It was weird. Honestly, watching the Birds on the Bat in 2024 felt like watching a car try to start in the middle of a St. Louis January—lots of coughing, a few sparks, but mostly just a frustrating hum that never quite turned into a roar. When the dust finally settled at Busch Stadium, the St Louis Cardinals 2024 record sat at 83-79. They finished in second place in the NL Central. Sounds okay, right? Better than 2023, surely. But if you talk to anyone who spent their summer nights listening to John Rooney on the radio, you know that "okay" felt pretty hollow. They missed the playoffs for the second straight year. That hasn’t happened since the late 90s.
It was a year defined by "almost."
The thing is, 83 wins is the literal definition of the "mushy middle." You aren't bad enough to get a top-five draft pick, but you aren't good enough to make the Milwaukee Brewers sweat. John Mozeliak, the President of Baseball Operations, spent the previous offseason trying to patch a leaking boat with veteran arms like Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson. It worked, mostly. The pitching didn't embarrass itself like it did during that 71-91 disaster in 2023. But while the pitching staff showed up to work, the offense seemingly stayed in spring training for about four months.
Breaking Down the St Louis Cardinals 2024 Record by the Numbers
Let's get into the weeds. You can't understand the St Louis Cardinals 2024 record without looking at the run differential. They finished at -47. Usually, a team that gives up 47 more runs than they score doesn't end up four games over .500. They got lucky. Or, more accurately, they were elite in "clutch" moments while being completely abysmal in blowouts. Ryan Helsley was a godsend. He set a franchise record with 49 saves. Think about that. Out of 83 wins, Helsley was responsible for slamming the door in nearly 60% of them. Without him, this team is probably looking at 75 wins and a much more toxic atmosphere in the clubhouse.
The home and away splits tell a story of a team that just couldn't find a rhythm. They were 44-37 at Busch Stadium. Fine. Respectable. On the road? 39-42.
The most damning part of the St Louis Cardinals 2024 record was their performance within the division. They went 24-28 against the NL Central. If you want to go to the postseason, you have to beat the Pirates and the Cubs. You just have to. Instead, they let the Brewers run away with the division by 10 games. It wasn't even a race by September. It was a funeral procession.
The Sonny Gray Factor and the Starting Rotation
When they signed Sonny Gray to a three-year, $75 million deal, the hope was he'd be the ace they've lacked since Jack Flaherty’s 2019 second half. He was good. 13-9 with a 3.84 ERA. He struck out 203 guys. But he also had those weird hiccups where he’d give up three homers in an inning and look human.
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Behind him, it was the "Old Man Brigade."
- Kyle Gibson was the definition of a "pro's pro." He ate innings.
- Lance Lynn brought the fire, but his pitch counts were always high.
- Miles Mikolas? Man, it was a struggle. A 5.35 ERA over 32 starts is tough to swallow.
The rotation was better, but "better" is a relative term when the bar was on the floor. They ranked 16th in MLB in starter ERA. Right in the middle. Again.
Why the Offense Ghosted the City of St. Louis
This is where it gets frustrating. On paper, the lineup should have mashed. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are future Hall of Famers. Or at least, they played like it three years ago. In 2024, the "Goldy and Nado" era felt like it was hitting a wall. Hard.
Goldschmidt finished with a .245 average. For a guy who won the MVP in 2022, that’s jarring. He had a decent August, but the power just wasn't there consistently. Arenado’s slugging percentage dipped to .394. If your corner infielders aren't driving in runs, your St Louis Cardinals 2024 record is going to suffer. It’s basic math.
The Youth Movement: Bright Spots in a Gray Season
If there’s a reason to actually be hopeful, it’s Masyn Winn. The kid is electric. He took over the shortstop spot and didn't let go, hitting .267 and playing gold-glove caliber defense. His arm is a literal cannon. Watching him throw across the diamond was often the only reason to stay tuned in during a 5-1 loss to the Reds.
