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

New York Mets - Adam Ottavino, Jose Quintana, and Harrison Bader

Many may not know, but Adam Ottavino actually debuted with St. Louis in 2010. However, his with the Cardinals was brief and ineffective. After being claimed by the Colorado Rockies, though, he became a force at the back of their bullpen. Following his time in Denver, he bounced between the Yankees and Red Sox before finding himself as a veteran presence in the Mets' bullpen. At age 38, he's still a decent arm for New York to rely on this Postseason. However, more recognizable Cardinals names can be found on this roster.

Jose Quintana was nothing short of fantastic during his brief time with St. Louis in 2022. After an incredible second-half run, Quintana was given the nod as the Game 1 starter in the NL Wildcard Series against the Phillies, and he pitched extremely well. Unfortunately the game and the rest of the series didn't go the Cardinals' way, but Quintana was not part of the problem. He's now found himself a fixture in the Mets' rotation following his departure from St. Louis.

Another piece moved at the 2022 deadline, Harrison Bader was a fan-favorite outfielder with the Cardinals before being dealt for Jordan Montgomery. His flashy defense, exciting personality, and competent bat made him an invaluable piece in the Cardinals' 2021 run which netted him his first and only Gold Glove award. However, after an injury sidelined him in 2022, he was dealt to the Yankees. After landing with the Reds in 2023, Bader has cemented himself as the Mets' everyday center fielder.

The Mets have the highest payroll in all of baseball, but they're somehow still a fun underdog story. The former Cardinal presence is also strong, giving fans a good case to root for them this October. They're not my first choice, but certainly not a bad one.

Former Cardinal factor - 6. Fun factor - 5. Underdog factor - 7. Total score - 18.

Atlanta Braves - Marcell Ozuna and John Brebbia

Ah, the infamous Marcell Ozuna trade. If we can look past the fact that St. Louis gave up two Cy Young-caliber starting pitchers for two years of Ozuna, we might be able to appreciate the Big Bear a bit more. He certainly never lived up to the heights of his time in Miami, but Ozuna was a tentpole bat in the Cardinals' lineup from 2018-2019 and was a key contributor in defeating the Atlanta Braves in the 2019 NLDS. Sure, he went on to join the Braves and reach his All-Star potential once again, but Ozuna (from the Braves) has a few other flaws I'd rather not discuss now. A forgettable Cardinal, but still valuable nonetheless.

Since breaking camp with the Cardinals in 2017, John Brebbia has been an extremely solid Major League reliever. Through 3 seasons in St. Louis, Brebbia pitched 155 innings with a fitting 3.14 ERA before suffering a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery. After being non-tendered, Brebbia signed with the Giants and has found roles with the White Sox and Braves bullpen. The Cardinals showed interest in Brebbia at this year's deadline, but went elsewhere. Now, Brebbia is poised to make a playoff run with Atlanta. (My favorite John Brebbia fact is recorded a 2.000 OPS in one plate appearance in 2019. A true two-way player.)

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