2 teams to root for and 2 teams to root against in the playoffs as a Cardinals fan

Root against the Houston Astros

This should go for every postseason. The Astros have been dominant for 7 years now. After a horrid few seasons in the 2010s, the Astros hit a reset and started developing quite the chain of prospects in Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Carlos Correa. They also built up a formidable starting rotation that carried them through the playoffs for many years.

Muddled in those years of success would be the Astros cheating scandal of 2017 and 2018. This alone is reason enough to root against the Astros for years to come. While many of the players from those years are long gone, some remaind, and the sting stands for fans across the country. The Astros are also former division rivals, so fans of the 2000s Cardinals have plenty of reasons to root against the Houston Astros.

Another reason to root against the Astros would be their former general manager, Jeff Lunhow. A former Cardinals scouting director head, Lunhow was the spearhead for the Astros throughout the 2010s. He has been known to have a toxic work environment, and despite the evidence being unclear, he has also been mentioned as a leader of the cheating scandal.

The Astros will face the winner of the Twins in the division series.