The Cardinals debut of Oscar Taveras, 10 years later

May 31st, 2014: The MLB Debut of Oscar Taveras

Starting the 2014 season Taveras was ranked the 2nd best prospect in all of baseball behind Byron Buxton. Taveras got the invite to spring and was excited to showcase his skillset in front of the St. Louis squad finally, but unfortunately, he was dealing with an ankle injury that limited him to only 6 at-bats all of spring. He started the season in AAA Memphis being an R.B.I. machine before getting called up to the Majors on May 31st, 2014.

The excitement was palpable, thick in the air, much like the humidity hanging over downtown St. Louis on that Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals hosted the Giants in the midst of a three-game series. Check out some of the names in the starting line-ups that day! Oscar got the start in Right and batted sixth on the day. Right behind Yadier Molina and in front of Johnny Peralta.

Facing Yusmeiro Petit for the first assignment in his career, Taveras sent a line drive to left field but found the glove of the left fielder Colvin. Fast forward to his second at-bat and with a light shower starting to fall over Busch stadium, Oscar Taveras had something to say. "Thwack!" An absolute beauty of a swing that everyone in the ballpark just knew it was gone from the sound and sights of that sweet left-handed swing. Taveras parked it 418 feet over the rightfield wall for his first Major League hit and Homerun all in one. At the time Cardinals broadcaster Dan McLaughlin affectionately anointed Oscar, "The Rainmaker". I loved that.

When asked fellow Redbird Rant writer Jameson McCurdy to reflect on watching that special moment he had this to say.

"I remember sitting behind the right field foul pole when he hit his first home run. It started raining right before his AB and my dad wanted to go undercover but I told him no, I wanted to watch Oscar hit ".

There was a lot of Magic that day at the ballpark as celebrations were due all around for the young Phenom. The Cardinals went on the win 2-0 and Oscar Taveras was ready to make some noise in the majors.

October 12th, 2014: The NLCS Home Run

Later that Summer the Cardinals dealt away a struggling Allen Craig for some pitching help, and to make room for Oscar to finally have the opportunity to be an everyday player. For the season, Taveras struggled with some rookie growing pains. He finished the campaign batting .239, slugging .312, and knocking in 22 runs while hitting 3 HR. There were some things to work on, but flashes of brilliance were certainly there.

All that didn't matter anymore though as it was post-season baseball, and after beating the Dodgers in the NLDS, throw all logic out the window because in the early 2010's the Giants and Cardinals had some mean devil-magic working and they had a date in the NLCS.

Taveras had been splitting time with another hot-shot rookie in Randel Grichuk and he got the start in Game 1, and Game 2 in RF. It was the 7th inning and getting late though and Randel is a righthanded batter. Manager Mike Matheny made the decision to go with the young Oscar Taveras and see if the lefty could provide a spark off the bench.

Tavares working the at-bat to his favor worked the count to 2-1 before the right-handed pitcher Jean Machi delivered an 83 mph breaking ball to Oscar that wouldn't land for another 395+ feet over the right field wall. The Cardinals had tied the game on the rookie's swing and immediately etched his name into Cardinals lore.

The Cardinals fought hard in the series, but ultimately fell to the Giants in the NLCS in Game 5. Madison Bumgardner was in Classic form and the Giants had one more run in them during their impressive stretch. His last at-bat was a groundout to the pitcher unassisted.

Taveras was set to go into the off-season healthy and ready to be at his best for the start of the spring in 2015 against no competition but himself.

October 26th, 2014: The shocking news

Then, as quickly and as bright as he had made his start to his MLB career, it was done. On October 26th, 2014, at around 8 pm CST, reports started coming in during the ongoing World Series game that Oscar Taveras and his girlfriend, Edilia Arvelo, had died in an automobile accident in Puerto Plata, DR.

Personally, it was heartbreaking. I sat up with my mouth agape and not really believing the news. I waited as more and more reports came in. All the same. It was odd as a 22-year-old to stare at the computer or TV screen and see another 22-year-old, gone. That was reality though. The reality became even more dark and bold as it became known that Oscar Taveras's blood alcohol level was 0.287, more than 5 times the legal limit at the time of death.

"I remember watching the World Series when it was reported, and just being in absolute shock, so much to the point that I called my dad and brother. We were all so invested in the team. It really felt like losing a family member. I remember losing Darryl Kile and how much of a gut punch that was. I was only 12 when that happened. Same feelings came back when Taveras passed." -Taylor Streiff Redbird Rants

The feeling was the same Taylor, it was like losing a family member. This was the 3rd that I had lost to drunk driving and the 2nd for the Cardinals in short of a decade with the loss of Josh Hancock in 2007.

One player of note is RHP Carlos Martinez. Martinez and Taveras had been friends since childhood. Martinez was already a player that wore his emotions on his sleeve and the passing of his friend Oscar was very hard on him. He later changed his number to honor his late friend and cited carrying his memory on the field with him for every start after.

The Aftermath since the death of Taveras

The Cardinals had to face another very present reality though, a vacant RF. That meant they needed to add from the outside. So, amidst the Cardinals' urgent search to bolster their outfield, both for immediate needs and future plans, a series of events unfolded:

1. The Cardinals acquired Jason Heyward from the Atlanta Braves, where he delivered a strong 2015 season before departing for a long-term deal with the rival Chicago Cubs.
2. Prospects Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty were promoted to full-time outfield roles by the end of 2015. However, they were later traded after the 2017 season, leaving some desired potential untapped.
3. After the 2016 season, the Cardinals signed veteran Dexter Fowler to a five-year contract. Despite his talents, injuries hampered his performance over three seasons, leading to his trade after the 2020 season.
4. Tommy Pham was given a significant role in the outfield midway through the 2017 season, but his tenure in St. Louis was brief, ending in a trade deadline deal in 2018.
5. Marcell Ozuna was acquired from the Miami Marlins before the 2018 season, providing a power boost to the Cardinals' lineup. However, his tenure lasted only two seasons.
6. The Cardinals have since nurtured several outfield prospects, such as Tyler O’Neill, Harrison Bader, Dylan Carlson, and Lars Nootbaar, aiming to address both immediate and long-term roster needs.

It's uncertain how many of these changes would have unfolded if Oscar Taveras were still alive. Following his tragic passing, the Cardinals initially sought external solutions, evident in their acquisitions of Heyward, Fowler, Ozuna, and additional outfield depth. More recently they have been looking inward to find that long-term outfield solution. Maybe Walker is the next big bat they need, only time will tell.

I often think about Taveras and that sweet swing. What could have been for him and his family? Also for the Cardinals over this last decade as well. A lot would have been different probably. It would have been an absolute treat to have watched, that's for sure though. One thing is for sure though. Don't drink and drive. Call a Lyft, a friend, or anyone.

What Oscar Taveras memory do you have?