2020 St. Louis Cardinals season


The 2020 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 139th for the St. Louis Cardinals of the Major League Baseball, a franchise in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the 129th season for the Cardinals in the National League, and their 15th at Busch Stadium III. They entered the season as defending NL Central champions.
On March 12, 2020, MLB announced that because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the regular season would be delayed by at least two weeks in addition to the remainder of spring training being cancelled. Four days later, it was announced that the start of the season would be pushed back indefinitely due to the recommendation made by the CDC to restrict events of more than 50 people for eight weeks.
On June 23, commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implemented a 60-game season. Players reported to training camps on July 1 in order to resume spring training and prepare for a July 24 Opening Day.
On July 1, 2020, it was announced the Cardinals would play the Chicago White Sox on August 13 in the inaugural MLB at Field of Dreams game, replacing the New York Yankees. The appearance in Dyersville, Iowa also replaces the team's canceled trip to London in June for a series with National League Central rivals, the Chicago Cubs. On August 3, MLB canceled the Field of Dreams game due to "logistical problems."
The Cardinals made the expanded playoffs but lost to the San Diego Padres in the [2020 National League (baseball)|National League Wild Card Series|NLWCS]. The Cardinals suffered just their second winner-take-all game loss in the postseason over their last 10 winner-take-all postseason games played dating back to 2002.

Regular season

On August 13, the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox were scheduled to play the first ever MLB at Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa. But due to the pandemic and the MLB commissioner announcing the 60-game season and that the AL and NL will play against each other in the same division, the Yankees were taken off the match. On July 1, MLB announced that the Cardinals will replace the Yankees in the game against the White Sox. The game was subsequently postponed to August 12, 2021, with the White Sox' opponent once again being the Yankees. Also, on June 13–14, the Cardinals were supposed to play against the Chicago Cubs in the London Series. But that was also cancelled due to the pandemic.

COVID-19 outbreak

On July 31, 2020, the Cardinals announced two of their players have tested positive for COVID-19. Their game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee that day was postponed. Following additional positive test results, the rest of the three-game series with the Brewers and the four-game series with the Detroit Tigers were also postponed. It was later revealed that there were six staff members who had tested positive and seven players including Yadier Molina, Paul DeJong, Edmundo Sosa, Rangel Ravelo, Junior Fernández, and Kodi Whitley. Because of the timing of a simultaneous move to the IR list, it is speculated that the seventh player was Carlos Martinez, which he later confirmed on his personal Instagram.
As the Cardinals prepared to return to play against the Chicago Cubs again on August 7, three additional members of the Cardinals tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, the three-game series against the Cubs was postponed. A day later, the Cardinals three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates was also postponed. It was later announced that the players were Austin Dean and roommates Ryan Helsley and Lane Thomas. Additionally, one other staff member had newly tested positive bringing the team total of positive tests to 17, including 10 players. Austin Gomber was added to the Covid IL due to contact tracing even though he has not tested positive and returned to play on August 19.
On August 13, it was announced that the Cardinals' season would resume that Saturday with a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. Multiple doubleheaders would be added throughout the season to try to make up as many lost games as possible. As part of a series of roster and staff changes, former third base coach Jose Oquendo returned to the team as an addition to the coaching staff while assistant coach Willie McGee opted out for the season due to personal health concerns. Third base coach Pop Warner returned to the club in time for the August 27 doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Cardinals took the unusual step of renting 41 cars and having staff and players drive from St. Louis to Chicago in their own cars to avoid any further outbreaks. The Cardinals returned to play on August 15 with a doubleheader against the White Sox. After finishing the three-game series against the White Sox, the Cardinals played two doubleheaders in three days against the Cubs. In the second game of each doubleheader, the Cardinals were the designated home team. As a result, the Cardinals played eight games in five days. They finished that stretch with a 4–4 record.
Molina was activated and returned to the lineup on August 20 and many of the others affected were expected to return to the team within a week.

Roster

Debuts

The following players made their Major League Baseball debuts during the 2020 season

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases; BB = Walks; AVG = Batting average; SLG = Slugging average
PlayerGABRH2B3BHRRBISBBBAVGSLG
Tommy Edman55204295171526216.250.368
Paul Goldschmidt581913158130621137.304.466
Kolten Wong53181264842116520.265.326
Paul DeJong45152173860325117.250.349
Yadier Molina4214512382041606.262.359
Brad Miller48142213381725125.232.451
Matt Carpenter50140222660424023.186.314
Tyler O'Neill50139202450719315.173.360
Dylan Carlson3511011227131618.200.364
Harrison Bader50106212472411313.226.443
Dexter Fowler3190142120415110.233.389
Lane Thomas183654201204.111.250
Rangel Ravelo133556101604.171.286
Matt Wieters193537100403.200.229
Max Schrock111713001100.176.353
Andrew Knizner81614100400.250.313
Justin Williams3501000001.200.200
Austin Dean3411100003.250.500
John Nogowski1401000000.250.250
Team totals5817522404107375123118205.234.371

Source:

Pitching

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerWLERAGGSSVIPHRERBBSO
Adam Wainwright533.151010065.25425231554
Jack Flaherty434.9199040.13322221649
Dakota Hudson322.7788039.02413121531
Kwang-hyun Kim301.6287139.028971224
Daniel Ponce de Leon134.9698032.22318182045
Austin Gomber111.86144029.019661527
Johan Oviedo035.4755024.22418151016
Génesis Cabrera412.42190122.110961632
Tyler Webb112.08210121.21755719
Jake Woodford105.57121021.0201313516
Carlos Martínez039.9055020.03226221017
Alex Reyes213.20151119.2141071427
John Gant032.40170015.0964718
Giovanny Gallegos223.60160415.0966421
Andrew Miller112.77160413.0944516
Ryan Helsley115.25120112.0887810
Seth Elledge104.63120011.21166814
Nabil Crismatt003.246008.163318
Ricardo Sánchez006.753005.154454
Rob Kaminsky001.935004.233123
Kodi Whitley001.934004.221115
Junior Fernández0018.003003.066622
Ryan Meisinger000.002002.210043
Max Schrock000.001001.000000
Jesús Cruz0018.001001.032212
Roel Ramírez0081.001000.266611
Team totals30283.90585813473.0376229205204464

Source:

Postseason

Postseason rosters

Minor league system and first-year player draft

Teams

LevelTeamLeagueDivisionManagerW–L/StatsStanding
Triple-AMemphis RedbirdsPacific Coast LeagueAmerican–SouthBen Johnson0–0N/A
Double-ASpringfield CardinalsTexas LeagueNorthJoe Kruzel0–0N/A
Class A-AdvancedPalm Beach CardinalsFlorida State LeagueSouthDann Bilardello0–0N/A
Class APeoria ChiefsMidwest LeagueWesternErick Almonte0–0N/A
Class A Short SeasonState College SpikesNew York–Penn LeaguePinckneyJosé León0–0N/A
RookieJohnson City CardinalsAppalachian LeagueWestRoberto Espinoza0–0N/A
RookieGCL CardinalsGulf Coast LeagueEastJoe Hawkins0–0N/A
Foreign RookieDSL Cardinals BlueDominican Summer LeagueSouthFray Peniche0–0N/A
Foreign RookieDSL Cardinals RedDominican Summer LeagueSan PedroEstuar Ruiz0–0N/A

Major League Baseball draft

The 2020 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft took place on June 10 and June 11. The draft assigned amateur baseball players to MLB teams. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the draft was shortened to five rounds.
2020 St. Louis Cardinals complete draft list-----