The Cardinals may not be getting a full offensive surge from their young core, but they’ve found something else that can tilt a game in a hurry: a middle infield that has been flat-out elite.
JJ Wetherholt is back with St. Louis for the final push in the NL Rookie of the Year race, and while his bat hasn’t matched the top of the class, his glove has kept him in the conversation through the WAR boards. That matters because his defense, paired with Masyn Winn at shortstop, has given the Cardinals one of the most productive double-play combinations in the sport.
Wetherholt’s move from shortstop to second base in the minors has translated seamlessly, and together he and Winn have turned the middle of the infield into a strength the Cardinals can bank on. Their work has been so strong that it belongs in the modern-history conversation.
That’s a big deal for a club whose offense has lagged behind. The Cardinals rank 25th in offensive value and 22nd in position player fWAR this season, and their 94 wRC+ says the lineup has been 6% below league average. Even with the first four hitters in the order looking like quality future pieces, the bats have still been dragged down, especially once Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker are removed from the picture.
There is still reason for optimism on that side of the ball as the young lineup keeps getting reps. But defensively, the Cardinals already know what they have.
Dani Wexelman’s research showed that Winn and Wetherholt have given St. Louis the most defensive value on the team this year by a wide margin, and with fewer than five games left, that edge stands out even more. Scott Plaza pointed out that the number is also the highest middle infield value since 2016, the furthest back Savant data goes.
That’s not just a good season. It’s historic.
Going back to 2016, the Cardinals’ middle infield has combined for 42 Fielding Run Value, which sits at the top of the record board. On the individual side, Wetherholt and Winn rank second and third in FRV among all defensive players, trailing only likely MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong. Narrow the lens to infielders, and they move to the front by a clear gap, sitting 15 points ahead of the next-best team duo.
The Cardinals still need more than gloves to put everything together. They need runs, and they need pitching to support it.
But if Winn and Wetherholt can turn into league-average bats or better, St. Louis could be looking at the most valuable middle infield in baseball.
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