Explore the key player stats, batting, pitching, and fielding comparisons between the St. Louis Cardinals and Yankees in the 2024 MLB regular season.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Yankees are both two of the most iconic teams in MLB history. Both of them had an impressive run in MLB history.
In the 2024 season, the St. Louis Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs, but their performance had been improved. Last season, they made 71 wins and 91 losses but this season they reached 83 wins and 79 losses. In the end, they became the second in the National League Central Division.
The Yankees have been even more impressive. Not only did they extend their winning streak to 32 years on September 7, but they also achieved their seventh postseason appearance in the last eight seasons. Finally, they captured the American League East division title. It was their third division title in the last six seasons and their 21st division title in team history.
Next, let’s compare the player stats of the St. Louis Cardinals and Yankees. Find out why the Yankees won the American League East while the Cardinals had to settle for the playoffs.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Yankees Batting Stats
St. Louis Cardinals’ Batting Performance
The St. Louis Cardinals rely on players like Goldschmidt, Burleson, and Winn to contribute on the offensive side of the ball, but the overall consistency of the offense is lacking. Here’s a look at the stats of a few specific Cardinals standouts.
- Brendan Donovan
- HR-14
- RBI-73
- AVG-.278
- OBP-.342
- OPS-.759
- WAR-2.6
Brendan Donovan led the team with a .278 batting average. His .342 on-base percentage and .759 OPS also represented a kind of consistent power for the Cardinals.
- Paul Goldschmidt
- HR-22
- RBI-65
- AVG-.245
- OBP-.302
- OPS-.716
- WAR-1.3
Paul Goldschmidt is the team’s primary hitting force, leading the team with 22 home runs and 65 RBI. However, his batting average of .245 is slightly low. This indicates that he relies more on power hitting.
- Alec Burleson
- HR-21
- RBI-78
- AVG-.269
- OBP-.314
- OPS-.735
- WAR-1.2
Alec Burleson led the team in RBI (RBI) with 78 runs batted in. He also had a more consistent hitting performance, with a .269 batting average and .735 OPS.
- Masyn Winn
- HR-15
- RBI-57
- AVG-.267
- OBP-.314
- OPS-.730
- WAR-4.9
Masyn Winn also showed good potential as a promising young player, contributing 15 homers and a .730 OPS.
- Nolan Arenado
- HR-16
- RBI-71
- AVG-.272
- OBP-.325
- OPS-.719
- WAR-2.5
Nolan Arenado has a low OPS (.719) despite having 16 home runs and 71 RBI. This suggests that his offensive performance has been slightly flatter than expected this season.
Yankee’s Batting Performance
The Yankees‘ batting relies heavily on Judge and Soto. The two stars provide most of the batting firepower.
- Aaron Judge
- HR-58
- RBI-144
- AVG-.322
- OBP-.458
- OPS-1.159
- WAR-10.8
Aaron Judge was an absolute dominant force for the Yankees with 58 home runs and 144 RBI. He is also arguably one of the top hitters in the majors, hitting .322 with an outstanding OPS (1.159). He contributes to the team with a 10.8 WAR. as one of the Yankees absolute contributors.
- Juan Soto
- HR-41
- RBI-109
- AVG-.288
- OBP-.419
- OPS-.989
- WAR-7.9
As the Yankees‘ second-in-command, Juan Soto provided a strong protective role, and the .989 OPS showed it. On top of that, he’s contributed 41 home runs and 109 RBIs.
- Gleyber Torres
- HR-15
- RBI-63
- AVG-.257
- OBP-.330
- OPS-.709
- WAR-1.8
Gleyber Torres provided solid support with 15 homers and 63 RBI, but his OPS (.709) was relatively low and his performance was a little flat.
