5 changes the Cardinals need to make in the second half

Cornerstone production

For the last few years, the Cardinals have been able to trot out two of the greatest corner infielders of this generation in Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt. The two were able to combine forces and lead the team in 2022, and they finished 3rd and 1st, respectively, in MVP voting that year. It's rare to have two future Hall of Fame candidates on the roster at the same time, and St. Louis has been lucky to have both together since 2021.

The production out of these two superstars has been regrettably lackluster this year. Nolan Arenado, typically known for his power and defense, is slugging just .378, and he's a neutral defender according to Outs Above Average (OAA) and a negative defender according to Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). Arenado's 98 wRC+ pegs him as a player who is hitting 2% worse than the average player.

Paul Goldschmidt is striking out nearly 30% of the time and is batting just .230. His 90 wRC+ places him 12% below a league-average hitter. Goldy has 4 Gold Gloves to his name, but he's accumulated just 1 DRS and he sits at -3 OAA on the year. As a duo, Goldy and Arenado are slashing .242/.296/.370 on the year. Those are not figures that scream "middle-of-the-order bats" to me.

In order for the Cardinals to separate themselves from the rest of the teams fighting for the National League Wild Card, these two must begin to approach their former selves. MVP seasons are long gone for both Nado and Goldy, but they can still provide sufficient value with their leadership and track record.