St. Louis arrives at 4-2, which is not what most people projected for a team in the first year of a Chaim Bloom rebuild. The Cardinals traded Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray over the winter and fielded an Opening Day lineup entirely 27 or younger. It hasn’t mattered yet. Rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt, the seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft, homered in his first MLB at-bat on March 26 and delivered a walk-off single two days later. First baseman Alec Burleson, a Silver Slugger winner in 2025, anchors the middle of the order. Shortstop Masyn Winn, a Gold Glove winner at 23, singled home the winning run in the 11th inning on April 1 to beat the Mets.
