5 top moments from the Cardinals' resurgence in NL Central

The St. Louis Cardinals have had an unbelievable month of May.

At one time, the Cardinals appeared to be giving fans a continuation of what they suffered in 2023. And then things changed. The Cardinals looked like a team ready to compete. Their stars were rejuvenated. The youngsters added a little extra to the mix. The pitching staff looked like what John Mozeliak told us to expect patiently.

As the Cardinals head into June, they look to keep going in the right direction. They look to get their record over .500 and back into contention in the NL Central. Reclaiming first place for the first time in over a year.

As of Thursday, the Cardinals are 27-27 and in second place in the NL Central, a half-game ahead of the Chicago Cubs.

It seems hard to believe that this is happening, but it is. Cardinals baseball seems fun again. Let's review the team's top five moments during its resurgence.

5. The big bats are back big

It's as if there was a click. The Cardinals have looked like a remarkably different team for the past two weeks. One of the most dramatic improvements comes in the form of the big bats that fans and the organization have high expectations for performing.

Paul Goldschmidt started his 2024 season, giving fans more of what they were sad to see in 2023. Goldschmidt was struggling mightily. In his last seven games, Goldschmidt is hitting .321/.387/.750 with three home runs, five runs scored, and six RBIs. Goldschmidt's at-bats feel exciting once again because you can see he might do something special.

Nolan Gorman started the season looking like he was possibly overthinking his at-bats. He now appears more in the moment and keeps things simple at the plate. He had implemented journaling, which may have turned into a way of getting his frustrations about at-bats out of his head and onto paper, which is an excellent way to move forward and concentrate on present at-bats.

Gorman is hitting .333/.407/.792 over his last seven games. He has three home runs, seven runs scored, two stolen bases, and seven RBIs. It's a massive improvement from where he was at the beginning of May.

Nolan Arenado is still struggling but showed signs of improvement on Tuesday. He launched a 369-foot home run at 107.5 mph. His launch angle was 21 degrees, meaning he was hitting it at line drive range, but considering the speed he was working with, the home run traveled well. Arenado has been hoping to see some improvement with pulling the ball more.

Alec Burleson is showing off his bat more. While he only has five home runs for the season, he's getting on base more and making significant contributions on the base path. Lars Nootbaar, who left Wednesday's game after tweaking his left side and will receive imaging when the team arrives in Philadelphia, has also made improvements at the plate. For the season, he has five home runs and 19 RBIs. He's getting on base and making contributions. He's also showing his depth as an outfielder, making some great plays.