Which franchise has fallen further, the Red Sox or the Cardinals?
Boston, MA - April 4: St. Louis Cardinals LF Lars Nootbaar positions himself in-between batters during Opening Day 2025 at Fenway Park. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images With the Red Sox headed to St.
Louis this weekend, it’s a good time to reflect on what these two franchises mean to the history of MLB and how much their reputations have decayed in recent years. The Red Sox haven’t won a division title in eight years and haven’t hosted a playoff game at Fenway Park in five years, but at least seem to be on a general upswing now. The Cardinals, meanwhile, haven’t made the playoffs since 2022 and are locked deep in a rebuild after posting 22 winning seasons in 23 years before 2023.
In fact, when that streak ended and St. Louis finished in last place in 2023, it was only their second last place finish in over 100 years. (The Red Sox meanwhile have done that six times in the last 15 years, so it seems their only real advantage here is how the rosters look right now.
) Either way, both of these teams have seen better days, and I’m sure the broadcasts will wax poetic about them over the next three games (and for good reason). Talk about this and whatever else you’d like in this space, and as always, be good to one another!