Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado shoulders blame for latest loss to Brewers

The St. Louis Cardinals’ struggles from 2023 have carried over into 2024 as they find themselves in the NL Central’s cellar. As the Cardinals dropped another game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Nolan Arenado was quick to put the blame on himself.

St. Louis fell to Milwaukee 7-1 on Thursday, dropping their record to 15-22. With the Brewers leading the NL Central, the Cardinals are now seven games out of first place. Arenado stated that he didn’t play up to his standards and that the Cardinals are running out of chances to improve, via John Denton of MLB.com.

“I messed up there (on the play at third base) and that (first inning) is on me,” Arenado said. “I’ve just got to be a better player for the guys. I’ve got to get on base more and drive in more runs. I know when I say that it might be adding more pressure, but I expect myself to do a better job all the way around to help these guys out.”

The play at third base Arenado is referring to came when he failed to tag William Contreras for what would be an inning ending double play. Milwaukee would go on to score three runs by the end of the first inning.

In the fifth inning, Arenado came to the plate with the bases loaded an no one out. He proceeded to pop out into foul territory.

The loss marked St. Louis’ fifth-straight and sixth in their last seven games. While Arenado knows he has to improve his own game, the star third baseman understands the Cardinals as a whole have been slumping.

“Slumps happen and struggles happen, and I’m not shocked by that, but the weird thing for us is that it’s one-through-nine and nobody really feels good,” Arenado said. “Usually there are a few guys not going, but others are picking them up. But it’s hard for me to speak on everyone else when I know I’ve got to do a better job myself.”

Cardinals facing another catastrophe