BREAKING: St. Louis Cardinals Fans Get Unexpected Good News On Nolan Arenado, Victor Scott II, Kyle Leahy, And Phil Maton

Things haven’t started quite the way the St. Louis Cardinals or their fans had hoped. After opening the season with a home sweep of the struggling Minnesota Twins (4-9), the Cardinals stumbled through their next three series, losing to the Los Angeles Angels (8-4), Boston Red Sox (7-7), and Pittsburgh Pirates (5-8). Now sitting at 5-7 and in third place in the NL Central, they return to Busch Stadium for a matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies.

That said, after 12 games, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of what this team looks like.

The 2025 Cardinals appear to be built around strong offensive production and solid defensive play. Entering Friday’s action, the team ranks second in MLB in batting average and on-base percentage, and fourth in wRC+. With an average of six runs per game, the offense has certainly done its part.

Defensively, they’ve been equally impressive. Brendan Donovan is back at his natural position at second base, while Masyn Winn and Nolan Arenado — both Gold Glove contenders — solidify the left side of the infield. Outfielders Lars Nootbaar and Victor Scott II have excelled in left and center field, respectively. Even Jordan Walker and Willson Contreras have shown notable improvement on defense.

The Cardinals are tied with the Houston Astros for the top spot in Outs Above Average, a comprehensive defensive metric. They’ve committed the eighth-fewest errors and their 127 assists rank sixth in the league. Altogether, the team’s offense and defense have been bright spots early in the season.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the pitching staff. With a team ERA of 5.24 — second-worst in MLB, ahead of only the Milwaukee Brewers — the pitching has struggled mightily. The staff also ranks fifth from the bottom in strikeout rate (19.6%) and has the third-worst ERA- in the league at 135 (where 100 is league average and lower is better).

So far, the Cardinals have shown mixed results. But despite the rocky start, several players have stood out — some unexpectedly. Whether it’s under-the-radar contributors or those exceeding expectations, a handful of players have kept the team competitive.

There were plenty of unknowns entering 2025 for this “youngry” Cardinals squad. Could the younger core rise to the occasion and spark a new era of success? Would Nolan Arenado rediscover his swing? Could the pitching staff find a way to deliver?

Some of those questions are beginning to be answered, thanks to impressive early performances. Before diving into the most surprising standouts, it’s worth mentioning a few honorable mentions: Ivan Herrera, Jordan Walker, and Lars Nootbaar have all made valuable contributions — just not quite as unexpectedly as others on the list.

These 4 St. Louis Cardinals are off to surprisingly strong starts in 2025.

Third baseman Nolan Arenado

It was safe to assume that Nolan Arenado would do everything in his power to avoid a repeat of his underwhelming 2023 and 2024 campaigns. The eight-time All-Star posted a combined slash line of .269/.320/.426 over those two seasons — well below his career marks of .285/.342/.515. His bat speed dropped by two miles per hour during that span, and he averaged just 21 home runs per season, the lowest total in any full year since 2014, his second in the majors.

But the future Hall of Famer wasn’t about to let his decline continue into 2025.

Determined to bounce back, Arenado spent the offseason building strength in an effort to boost his bat speed. Even John Mozeliak, the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, was optimistic about Arenado’s resurgence.

“I wouldn’t bet against him; I’d bet on him,” Mozeliak said. “And I was worried someone else might benefit if we had traded him. He’s a special talent, and he can still do things few players can.”

Arenado himself expressed enthusiasm heading into spring training. “I’m excited to get to work. I’m a ballplayer, and I’m really locked in on preparing for the season,” he said.

Fans hoped for a turnaround in 2025, and so far, Arenado has delivered. In 11 games and 50 plate appearances, he’s posted a slash line of .310/.420/.452, with one home run, six RBIs, eight walks, and just three strikeouts. While the power numbers are still warming up, the overall production is encouraging.

Perhaps most notably, Arenado’s bat speed has climbed back to a solid 72.2 MPH — a key indicator of his offseason progress.

The Cardinals have relied on Arenado to provide veteran leadership and production in the heart of their lineup, especially with a young core surrounding him. Batting cleanup, he’s been dependable, hitting .360 with runners on base and an impressive .417 with runners in scoring position. With high-OBP players like Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan batting ahead of him, his ability to capitalize in those situations is critical.

There’s a fire in Arenado’s game this season — a sense of redemption — and it’s a promising sign for both him and the Cardinals moving forward.

Centerfielder Victor Scott II

Few players impressed more during Spring Training than Victor Scott II. The 24-year-old center fielder turned heads with a scorching .349/.451/.721 slash line while competing for playing time against Michael Siani and Lars Nootbaar. His standout performance earned him the starting centerfield role for 2025, a decision made by John Mozeliak and Oli Marmol.

