1 critical factor that's handcuffed the Cubs, but propelled the upstart Cardinals

Finally, it appears cracks are starting to show in the St. Louis Cardinals - a team that entered 2026 with the expectation it would be rebuilding with an eye on the future, only to post an above-.500 record with less than a week left in the first half.

The Redbirds entered Wednesday having dropped four straight, just four games over the break-even mark (although they sure popped the Chicago Cubs in the mouth over the holiday weekend, including a lopsided 17-1 final last Friday). So what's behind the Cardinals' surprising first half?

Easy. They've been remarkably healthy so far this season.

The Cubs currently have a staggering 13 pitchers on the injured list - the equivalent to an entire MLB pitching staff. By contrast, St. Louis has just one player, total, on the IL, having used the injured list a total of six times this year. That tells a huge piece of the story for these NL Central rivals in the first half. One has been kneecapped by a littany of injuries, while the other has enjoyed remarkable luck on the health front.

Granted, there have been plenty of surprises performance-wise. Jordan Walker is finally living up to the hype that's surrounded him for years, emerging as a centerpiece for Chaim Bloom's team, JJ Wetherholt is an NL Rookie of the Year favorite and several of their young pitchers have taken notable steps forward.

Cubs have overcome a lot of misses to put themselves in the hunt

Meanwhile, the Cubs' biggest offseason additions - almost without fail - have underperformed, including the likes of three-time All-Star Alex Bregman, right-hander Edward Cabrera and bullpen signings Hunter Harvey and Phil Maton. Despite this, Chicago has weathered the storm remarkably well, coming off a series-opening win over the Orioles with a 76.5 percent chance of making the postseason.

They've managed this despite losing last year's Rookie of the Year runner-up Cade Horton for the year - and too many other pitching injuries to count. If this team finally gets healthy, or at least healthier than it's been to this point, the Cubs could have a second-half run in them.

But, to this point, they haven't been able to keep guys on the field. Meanwhile, their hated rivals have defied the odds - and rode that luck to a surprising first-half start.

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