5 things to watch for the rest of the season for the St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals still have a lot of games left to play in the 2023 season. While the games themselves have lost meaning in terms of a playoff berth, they still mean a ton for the future of this organization.

In some ways, the Cardinals are finding themselves in a trial period. The front office and coaching staff will be keeping a close eye on players, both at the Major League level and in the minors, to see who can help this club win in 2024, and who may be better off used as trade bait come the winter.

Sure, the Cardinals have missed the playoffs during John Mozeliak's tenure leading the club, but they've never been in a position like this, where they truly get to care more about player development and future performance than they do their record at the end of the year.

While that may sound like the most boring way to end a season, I actually think there are a lot of things worth watching with this Cardinals' team between now and the end of the season. There are exciting prospects on the way, position battles that will be resolved, and subplots that will rear their head later this year.

We all wish the Cardinals were on their way to another postseason berth right now, but they aren't. While that may be frustrating in the moment, this little reset may be exactly what the club needed to compete at a higher level in 2024 and beyond.

Here are 5 reasons to keep watching the Cardinals for the rest of the season