- Anthony Volpe
- HR-12
- RBI-60
- AVG-.243
- OBP-.293
- OPS-.657
- WAR-3.4
- Alex Verdugo
- HR-13
- RBI-61
- AVG-.233
- OBP-.291
- OPS-.647
- WAR-0.7
Anthony Volpe and Alex Verdugo were more mediocre with an OPS of .657 and .647, respectively, and both players did not perform as well as expected.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Yankees Pitching Stats
St. Louis Cardinals Pitching Performance
- Sonny Gray
- ERA – 3.84
- K – 203
- WHIP – 1.09
Sonny Gray had three of the highest numbers on the team, Wins (13), ERA (3.84), and Strikeouts (203). This shows that he has irreplaceable credit with the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Miles Mikolas
- ERA – 5.35
- K – 122
- WHIP – 1.28
Miles Mikolas has an ERA over 5, which suggests he’s been less consistent.
- Kyle Gibson
- ERA – 4.24
- K – 151
- WHIP – 1.35
Kyle Gibson also has 151 strikeouts, which is relatively high, but still not as high as Gray.
Overall, Sonny Gray has pitched the most consistently and accurately, with a WHIP of 1.09, while Miles Mikolas and Kyle Gibson have relatively high WHIPs of 1.28 and 1.35 respectively. This suggests that they may have had some control issues against hitters, leading to more batters getting on base, and affecting the overall defensive performance of the team.
Yankees Pitching Performance
- Carlos Rodon
- ERA – 3.96
- K – 195
- WHIP – 1.22
Carlos Rodon picked up the most wins (16) and the most Strikeouts (195). He had an integral role in key situations. However, his WHIP of 1.22 is relatively high, and may have lost some control over hitters in some games.
- Nestor Cortes
- ERA – 3.77
- K – 162
- WHIP – 1.15
Nestor Cortes also did well, but he only had 11 wins and 162 strikeouts, slightly behind Rodon, but with a 1.00 WHIP, he had very good control of batters.
Pitching Comparison: Which Team Had the Stronger Staff?
On the pitching side of things, the Yankees have a slight edge on their pitching staff, especially in terms of control and strikeout ability. Carlos Rodon stands out in terms of wins and strikeouts, and although his ERA is higher, he’s able to dominate the game with his strikeouts. Nestor Cortes, on the other hand, has been a consistent pillar of the team with his accurate pitching and low ERA.
In contrast, Sonny Gray of the St. Louis Cardinals has been consistent, with a low ERA and good control despite having slightly fewer wins. Cardinals pitchers such as Miles Mikolas and Kyle Gibson, on the other hand, have faced higher ERAs and WHIPs, which have affected overall pitching performance.
Overall, the Yankees are slightly better in terms of pitching consistency and control.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Yankees Fielding Stats
St. Louis Cardinals Fielding Performance
- Paul Goldschmidt
- PO: 1216
- FP: 0.996
- E: 5
- DP: 137
Goldschmidt has been a standout defensively on the team, boasting a whopping .996 Defensive Percentage (FP) and just five errors (E). His double-double of 137 also demonstrated his importance in completing double-doubles for the team in key moments, and was a stalwart of the team’s defence.
- Brendan Donovan
- PO: 242
- FP: 0.995
- E: 2
- DP: 28
Donovan also had a great defensive game with a .995 defensive rating and just 2 errors, showing his consistency at second base. Though he had fewer PO (stabs) compared to Goldschmidt.
- Masyn Winn
- PO: 402
- FP: 0.971
- E: 18
- DP: 100
Winn was more solid defensively from the short stop position, showing a strong double-double (100 DP) and a high number of spikes despite his lower defensive rating (.971) than Goldschmidt and Donovan.
- Nolan Arenado
- PO: 103
- FP: 0.977
- E: 9
- DP: 26
Arenado had just 103 stabs (PO), but he still posted a .977 defensive rating. he had a slightly higher number of errors (9) compared to the rest of his teammates, but as the team’s third baseman, his defence is still very important.
