Predicting the St. Louis Cardinals 2024 Opening Day Roster

Lineups

vs. RH pitching

1. CF Lars Nootbaar
2. 1B Paul Goldschmidt
3. 2B Nolan Gorman
4. 3B Nolan Arenado
5. RF Jordan Walker
6. C Willson Contreras
7. DH Alec Burleson
8. LF Brendan Donovan
9. SS Masyn Winn

Like we've seen with the Cardinals this year, their lineups will always be fluid, but I think this will be their "best" lineup against right-handed pitching. I'm sure it will often look different than this as they rotate players, but this is the prime lineup.

vs. LH pitching

1. LF Lars Nootbaar
2. 1B Paul Goldschmidt
3. RF Jordan Walker
4. 3B Nolan Arenado
5. DH Nolan Gorman
6. C Willson Contreras
7. CF Dylan Carlson
8. 2B Brendan Donovan
9. SS Masyn Winn

The biggest change I see in this lineup is the addition of Carlson, which makes them very good defensively overall. Walker slides into the third spot in the order, assuming he hits like I think he will between now and Opening Day. I could see Gorman or Contreras being in that spot, but I think Walker emerges there.