2 potential X factors for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024

The Cardinals have been busy this offseason and there's reason to believe they may not be done quite yet. They've already added Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, Andrew Kittredge, and a few depth pieces.

Personally, I feel a lot better entering the 2024 season than I did entering the 2023 season. The Cardinals at the very least have filled some holes.

But they are from a World Series contender, despite what John Mozeliak may tell himself. Having an ace to lead the rotation is nice and it makes the Cardinals a heck of a lot better, but they shouldn't be done just yet.

However, there are a few players on this year's roster that I feel could really define the season for the Cardinals and whether or not they return to contention after last year's disastrous 71-91 finish.

We often refer to such important players as X factors, depending on what they could bring to the table. They could either perform like they normally do or take a step or two back. Regardless, there are several players that could play a huge role in determining what will happen in 2024 for the Cardinals.

In this piece, we will take a look at two of them. One will be from an offensive standpoint, while the other will be from a pitching standpoint. These players are going to have to click for the Cardinals to succeed.

Here are two pieces on the Cardinals current roster who could be X factors in 2024.