Yankees Fielding Performance
- Gleyber Torres
- PO: 234
- FP: 0.969
- E: 18
- DP: 74
Torres has been relatively weak at second base, posting a .969 defensive rating and 18 errors (E), well above the Cardinals’ middle infielders. Although he has contributed somewhat in doubles (DP) (74), his overall performance leaves something to be desired.
- Alex Verdugo
- PO: 285
- FP: 0.997
- E: 1
- DP: 1
Verdugo has an excellent defence with a .997 defensive rating and just one error. His ability on reacting and handling the ball are also very well.
Fielding Comparison
On the defensive side of the ball, the St. Louis Cardinals were more solid, especially with the play of Paul Goldschmidt and Brendan Donovan. In contrast, Yankees’ Gleyber Torres had a slightly weaker defensive performance with a .969 defensive rating and a high number of errors.
Overall, the St. Louis Cardinals are stronger defensively in the infield, especially in terms of consistency and doubles, and the Yankees, while better in the outfield, play slightly less defence.
Who is the Best Player of 2024 MLB?
Aaron Judge was undoubtedly the most dominant hitter of the season, with 58 home runs and 144 RBI’s. He made the offence almost impossible to defend. His 10.8 WAR was also a team-high, showing how much he contributed to the Yankees. He was the absolute heart of the Yankees offence.
Not only did he lead the team, but he excelled throughout the majors. He is hitting .322 with a .458 on-base percentage (OBP) and a 1.159 OPS, all of which show that he is a power player in the MLB.
FAQs.
Who is the heart of the batting order for these two teams?
- St. Louis Cardinals: Brendan Donovan’s .278 batting average makes him the heart of the team’s batting order.
- Yankees: Aaron Judge is clearly the heart of the New York Yankees’ batting order. Not only is he the team’s batting leader with an amazing .322 batting average, but he’s also hit 58 home runs and has 144 RBIs.
What is the hitting depth of both teams?
- St. Louis Cardinals: Along with Donovan and Goldschmidt, Alec Burleson and Masyn Winn have contributed a number of RBIs and home runs, with Burleson’s 78 RBIs in particular showing how important he is to the team’s offence.
- Yankees: Along with Judge, Juan Soto had a great game, hitting 41 home runs and 109 RBIs. His OPS was .989, showing great hitting ability.
Who is hitting more efficiently?
- St. Louis Cardinals: Overall, the Cardinals are hitting more evenly, with Brendan Donovan and Masyn Winn both hitting relatively well (.278 and .267). However, Goldschmidt and Arenado’s batting performances have been a bit underwhelming, especially Goldschmidt’s .245 batting average.
- Yankees: The Yankees are clearly hitting more efficiently, especially Aaron Judge’s OPS of 1.159, which makes him the top hitter in the league. Additionally, Juan Soto also has an OPS of .989, showing how much of a hitting threat both players are.
Which team is more competitive in the tournament?
- Cardinals: Although they have a few good hitters, their overall performance fluctuates, especially with the inconsistent hitting form of some of their core players. For example, Goldschmidt and Arenado have low batting numbers, which could affect the team’s overall offensive firepower.
- Yankees: The Yankees are clearly stronger on the batting side of the ball, especially with the play of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, giving the team more offensive firepower. Additionally, the Yankees have been more consistent over the course of the season, with Judge’s play, in particular, often providing a decisive advantage for the team.
Who had the better overall performance?
- Cardinals: Despite having some strong hitters, the Cardinals were inconsistent. Some of the players are not good enough to support the team’s overall offence.
- Yankees: With players like Judge and Soto, the Yankees have more depth and consistency in their hitting and are therefore more competitive in the tournament.
Which team has more potential?
- Cardinals: The future depends on the development of young players such as Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson. If these young players keep growing and playing at a high level, the Cardinals’ batting lineup could become more of a threat.
- Yankees: The Yankees lineup is relatively mature at this point in time, especially with star players like Judge and Soto, making the team very competitive in the coming years.
