Part 3/8:
With Goldschmidt and Arenado unified in their lineup, excitement surged for the 2021 season. Both players performed commendably: Goldschmidt earned an MVP nomination while Arenado received his own Gold Glove award. Despite a strong overall performance, the Cardinals faced a gut-wrenching exit in the Wild Card Game—a sudden walk-off home run against them signaling the abrupt end of their season.
Following that roller coaster year, the Cardinals seemingly decided to shake things up by firing their manager. In a surprising move, the franchise pivoted towards optimizing its roster for future success while navigating the uncertainties that the competitive nature of baseball often brings.