Alec Burleson also emerged as a legitimate threat. He led the team in RBIs for a huge chunk of the season. It’s kind of funny—the guys you expected to carry the load (Goldschmidt, Gorman, Nootbaar) struggled, while the "fringe" guys kept the season alive.
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Then there’s Jordan Walker. What a rollercoaster. He got sent down to Memphis because he couldn't get the ball in the air. He came back, showed flashes, then disappeared again. The development of Walker is basically the hinge upon which the 2025 and 2026 seasons will swing. If he’s a bust, the rebuild (or "reset," as they like to call it) is going to be painful.
Contextualizing the 83-79 Finish
People keep asking: "Was 2024 a success?"
No. It wasn't. But it wasn't a total failure either. It was a "get right" year that didn't quite get right enough. The Cardinals have a standard. That standard is October baseball. By that metric, the St Louis Cardinals 2024 record is a disappointment.
One major issue was the "All-Star Break Hangover." On July 8th, they were five games over .500 and looking like a lock for a Wild Card spot. Then they went on a slide. They lost series to teams they should have swept. They played down to their competition. Manager Oliver Marmol found himself on the hot seat more than once, though the front office gave him a vote of confidence with an extension earlier in the year. Whether that was the right move is still a heated debate at every sports bar on Washington Avenue.
The Bullpen was the MVP
We have to talk about the relief corps. JoJo Romero and Andrew Kittredge were stalwarts. They bridged the gap to Helsley almost perfectly. The Cardinals played in 54 one-run games. They won 28 of them. That's a lot of high-stress innings. The reason the St Louis Cardinals 2024 record stayed above water was entirely due to the fact that when they had a lead in the 7th inning, they usually kept it.
The problem? They didn't have enough leads.
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The Financial Reality and Future Outlook
St. Louis is a baseball town, but the fans are getting restless. Attendance dipped slightly in 2024. People are tired of the "we have enough to compete" rhetoric when it’s clear they are a tier below the Dodgers, Phillies, and even the Brewers right now.
The front office has already signaled that 2025 might involve a payroll reduction. They are looking to lean into the youth. This makes the St Louis Cardinals 2024 record look like the end of an era rather than the start of a new one. We are likely looking at the departure of Goldschmidt. We might see trades of veteran starters.
What You Should Take Away from the 2024 Season
If you're looking for a silver lining, here it is: The floor has been raised. They aren't a 90-loss team anymore. But the ceiling is currently capped by a lack of superstar offensive production and a rotation that is more "serviceable" than "dominant."
Actionable Insights for Cardinals Fans:
- Watch the Memphis Pipeline: The 2024 record proved that the old guard isn't enough. Keep a close eye on Quinn Mathews and JJ Wetherholt. These are the names that will determine if the next record starts with a 9 instead of an 8.
- Don't overvalue the 83 wins: It was buoyed by an unsustainable record in one-run games and a historic season from a closer.
- Demand Plate Discipline: The Cardinals' strikeout rate, especially from guys like Nolan Gorman, was a rally killer in 2024. For the record to improve, the approach at the plate has to get back to the "Cardinals Way"—grinding out at-bats and moving runners.
- Evaluate the Coaching: With Chaim Bloom lurking in the front office, the pressure is on the current staff. The 2024 season showed tactical rigidity at times. See if 2025 brings more aggression on the basepaths.
The St Louis Cardinals 2024 record of 83-79 is a footnote in the franchise's storied history. It wasn't a tragedy, but it wasn't a triumph. It was just... baseball. And in St. Louis, sometimes "just baseball" isn't enough.
Next Steps for Deep-Dive Fans:
Check out the Statcast data on Masyn Winn’s arm strength compared to the rest of the league; it’s one of the few areas where the Cardinals actually ranked #1 in 2024. You might also want to look at the upcoming free agent class of 2025 to see how the team might replace the veteran production they are clearly losing. Finally, keep tabs on the Winter Meetings—with the "reset" in full swing, nobody on this roster is truly untouchable.
The 2024 season is over. The rebuild, whether they call it that or not, has officially begun.