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.

2. Michael Siani and Brendan Donovan are outstanding outfielders

If fans were told these two are your center and left fielders, it would likely stun said fan. But, adding that the two are extremely successful in their efforts is terrific.

Cardinal fans went into 2024 thinking the outfield would consist of Lars Nootbaar, Tommy Edman, and Jordan Walker. Nootbaar plays either corner outfield position. Edman is healing from an offseason wrist surgery and is still weeks away from returning to the team. Walker was demoted to AAA Memphis to work on his swing after a rough start to his season. Dylan Carlson was set to be the fourth outfielder but suffered a shoulder injury before the beginning of the season. He recently returned from the injured list and plays center and right field when needed.

Brendan Donovan can play anywhere he is asked. He is the ultimate super utility player. He has found a home in left field, though. He is a skilled, gritty player.

With Carlson and Edman sidelined, it became the perfect opportunity for Siani to earn his spot on the Cardinals roster. He has earned every bit of playing time with spectacular plays in center field and the ability to put the ball in play. He's just a fun player who's earned his time.

1. Marmol's Mother's Day ejection

At the moment it didn't seem like that big a deal. Oli Marmol gets passionate. He can get into a heated discussion with an umpire. But on Mother's Day, there seemed to be a little bit of fire in Marmol. And bench coach Daniel Descalso.

The two were ejected for arguing with the umpires about a string of terrible calls that the Cardinals successfully challenged. After the game, Marmol said he had nothing against the umpires but just wanted to fire up his team.

Marmol did that, indeed. That fire carried through May. The hope is to see it continue deep into the season. Paul Goldschmidt was even impressed. The Cardinals won that day's game against the Brewers, 4-3, which included a 392-foot home run off the bat of Goldschmidt.

That's an impressive quote from Goldschmidt. He has played with a lot of fire since that game, and it's fantastic to see the rest of the team following suit.

Marmol was squarely on the hot seat at that time, and he still is with some of the fanbase. But the fire Marmol showed for the team seems to have cooled off the fire that could have led him out of St. Louis. Here's hoping he continues to show fans the fire he has to succeed.