5 Cardinals who've shown great improvement through May, 2 who must improve

Paul Goldschmidt needs to improve

In one moment, Goldschmidt looks like he has his MVP-caliber stuff back; the next moment, he's striking out with the bases loaded. Goldschmidt has had a frustrating season so far. It is time for him to shake things up and make some improvements.

It's easy to see that he is overthinking things at the plate because he desperately wants to contribute positively to this team. Days off and time as the team's designated hitter do not help. Because the team so desperately needs him, Goldschmidt is working on the fly to regain the spark needed to put back up MVP numbers.

He is hitting .211/.291/.303 with an OPS of .594. In 46 games, he has five doubles, four home runs, 23 runs scored, and 16 RBIs. He does have three stolen bases. These are just different from the numbers you expect to see from Goldschmidt.

He is in the final year of a five-year contract worth $130 million. He has become a beloved fan favorite in St. Louis. Hopefully, he can turn things around over the next few weeks to help himself and the Cardinals.

Brendan Donovan has improved

Nothing compares to having a healthy and contributing player like Brendan Donovan on the roster. While he had a rough streak, Donovan has picked up the pace and is making great contributions to the base path.

Check out this from Wednesday's game:

The one-time Gold Glove-winning utility player has worked to come back after a season-ending surgery in 2023. While he's had his ups and downs, Donovan has reminded fans of what's been missing from the Cardinals this week. Donovan is showing off his scrappiness and grit and allowing everyone to see what a valuable player he is for the Cardinals organization.

This season, he's already had time in left field, third base, second base, and as the team's designated hitter. In each spot, he's excelled at defense, and he's starting to make waves on offense. He's hitting .230/.311/.366 with 11 doubles, a triple, four home runs, 21 runs scored, 21 RBI, and 17 walks.

Here's hoping Donovan continues to improve and reclaims the title of Gold Glove-winning utility player.