The St. Louis Cardinals allowed veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to leave in the offseason, already having a contingency plan in place.
Still, few analysts expected their strategy—shifting Willson Contreras to first base full-time—to succeed as well as it has.
Goldschmidt has been thriving with the Yankees, to be clear, but Contreras has also impressed, showing remarkable skill in adapting to his new role.
This season, Goldschmidt is off to a strong start, batting .339 with a .881 OPS and a 1.4 WAR. It’s still early, but the Yankees appear to have revitalized his game.
Goldschmidt himself acknowledged he hadn’t been performing to his usual standards during his final years in St. Louis, and that the change in scenery has been beneficial. However, the Cardinals aren’t missing a beat without him.
In a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas praised Contreras’s performance at first base, saying, “He might be one of the best first basemen I’ve ever seen.
I knew he’d bring physicality and sure hands, but his range and arm have been outstanding. He’s really turning heads—though probably not his own. He knows what he’s capable of.”
Despite losing a four-time Gold Glove winner, the Cardinals’ defense has become a key factor in their surprising early-season success.
Contreras, who posted an .848 OPS and 3.0 WAR over 80 games last season, has seen his offensive numbers dip slightly to a .728 OPS this year, but his defensive contributions have more than compensated.
Manager Oliver Marmol attributes the team’s performance to a strong defensive mindset. “Our guys take real pride in their defense,” he said. “We know we’ll face challenges this year, but we can always control our effort and focus.
And that’s been a constant—guys are making plays consistently and staying sharp every pitch.”
While it’s unclear if the Cardinals can maintain this level of success all season, one thing is certain: their strong defensive play isn’t to blame if they falter. Given the past few seasons, fans have plenty to be encouraged by.
