The St. Louis Cardinals' downfall had been in the works for years. Whether it was the moves that blew up in John Mozeliak's face in the latter part of his tenure or the insular environment that prevented the team from recognizing the changes that had taken place in baseball, the Cardinals' success was on borrowed time as the 2020s arrived.
In 2023, the Cardinals empire toppled. As the team betrayed its new catcher, Willson Contreras, and manager Oli Marmol publicly shamed the hustle of outfielder Tyler O'Neill, the Cardinals crumbled on the field, hobbling to a 71-91 record and a finish in the basement of the NL Central.