Every former Cardinals player in the Postseason this year: Who should you root for?

Baltimore Orioles - Matt Bowman

Another journeyman former Cardinals pitcher, Bowman was a fixture in the Cardinals bullpen from 2016-2017, appearing in 134 games between those two seasons. He recorded a respectable 3.70 ERA and was always an arm St. Louis could count on. However, after struggling in 2018, he was optioned to Memphis for the rest of the year and was claimed off waivers by the Reds.

Thus started a tumultuous stretch mired by injuries and underperformance. However, with the Orioles bullpen extremely thin, Bowman has found his groove once again. Through 12 appearances and 13 innings pitched, he's only allowed one earned run for a Chip Caray-approved 0.69 ERA.

The Orioles have a star-studded roster with a low payroll, and their young bats are extremely easy to root for. Even without a notable former Cardinal on the roster, there's a very strong case to support Baltimore this October.

Former Cardinal factor - 2. Fun factor - 8. Underdog factor - 5. Total score - 15.

Cleveland Guardians - Lane Thomas

When Lane Thomas debuted in 2019, he was immediately one of the most exciting rookies the Cardinals had. His clutch grand slam against the Pirates is still remembered fondly by many. However, when injuries derailed his career in St. Louis, and he struggled so greatly, he was dealt to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Jon Lester.

While the Lester trade is looked upon as yet another bad trade in a saga of mistakes by John Mozeliak's front office, Lester led the Cardinals to an unlikely playoff berth in 2021 and Thomas was never going to get opportunities to develop in St. Louis. Thomas became an All-Star caliber player in Washington and was flipped to the Guardians at the deadline.

After heartbreak in 2016, Cleveland is back in the dance with a scrappy young roster with an electric bullpen. Let's not forget Jose Ramirez is one of the most underrated superstars in baseball, too. They may not have many recognizable Cardinal names, but it's an easy squad to cheer for.

Former Cardinal factor - 3. Fun factor - 7. Underdog factor - 6. Total score - 16.