Skip to main content

Ranking the 6 best individual milestones for the St. Louis Cardinals since 2022

It's been a gloomy half-decade, but at least we have these moments to take pride in!
Sep 23, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols (5) celebrates after hitting a three run home run and the 700th of his career against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 23, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols (5) celebrates after hitting a three run home run and the 700th of his career against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The last five seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals have been a rollercoaster of emotions. From the highs of Albert Pujols, Nolan Arenado, and Paul Goldschmidt to the lows of three consecutive seasons without a postseason appearance to the optimism surrounding 2026, the team and its fans have experienced a vast array of feelings. Sandwiched within these past five seasons are several stellar individual milestones.

It may be difficult to look back through the slog that was the 2023-2025 St. Louis Cardinals and find joy in those dismal years. However, several positive things did still happen during that three-year stretch of apathy.

The 2022 St. Louis Cardinals season was full of joyous moments and individual milestones. This year's edition of the ballclub is flush with storybook moments. Let's rank these individual milestones.

A definitive ranking of the 6 best individual milestone moments for the St. Louis Cardinals over the last five years.

6. Ryan Helsley's franchise save record

The 2024 season was a season in which the organization was in flux. Chaim Bloom had been brought on as an advisor to find flaws and correct them. There was a weird mix of veteran players whom the team kept on to make one final attempt at postseason success and young players itching for playing time.

Within that bizarre season was a franchise record set by Ryan Helsley.

Ryan Helsley actually set two closer records in 2024 for the Cardinals. His 25 consecutive saves were a franchise record, and his 49 saves on the season set a franchise record as well. His 49th save pushed him ahead of Trevor Rosenthal, who gathered 48 saves in 2015. This individual milestone will be etched in St. Louis history books forever.

5. Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt MVP race in 2022

The Cardinals hadn't had a player win the National League Most Valuable Player since Albert Pujols did in 2009. It took 13 years for one of baseball's best franchises to have an MVP again.

In 2022, Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt — along with Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres — were battling it out for supremacy in the National League. Arenado had the upper hand in bWAR and defensive numbers, Machado was solid across the board, and Goldschmidt had the superior offensive numbers. In the end, Paul Goldschmidt took home the trophy with 22 first -place votes. Arenado would finish third behind Machado with just one first-place vote.

4. Adam Wainwright notches his 200th career win

The end of the 2023 season was a slog for starting pitcher and long-time Cardinal Adam Wainwright. He was battling several injuries as a 41-year-old with several miles on his arm. He finished the year with a 5-11 record and a 7.40 ERA across 101 innings, but he left Cardinals fans with a memory that will last a lifetime.

On September 18, 2023 against the Milwaukee Brewers, Waino had a vintage performance to notch his 200th career victory. He was dominant in a 1-0 shutout victory over the Brewers, going seven scoreless innings with three strikeouts. This would be Wainwright's final outing, and he would depart into the sunset with a Red Jacket in his future.

3. Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina set an unbreakable record

There are several records throughout Major League Baseball that won't be broken, and Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina added to that list in 2022.

The two long-time Cardinals set an MLB record for most starts as a battery when they made their 325th appearance together on September 14th, 2022. The two also set the record for most wins as a battery with 212 that same year.

2. Jordan Walker mashes his way to a Home Run Derby victory

Jordan Walker's stellar performance in enemy territory at the 2026 Home Run Derby was a moment six years in the making. After going from a top draft pick to a top-five prospect in baseball to a potential biggest bust in franchise history, Walker winning the 2026 Home Run Derby is littered with wonderful storylines.

Walker entered the Derby as a serious underdog behind Philadelphia's own Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. Walker bested Junior Caminero handily in the semifinals, and he had an uphill battle in the finals, needing 12 home runs in just 15 swings to beat the hometown favorite Schwarber. Walker did just that, hitting six straight homers to close out the contest and take home the trophy.

1. Albert Pujols enters baseball immortality with 700th home run

While those first five individual milestones will be remembered for a long time, none surpass the greatness of Albert Pujols surpassing 700 home runs as a Cardinal in 2022.

Pujols returned to St. Louis after a 10-year West Coast hiatus to finish his career where he started. He needed 21 home runs to reach the milestone, and he did just that on September 23rd. On a game broadcast nationally on AppleTV+, Pujols hit two home runs against his former club, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Both home run 699 and home run 700 came off Andrew Heaney, and just like that, Pujols entered the MLB record books.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations