The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off a busy week. Had it not been a rainout, they would have gone the entire week without a day off. From strong starting pitching, key hits, and even a Little League grand slam, there is a lot to choose from for this week’s installment of Cardinals’ standouts of the week.
Cardinals’ Standouts of the Week
The Cardinals finished the week 3-3, splitting a two-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers before heading on the road to split with the San Diego Padres.
Standout #3- Matt Svanson
In our first installment, we mentioned that some Cardinals’ standouts could be for negative reasons. Well, we are starting this one with one of those. Matt Svanson has had a rough season so far. When he enters a game, it seems almost a certainty that he will give up at least a walk or a hit, and sometimes both.
Svanson appeared in two games this past week, pitching an inning but giving up a run in both appearances. His second outing was especially rough, as it came during the team’s close 4-2 loss to the Padres on Saturday. The home run Svanson surrendered to Manny Machado gave the Padres a huge insurance run in the eighth inning.
Svanson just cannot seem to regain the form he showed in 2025, when he posted a 1.94 ERA over 60.1 innings. He has an opportunity to be a weapon out of the bullpen, but he has to find a way to get back on track. It would not be surprising to see him sent to Triple-A sooner rather than later. It may be what he needs to return to his 2025 self.
Standout #2- Ivan Herrera
Ivan Herrera’s early-season struggles are over. This past week was just the latest example. He started the week with a three-RBI performance and later had a four-hit game. His 25-game on-base streak ended on Mother’s Day, but the streak alone is an indication of how well he has been seeing the ball. Herrera is one of the most dangerous hitters in the Cardinals’ lineup. His contributions have helped the team navigate a busy and tough May schedule.
An underrated part of Herrera’s week was his time behind the plate. Granted, he only caught once. However, he is slowly looking more comfortable behind the plate.
The Cardinals wanted Herrera to work on his catching over the winter, but a Spring Training injury changed their plans for him. They have been giving him starts behind the plate, but he has not gotten the majority of the workload by any means. Still, his growing comfort in the position is a positive sign for the team’s future. The Cardinals are committed to their plan of giving him planned starts at catcher, but prioritizing keeping his bat in the lineup, which is the right decision.
Standout #1- Michael McGreevy
Michael McGreevy’s start on Friday was fantastic. He pitched six shutout innings, giving up just one hit while walking two and striking out nine. He may be sneaking under the radar, but he is currently pitching like one of the best arms in baseball. If the playoffs started today, the Cardinals would hand McGreevy the ball in Game 1 without question.
McGreevy does not profile as an ace, but he is certainly pitching like one. His last three starts came against teams with strong offenses, and he gave up a combined nine hits and one run. He is pitching extremely well, but the question is, can he sustain it? Or perhaps an even better question: how does he respond when a slump arrives?
The Week Ahead
The Cardinals busy month of May continues with some American League opponents this coming week. They will continue their road trip in California, stopping in Sacramento to play the Athletics. They will then return home to renew the I-70 Series with the Kansas City Royals. Which Cardinals’ standouts will we be talking about next Sunday? Will we see some returning faces, or will someone new stand out this week?
Be sure to check in with Last Word on Baseball for more Cardinals’ and league-wide coverage!
Main Photo: Denis Poroy- Imagn Images
