Cardinals 2018 Season Preview
Ready to check out our 2018 St. Louis Cardinals predictions? With Spring Training winding down the St. Louis Cardinals are getting ready for another summer of baseball.
MLB Cardinals Predictions & Handicapping Insight
The Cardinals will be looking to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2015 and it looks like it will be quite the challenge with several teams in the National League appearing to be legitimate playoff contenders.
2018 MLB Team Previews – St. Louis Cardinals
- National League Central +400
- National League +1200
- World Series +2200
Key Additions:
- Marcell Ozuna
- Dominic Leone
The Cardinals picked up Ozuna as part of the Marlins’ massive roster overload and he will fill the need for the big bat in the middle of their lineup that the Cardinals lacked last season.
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Leone wasn’t a big splash pickup like Ozuna but he has slowly emerged as a potential closer candidate for the Cardinals.
Key Losses:
- SP Lance Lynn
Lynn is the biggest loss for the Cardinals but they are hoping to fill his spot in the rotation with some of their young pitching prospects. They also lost a few arms out of the bullpen but nothing very significant.
Cardinals Predictions: Projected Lineup:
- RF Dexter Fowler
- CF Tommy Pham
- 1B Matt Carpenter
- LF Marcell Ozuna
- C Yadier Molina
- SS Paul DeJong
- 3B Jedd Gyorko
- 2B Kolten Wong
Ozuna provides some serious pop in the middle of the lineup and the emergence of Pham and DeJong last season provides the Cardinals with a depth of guys who can hit for power.
The lineup is also filled with a bunch of guys that can get on base. Carpenter took a big step back last season but overall, the infield makes up a solid back part of the lineup.
Cardinals Predictions: Projected Rotation:
- RH Carlos Martinez
- RH Adam Wainwright
- RH Michael Wacha
- RH Luke Weaver
- RH Miles Mikolas
The rotation is a little bit of a concern for the Cardinals at this point. Martinez has electric stuff but can run into control issues at times. Wainwright’s best years are very far behind him and at age 36, durability is definitely a concern.
Weaver should be a stud but likely will see some innings restrictions and Alex Reyes could join the rotation coming off of Tommy John surgery but he’s another guy that could see an innings limit.
The Cardinals could have used another dependable starter and may be shopping for one if things aren’t going according to plan.
Cardinals Predictions: Projected Closer:
- RH Dominic Leone
The young righthander came over in a trade from Toronto in January and likely will be the closer to open the season.
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Luke Gregerson is injured right now but could close out some games. Tyler Lyons is also a guy that could close out games but the bullpen overall is a little concerning.
2018 St. Louis Cardinals Prediction:
The Cardinals have a very talented lineup but the pitching is a little concerning.
In a division with the Cubs and Brewers and a league with the Nationals, Dodgers, and Rockies, having pitching is going to be important in shutting down some of these high octane offenses.
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Wainwright will need to turn back the clock a little bit and the young arms will have to hold up for the Cardinals to have a chance at the postseason. I don’t like their chances right now as the pitching doesn’t hold its end of the bargain with the hitting.
What do you think of our 2018 St. Louis Cardinals predictions? Comments are welcome below.
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