Cards Opening Series Win Even More Impressive with Rays in World Series

To this day, the most thrilling and impressive victory of the 2026 season for the St. Louis Cardinals came on Opening Day when Busch Stadium was packed and throbbing with raw emotion.

Not just because of the resolve that the Cardinals showed on March 26 while clawing back from six runs down in the sixth inning to win. But the win was also plenty impressive because of the quality of the opponent that they overcame that unseasonably hot day in the shadow of the Gateway Arch.

The Cardinals toppled the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day by scoring eight times off four different relievers for a 9-7 victory. Then, two days later, the Cardinals twice in the eighth inning and two more times in the 10th inning – the final two coming on the first walk-off hit of the MLB career of standout rookie JJ Wetherholt – to beat the Rays 6-5 and clinch the season-opening series.

The Rays, who ultimately promoted 31-year-old journeyman Bryan Baker (an MLB-most 41 saves) to the closer role to solve the early bullpen issues, went on to bigger and better things following a slow start to the season. Once 43-33, the Rays ultimately put it all together and won the rugged AL East with an American League-best 98 wins. Now, after sweeping the New York Yankees and rallying from a 2-1 deficit and beating the Cleveland Guardians, the Rays are headed to the World Series for the third time in franchise history.

And they were outplayed in the season-opening series by the rebuilding Cardinals, a team that had MLB’s youngest roster at various stages throughout the season.

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That somewhat shocking result was right in line with how the young and feisty Cardinals fared against MLB’s upper crust in 2026 despite being in their first full-on rebuild in more than three decades. The Cards won three series against the rival Chicago Cubs (7-6), two series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2) and Atlanta Braves (4-2) and single series against the Astros (3-0), Yankees (2-1), Guardians (2-1), White Sox (2-1), Rays (2-1) and Padres (4-3). And they had their struggles against the veteran-laden Phillies (2-4) and Red Sox (1-2).

Tampa Bay’s opposition in the World Series, the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers, dominated the Cardinals in a way they have never allowed to happen in franchise history. The Cardinals not only went 2-11 against the Brewers, but they were outscored 66-37. To make matters even worse, St. Louis went 0-for-Milwaukee, losing all six times at American Family Field – site of the first two games of the World Series starting on Friday night.

In the Cardinals’ Opening day win over the Rays, embattled starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore limited Tampa Bay to seven hits and one earned run (a solo shot by Jonathan Aranda) over five innings and he got some stellar defensive help from left fielder Nathan Church, who went above the wall to rob a home run.

In the sixth inning, the Rays scored three times off Matt Svanson, twice off lefty Justin Bruihl and a sixth time off Chris Roycroft. However, the Cards responded with eight runs of their own with a two-run single by Nolan Gorman, a two-run single by Church, RBI sacrifice flies by Ivan Herrera and Wetherholt and a majestic, 432-foot, two-run homer by Alec Burleson. As it turns out, Tampa’s Yandy Diaz (3 for 5 that day) and Burleson (3 for 4, 2 RBI) would go on to be two of MLB’s top hitters in clutch situations on the season – Diaz hit .370 with runners in scoring position, while Burleson batted .358 in those spots.