Three takeaways from Cardinals series loss to Padres

The need for pitching remains clear

Speaking of Drew Rom, the Cardinals have seen a few moments of brilliance from the young left-hander, but Sunday was not one of them. He only lasted 3.1 innings before exiting. Eight runs were allowed by Rom, six of them earned.

This only further illustrates the Cardinals' need for pitching. And not only do they need pitching, but they need to go get it from outside the organization. That means in trades and in free agency. It's clear as of now that they cannot trust their internal options and that they'll need bold action to contend again in 2024.