Despite calls to begin a rebuild, the St. Louis Cardinals entered the 2025 season determined to compete in the NL Central. However, that plan has already started to unravel. After a rough loss to the Reds, the Cardinals now sit at 14-18, just barely ahead of the last-place Pirates.
A major reason for their poor start is the bullpen, which holds a 4.69 ERA—one of the worst in MLB. Manager Oli Marmol has struggled to find reliable arms outside of Ryan Helsley and Phil Maton.
In a surprising move, the Cardinals traded away promising Triple-A reliever Ryan Loutos—a 26-year-old WashU grad with a 3.38 ERA in eight innings—for cash considerations to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Loutos was removed from the 40-man roster to make space for newly promoted infielder Jose Barrero.
While Loutos has minimal MLB experience, his solid Triple-A performance raised questions about why a struggling bullpen team like St. Louis would give him up—especially to a team like the Dodgers, known for finding and developing hidden talent.
Critics are questioning John Mozeliak’s direction for the team in his final season as president of baseball operations. The decision to let Loutos go, even for cash, highlights what many see as the Cardinals’ lack of a clear plan during a tough season.
