So, you’re looking at the St. Louis Cardinals stats from the 2025 season and thinking, "What on earth happened?" Honestly, it was a weird year. If you just glance at the 78-84 record, it looks like a typical mediocre season. But when you actually dig into the numbers, the story is way more complicated than just a losing record. It was a year of extreme highs, crushing lows, and a whole lot of "wait, really?" moments.
The Cardinals finished 4th in the NL Central. Not great. But they were only a few breaks away from being a completely different team.
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The Offense Was Kind of a Ghost Town
Let's talk about the bats. Or, more accurately, the lack of them. The team hit 148 home runs all year. That sounds like a decent amount until you realize it ranked 29th in all of Major League Baseball. Basically, they were dead last in power for most of the summer.
Alec Burleson was probably the biggest bright spot. He finished with a .290 batting average and led the team with 144 hits. He’s become that guy who just puts the ball in play when nobody else can. On the other hand, Willson Contreras was the only real source of "oomph" in the lineup. He swatted 20 home runs and drove in 80 RBIs, but he also led the team in errors with 9. It’s a trade-off, I guess.
One stat that absolutely kills me? The outfielders. They combined for only 113 extra-base hits. That is the fewest in the entire history of the franchise. For a team that used to have guys like Jim Edmonds or even prime Matt Holliday, that’s just painful to see.
Sonny Gray and the Rotation Rollercoaster
Pitching was a total mixed bag. Sonny Gray did exactly what they paid him to do—mostly. He went 14-8 with a 4.28 ERA. While that ERA feels a little high for an "ace," look at the strikeouts. He punched out 201 batters in 180.2 innings. He was the only guy in the rotation who consistently made hitters look silly.
But then you look at the rest of the guys.
- Andre Pallante: 6-15 record. Ouch.
- Miles Mikolas: 8-11 with a 4.84 ERA. He’s a workhorse, but he gave up a ton of hard contact.
- Matthew Liberatore: Actually showed some life, going 8-12 with a 4.21 ERA across 29 starts.
The team ERA sat at 4.29, which was 21st in the league. You aren't going to win many divisions with that, especially when your offense isn't bailing you out. But the bullpen? That was actually sort of okay. Ryan Helsley was still a beast when he was healthy, locking down 21 saves with a 3.00 ERA. And how about Kyle Leahy? The guy came out of nowhere to post a 3.07 ERA in over 60 appearances.
Why the 2026 Outlook is Actually Different
Now, if you’re a fan, you’re probably looking toward the future. And that’s where things get interesting. The Cardinals are clearly in a "reset" phase.
Just a few days ago, on January 13, 2026, the front office finally pulled the trigger on a massive move. They traded Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s the end of an era. In return, they got Jack Martinez, a young arm they hope can anchor the rotation alongside Sonny Gray.
They also managed to avoid arbitration with a bunch of key guys like Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson. These are the guys who are going to define the next few years. They aren't the superstars we're used to seeing at Busch Stadium, but they are high-contact, high-IQ players.
The Kids are Coming
If you want to feel better about the St. Louis Cardinals stats in the long run, look at the farm system.
- JJ Wetherholt: He’s the top prospect now. He hit .303 in the minors and is basically knocking on the door to the big leagues. Most scouts think he’s the starting second baseman by mid-summer 2026.
- Quinn Mathews: This kid is a strikeout machine. He was the only minor leaguer to hit 200 strikeouts last year.
- Tink Hence: Still has that "ace" potential if he can just stay on the mound.
The Reality Check on the Numbers
People love to complain about manager Oliver Marmol, but the stats show a team that was fundamentally flawed in how it was built. You can't have a bottom-three power-hitting team and a bottom-ten rotation and expect to compete with the Brewers or the Cubs.
The 2025 Cardinals were "death by a thousand cuts" type of losers. They lost a lot of close games. Their Pythagorean win-loss (which is basically what their record should have been based on runs scored and allowed) was 74-88. So, honestly? They actually overperformed a little bit just to get to 78 wins.
What should you do with this info? If you're betting or just following along, stop expecting the "Big Bopper" Cardinals of the past. This is a team that is trying to pivot toward speed (Victor Scott II had 34 steals!) and young, high-strikeout pitching.
Check the box scores for Jack Martinez's early starts this spring. If he looks like the real deal, that Arenado trade might not hurt as much as we think. Also, keep an eye on Wetherholt in Triple-A Memphis. The second he gets the call, the energy in St. Louis is going to shift. The stats tell you where they've been—which was mediocre—but the roster moves tell you they’re finally done pretending the old core was enough.
Focus on the strikeout-to-walk ratios for the young guys this season. If the team ERA starts creeping toward the 3.90 mark, they'll be back in the hunt for the NL Central.