Cards' bats getting results under guidance of new hitting coach Brown

ST. LOUIS -- Among the many ways that the Cardinals have improved offensively this season under the direction of new hitting coach Brant Brown, the most difference-making aspect of their growth has been the squad’s recognition of favorable counts and their ability to slug when in those advantageous situations.

For further proof of that, look no further than the three-run home run statistic -- one the Cardinals sit atop of along with the Giants among all MLB teams. Among the biggest reasons for the Cards solid start to the season has been their six three-run clouts in 18 games. To put that into perspective, they hit just 10 three-run homers in 2024 -- a number that not only ranked last in the big leagues, but also was the organization’s lowest total in 32 years.

Yet another example of the shift in mindset of the Cardinals’ plate approach came in Wednesday’s fifth inning with Lars Nootbaar up in the count at 2-1 against Houston right-hander Ronel Blanco, who had pitched a shutout up to that point. Nootbaar not only pounced on a hanging curveball, but he hit it 418 feet -- and 108.4 mph, per Statcast -- for the three-run homer that paved the way for the Cardinals' 4-1 win against the Astros.

“[Brant Brown] has done a good job of honing in and nipping things in the bud right when he sees them and then it doesn’t go into a downward spiral," said Nootbaar. "He has good plans and he comes in with a good approach.”

“The pressure’s on them, right?” asked Cardinals standout second baseman Brendan Donovan, referring to opposing pitchers and his team’s aggressive approach when ahead in counts. “I think we’ve done a good job making them come into our zone of, ‘What am I looking for? Where do I want it? And where do I want to hit it?'

“With [Nootbaar], that was a 2-1 breaking ball, and he was looking to do damage to the [opposite field], and he got a pitch he could do it on. … [Nootbaar] has a unique ability to see pitches and still drive the ball out of the ballpark.”

Wednesday’s victory allowed the Cardinals to win a series over the Astros for the first time since 2016 and for the first time against Houston in St. Louis since 2013. Combined with last weekend’s rare series win over the Phillies -- a first since 2017 -- the Cardinals are off to a 4-2 start in this 13-game stretch where they face playoff hopefuls the Phillies, Astros, Mets and Braves consecutively.

Also, the Cardinals improved to 8-4 this season at Busch Stadium, where 30,360 fans saw them win for a fifth time in eight games since a four-game skid earlier in the month.

“We’re playing good ball, the guys are going about it really well, I really like our process and that’s all that we can control,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “Obviously, you like taking four of six here at home, but I like how we’re doing it. We faced a good arm [on Tuesday in Hunter Brown] and we faced another one today and we just continue to grind out at bats and then we got the big hit. We continue to play solid baseball.”

A Cardinals offense that lagged badly last season looks almost like an entirely different unit in 2025 despite much of the same personnel in place. The biggest change, per several players, is the switch to new hitting coach Brown, who develops individualized plans of attack for hitters on a daily basis. It might seem elementary, but Brown has been the biggest proponent in Cardinals’ hitters knowing which counts they should be looking to slug and which ones they should be protecting the plate. So far, it’s paid massive dividends.

To date, the Cardinals' offensive progress has been eye-popping. They left Wednesday’s win first in MLB in batting average (.280), and on-base percentage (.348), second in hits (180), tied for third in doubles (37), third in OPS (.783) and fourth in slugging (.435).

“A lot of guys underperformed last year, including myself,” said Nootbaar, who leads the team in walks (15) and runs (12), tied for second in hits (19), second in home runs (three) and RBIs (10). “So, there’s room for natural growth."

Donovan extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games with a single in the game-turning fifth. MLB’s leader in hits (27) and the National League’s leader in batting average (.380), Donovan is on a .478 (22-for-46) spree during MLB’s longest active hitting streak.

“With my preparation, it’s about how can I get my body moving right and how crisp can I make my routine?” said Donovan, who has hits in 16 of the Cardinals 18 games. “Then, I can just take all of the guesswork out and go play.”