the latest Cardinals reliever enduring a rough stretch as he acclimates to the major leagues, but his last appearance was a promising one and suggests that he too could be on the right track.

Chaim Bloom may want to keep Stanek around for next season

When President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom signed Stanek off of the scrap heap, the general thought around the fanbase was that the Cardinals would attempt to coax better results from him and then flip him at the trade deadline for a lottery-ticket prospect. To many people's surprise, Bloom decided to keep Stanek with his hometown Cardinals, likely to keep the team's bullpen somewhat intact. Fans are already witnessing the stark decline from the departed JoJo Romero to his southpaw replacement in Ferguson, and Bloom may not have wanted to completely revamp the bullpen after the deadline.

The 35-year-old Stanek was unlikely to command much on the trade market, which was probably another factor in Bloom's decision. If there's a season in 2027, Stanek could be the elder statesman in the bullpen and provide advice to the younger arms. Therefore, Bloom might consider offering Stanek a one-year contract extension — a decision that some fans have already been clamoring for.

The "Extend Stanek" Instagram account garnered newfound respect upon Stanek's clutch performance in Philadelphia the day after the Gateway Grinders post, and the owner of the Stanek fan account didn't hesitate to hold Gateway Grinders accountable following the game.

Stanek garnered some well-earned praise among fans after his Houdini act against the Phillies, and if he can continue to pitch well as the season winds down, there's a chance that he remains in St. Louis as he closes out his career.

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