 

 

Scott has fully embraced the opportunity so far—both figuratively and literally running with it.

Through the early part of the season, Scott is slashing .286/.354/.452. He’s already tallied four extra-base hits (two doubles, a triple, and a home run) and leads the team with five stolen bases. Offensively, it’s been an ideal start for the young outfielder.

That’s a sharp contrast from his 2024 campaign, when he struggled at the plate with a .179/.219/.283 line. Thrust into a starting role due to early injuries to Lars Nootbaar and Dylan Carlson, Scott wasn’t quite ready for the everyday job at that point.

Now, he looks the part of the team’s long-term answer in centerfield.

Scott credited his offseason preparation as a key factor in his transformation. “Before, it was like, ‘Hey man, just go out here and show what you got,’” he told Gold and Blue Nation at PNC Park. “This time, it was, ‘You have the potential to be our Opening Day centerfielder, but if you don’t perform, it could go a different way.’ So I put in a ton of work, really locked in, and it paid off in spring training.”

That work included in-depth training with new coaches Brant Brown and Jon Jay, plus hours in the video room studying legends like Tony Gwynn, Willie McGee, and Vince Coleman.

The payoff has been evident. Scott’s strong start has given the Cardinals confidence, allowing them to move Michael Siani into a backup role. As of now, Victor Scott II is not only holding down centerfield—he’s making it clear it’s his job for the foreseeable future.

Right-handed reliever Kyle Leahy

Kyle Leahy, a 17th-round pick in the 2018 draft, made his major league debut for the Cardinals in 2023 against the Chicago Cubs. He returned in 2024 and made 33 appearances (48.2 innings), finishing with a 4.07 ERA and 33 strikeouts. Leahy primarily served as a long reliever, often stepping in when a starter exited early.

 

 

This spring, Leahy was competing for one of the final bullpen spots alongside Gordon Graceffo, Roddery Muñoz, Riley O’Brien, and Chris Roycroft. His strong spring training performance earned him a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Over 11 spring innings, Leahy didn’t allow a run, struck out 13, posted a 0.727 WHIP, and issued just one walk. His dominant showing secured his place on the big-league team.

The 28-year-old has carried that momentum into the regular season. Though he’s appeared in just six of the team’s first 12 games, he’s pitched 7.2 innings and allowed only one run — which came in the opening series against the Twins. He’s already recorded 10 strikeouts, showing marked improvement from his previous seasons.

Initially, manager Oli Marmol used Leahy in lower-leverage, long relief situations. However, his usage in the 8th inning of a tie game against the Pirates on Wednesday — where he struck out two, walked one, and lowered his ERA to 1.17 — signals growing trust from the coaching staff.

Considering Leahy had a 5.51 ERA during his minor league days, his early success this season is somewhat unexpected. Much of it can be attributed to his impressive slider, which averages nearly 90 MPH and features 3.8 inches of vertical break and 5.2 inches of glove-side movement. Opposing hitters are missing on 30.8% of their swings against the pitch.

With early struggles from other relievers like Ryan Fernandez, Chris Roycroft, and JoJo Romero, Leahy’s emergence is timely. He’s positioning himself as a reliable option for higher-leverage situations moving forward.

Right-handed reliever Phil Maton

It took the Cardinals 134 days into the offseason to sign their first—and only—major league free agent. When they finally landed right-handed reliever Phil Maton on a one-year, $2 million contract, fans across the country greeted the modest move with cautious optimism. Though Maton hadn’t appeared in Spring Training games, he had been staying in shape on his own in preparation for the season.

 

 

In 2024, Maton split time between the New York Mets and the Tampa Bay Rays, pitching 64 innings with a 3.66 ERA and 60 strikeouts. He notched a career-best 18 holds and was particularly effective after joining the playoff-bound Mets, compiling a 2.51 ERA and 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings post-deadline.

So far this season with the Cardinals, Maton has made seven appearances and thrown 6.1 scoreless innings. He’s struck out nine batters without issuing a single walk and boasts an impressive 0.632 WHIP.

Manager Oli Marmol has exclusively used Maton in late-inning situations—twice in the seventh, three times in the eighth, and twice in the ninth—indicating that he’s being groomed for the set-up role. Maton notched his third hold of the season on Friday night against the Phillies, coming in during the eighth with a two-run lead.

Though there was some initial doubt due to how late his signing came, Maton—known throughout his career as a dependable reliever—is quickly proving to be a valuable asset. With Andrew Kittredge departing in the offseason and Ryan Fernandez struggling early, it was crucial for John Mozeliak and the front office to find a steady right-handed arm for high-leverage situations. So far, Phil Maton has delivered.