The St Louis Cardinals Should Play Jose Fermin More, But Whatever

TL;DR

The St. Louis Cardinals are struggling offensively, with players like José Fermín needing more playing time. Despite some strong performances, their pitching staff remains a concern as the season progresses.

Key points

José Fermín needs more playing time for the Cardinals
The Cardinals' offense is struggling with low production
Jordan Walker leads the team in WAR, home runs, and RBI
The pitching staff has been ineffective with high walk rates
The Cardinals are performing well defensively in 2026

St. Louis Cardinals

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 18: José Fermín #15 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on April 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images While the Cardinals on offense have been all but miracle workers so far, surviving very slow starts by Ivan Herrera and Masyn Winn, and a bottom of the order that often includes the far below league average hitting of Pedro Pages, Nathan Church, and Victor Scott II (not to mention Nolan Gorman still not living up to his potential).There have already been attempts to alleviate this bottom of the order problem, but Thomas Saggese can’t hit either, apparently. To be fair Herrera has been the victim of hitting it right at guys and just general bad luck (while walking a ton and getting on base the hard way through HBP), and Winn just was still warming up from spring training or slumping to start the season. The big surprise of the year has been , who leads the team in WAR, home runs, and RBI. Burleson, Gorman, Wetherholt, and Herrera have joined in the RBI fun as well. Surely the Cardinals haven’t been winning just because the top 4 batters in the order are getting on base a ton? Not everyone gets on base a lot but the outfield defense with guys like Victor Scott II, Nathan Church, Thomas Saggese (who has some good defensive numbers so far), and Jose Fermin plus Jordan Walker’s arm in right… Add to that the best defensive second baseman so far in MLB, JJ Wetherholt, and the elite defense and arm of Masyn Winn, plus Nolan Gorman and Ramon Urias saving even more runs over at the hot corner, and effective catching… you’re just going to keep yourself in some games this way. Has anyone noticed Gorman has saved a couple of runs so far on defense? But you didn’t see that one coming. He’s defending better than Urias but not hitting as much. Gorman is starting to turn it around, slowly, on offense. His BABIP against is pretty low too. What Cardinals have played in the most games? Before Tuesday, Burleson, Herrera, Scott, Walker, and Wetherh0lt have all been in 22 games. Nolan Gorman has only had 1 game off. Nathan Church is getting a good amount of playing time. Winn got hit by a pitch badly enough to make him miss a few games. Saggese, Pages, Fermin, and Pozo have all played in less games than the other position players. It’s time to get Fermin more playing time! Perhaps coming with the territory of a young team, the Cardinals have been good on the basepaths this year in baserunning value. JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, and Masyn Winn have combined to go 9 for 9 in stolen bases \*mostly JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker. The offense could carry this team somewhat, when they also provide good defense. The Cardinals have been one of the best defensive teams in baseball so far in 2026. Now that Nathan Church has 2 home runs, I am starting to come around on an idea: Nathan Church in CF, and Jose Fermin in LF. This makes Victor Scott II the 4th outfielder, which is ok. He is still useful for now. The pitching overall is what makes this team anxiety-inducing. The starting rotation will struggle HARD just to be mediocre. The floor is rather low. But the bullpen is what has given many fans the heebie-jeebies. What kind of hope do we have with this kind of pitching staff? When the offense slumps, it’s going to get ugly!

Q&A

Why should the St. Louis Cardinals play José Fermín more?

José Fermín should get more playing time due to the Cardinals' offensive struggles and his potential to contribute positively.

How has the Cardinals' pitching staff performed in 2026?

The Cardinals' pitching staff has been ineffective, struggling with walks and hits, leading to concerns about their overall performance.

Who are the key players contributing to the Cardinals' offense?

Key contributors to the Cardinals' offense include Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt, and Nolan Gorman, among others.

What is the current state of the Cardinals' defense?

The Cardinals have been one of the best defensive teams in baseball so far in 2026, with strong performances from players like JJ Wetherholt and Masyn Winn.