3 takeaways from the Cardinals series against the Orioles

After winning back-to-back series against the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals appeared to be entering a realm they haven't been in for a long time. Despite still being 6 games under .500, the vibes around the team were improving thanks to a more inspired offense.

The Cardinals were able to do the near impossible and sweep one of the best teams in baseball. Heading into the series, the Orioles were 29-15 and were just two games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the formidable American League East. Meanwhile, the Cardinals were in 4th place in the National League Central with a 20-26 record.

It seemed a daunting task to take down the beasts of the East. All facets of the Cardinals would have to be on for them to win the series let alone sweep. That was indeed the case. The offense continued to pour it on while the pitching kept the team in the game.

This was a statement series for the Birds on the Bat. They put together an admirable series, and there are plenty of takeaways from it.

Here are 3 takeaways from the Cardinals series against the Orioles.

1. The bullpen is a serious strength.

We had a good idea about this one before the series began, but it came to full fruition after playing the Orioles.

Cardinal relievers allowed one singular earned run in 11.1 innings. Every single reliever made an appearance at one point in this series thanks to a suspended game and another rain delay. While it was clear that the big 3 of Andrew Kittredge, JoJo Romero, and Ryan Helsley were all superb, the second tier of relievers like Kyle Leahy and John King helped shorten these long games.

The Cardinals' offense has been erratic thus far, and the rotation has felt shaky all year sans Sonny Gray. If the bullpen can continue to be reliable, then fans won't have to worry about losing games. Additionally, Oli Marmol can now rest a bit easier knowing he has multiple reliable arms in relief. With Keynan Middleton returning soon and Giovanny Gallegos nearing completion in his rehab buildup, reinforcements are on the way.