Cardinals crushed by Diamondbacks 10-1 on July 20, 2025. Sonny Gray struggles while Eugenio Suárez stars, dropping St. Louis 7.5 games back in the NL Central.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
There are tough losses, and then there's what happened Sunday in Phoenix. The St. Louis Cardinals were thoroughly dismantled by the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 10-1 rout that felt every bit as lopsided as the score suggests. From a rocky start on the mound to a silent offense, the game served as a painful reminder of the team's recent struggles and pushed them further down a precarious slope in the division race.
The loss drops St. Louis to 51-48 on the season, a daunting 7.5 games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs.
Hopes were high with ace Sonny Gray on the mound, but it quickly turned into a nightmare outing. Gray was tagged for six runs over just 4.1 innings, unable to contain a relentless Diamondbacks lineup. Arizona's Eugenio Suárez was the chief tormentor, blasting two home runs and driving in four, while the speedy Corbin Carroll raced around the bases for two triples. The Cardinals' bullpen couldn't stop the bleeding, allowing four more runs. The lone bright spot for St. Louis was a solo home run from Willson Contreras in the sixth inning, a small consolation in a game dominated by Arizona's 14-hit offensive explosion.
This loss stings more than a typical Sunday defeat. With the Chicago Cubs continuing their strong play, the Cardinals have now fallen 7.5 games behind the division leaders. The defeat drops them to 51-48 and into a tie for third place with the Cincinnati Reds. What was once a tight race is beginning to look like a mountain to climb. With each loss, the pressure intensifies, especially as the calendar pages flip closer to August.
Amidst the on-field struggles, the front office remained quiet. There were no roster moves, injury updates, or significant news from the farm system to report on Sunday. While stability can be a good thing, for a team that has now lost two straight and is falling behind in the standings, the lack of activity feels more like the calm before a potential storm. The trade deadline is fast approaching, and fans are left to wonder if management is planning a move to inject life into this team.
The Cardinals have to wash this one away and refocus quickly. A two-game skid has turned into a significant deficit in the NL Central. The team's performance over the next week will be critical, not just for the standings, but for signaling the front office's intentions at the trade deadline. Are they buyers, sellers, or content to stand pat? The answer will shape the entire second half of the season.
