The Cardinals are growing increasingly flummoxed by left-handed pitching

May woe befall any right-handed pitcher who dares take on the potent offense of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2025. The Cardinals have a .262 batting average against right-handers on the season, which is tied for third in the major leagues. This surprising output has helped the Cardinals reach a 47-39 record as of July 1. Now imagine what they could do if they had any semblance of success against left-handers.

The Cardinals are performing horrifically against left-handed pitchers.

The Cardinals currently hold a .235 average on the season versus left-handed arms, and they've cratered since June 22, where they sit at a lackluster .163 average in 141 at-bats against lefties. Cincinnati Reds starter Andrew Abbott went seven innings and allowed four hits and only one run on June 22; the Chicago Cubs' Matthew Boyd pitched six shutout innings while allowing only three hits on June 25; the Cubs' Shota Imanaga threw five shutout innings with one hit allowed on June 26; Logan Allen of the Cleveland Guardians allowed six hits and three runs in six innings on June 29; and the Pittburgh Pirates' Andrew Heaney went 6.2 innings while not allowing a run on only three hits. Those are the Cardinals' last five games against left-handed starters, and they add up to an abysmal four runs in 30.2 innings against them.

Ivan Herrera's latest injury has contributed to the Cardinals' lefty woes. Herrera has been the team's top hitter against southpaws, hitting .333 against them in 45 at-bats. Over the past month, left-handed-hitting Alec Burleson appeared to be figuring out left-handed pitchers, but he has not had a hit against them in any of the team's last nine games. The normally reliable Brendan Donovan has also scuffled, as he hasn't recorded a hit against a lefty in his past 18 at-bats against them.

If the Cardinals hope to compete in a suddenly crowded NL Central, they will need to find a remedy for their issues against left-handed pitchers and search for a right-handed bat in the trade market or free agency if they don't trust Luken Baker to come up to the major leagues and serve in that role. Baker hit .296 against lefties in 27 at-bats against them during his time in the major leagues this season, but his limitations to only first base and designated hitter make him tough to roster.

Redbird Rants writer Mason Keith suggested Taylor Ward and Hunter Renfroe as two right-handed bats whom the Cardinals could consider. Ward, an outfielder with the Los Angeles Angels, has an .825 OPS against left-handers, and Renfroe, an outfielder whom the Kansas City Royals designated for assignment in May, has a .634 OPS against lefties.

The Cardinals will head to Wrigley Field to take on the Cubs in a three-game series starting on July 4, and Imanaga and Boyd may be slated to take the mound again. With the Cardinals' top lefty masher in Herrera still not expected back for a couple of weeks, finding a way to rectify the team's putridity against left-handed pitchers should be a top priority for management and the front office.