The official ex-Cardinals team of 2024

These former Cardinal players had plenty of success outside of the city this year.

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Outfield/DH

Left field: Tyler O'Neill

This one stings. Tyler O'Neill, when he was healthy, put on a clinic in left field for the Boston Red Sox. In 109 games, O'Neill slashed .244/.338/.521 with 31 home runs for a wRC+ of 133 and a total of 2.4 fWAR. His defense was decent in left field in Boston, and he was a force in the middle of the Red Sox's lineup. For the Cardinals, Brendan Donovan led the team in innings in left field. He slashed .275/.340/.413 and finished with 2.9 fWAR. Winner: current Cardinals, but it's close.

Center field: Harrison Bader

This spot once again goes to Harrison Bader. He has a .241/.290/.381 slash line for a wRC+ of 89. While his defense lags slightly behind Michael Siani's, his offensive production heavily outpaces Siani's. Bader has accumulated 1.5 fWAR. Michael Siani is the Cardinals' top center fielder this year with a slash line of .237/.286/.296 for a wRC+ of only 66. He's racked up 1.2 fWAR. Winner: ex-Cardinal Harrison Bader.

Right field: Lane Thomas

This spot was once held by Adolis Garcia, but his offensive production has plummeted while his defense has been abysmal. Now, Lane Thomas, thanks to his .241/.313/.408 slash line and 102 wRC+, is the best former Cardinal in right field. He's accumulated 1.5 fWAR in 127 games. The current Cardinals' representative is Lars Nootbaar. Noot has a .245/.343/.399 slash line for a 110 wRC+ and 1.5 fWAR. Where he lags behind Thomas is on the defensive side of the ball. Winner: ex-Cardinal Lane Thomas, but only slightly.

Designated hitter: Marcell Ozuna

If Shohei Ohtani didn't exist, Marcell Ozuna would be the best DH in the National League. He has a .310/.384/.561 slash line with 39 home runs and a wRC+ of 159. He sits at 4.9 fWAR currently. The St. Louis Cardinals don't use the designated hitter position the way it was initially designed. Instead, they use it as a rotating "off-day" spot. Therefore, they don't have a player who can even come close to Ozuna's production. If I had to pick a designated hitter, it would be Alec Burleson with a .266/.309/.421 slash line for a 104 wRC+ and a total of 0.5 fWAR. Winner: ex-Cardinals

Schedule