(Photo credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

The St. Louis Cardinals are having success -- a season-best five-game win streak -- and a big reason why is their offense.

The Cardinals entered Sunday ranked third in the National League in homers and seventh in runs. They have scored at least five runs in five straight games.

St. Louis, which is set to open a three-game series at the Miami Marlins on Monday night, believes in its balance.

'From one to nine, nobody is an easy out,' Cardinals catcher/designated hitter Ivan Herrera said. 'Everybody is putting together great at-bats, and we're putting pressure on (opponents).'

The biggest bat in the Cardinals lineup belongs to Jordan Walker, a 23-year-old who is off to a great start -- eight homers, 16 RBIs, a .305 batting average and 1.013 OPS in 21 games.

The Cardinals selected Walker in the first round (21st overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Decatur High School in Georgia.

He has struggled to meet expectations. Last year, for example, he played 111 games and produced just six homers and a .584 OPS.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, Walker has finally tapped into his power and is hitting fewer ground balls. Due in part to a more upright batting stance, Walker has improved his launch angle from 10.3 degrees to 15.7 degrees.

Aside from the St. Louis offense, the Cardinals also have a solid defense, led by rocket-armed shortstop Masyn Winn, who won a Gold Glove award last year. Other Cardinals defensive standouts are catcher Pedro Pages and center fielder Victor Scott II.

Of course, run prevention starts with pitching, and the Cardinals on Monday will start right-hander Michael McGreevy (1-1, 2.49 ERA).

For his brief career, McGreevy, 25, is 12-5 with a 3.72 ERA in 25 games (23 starts) since 2024. He has faced Miami only once, and that was last August, emerging from start with a win after tossing six innings of two-run ball.

Miami will counter with right-hander Max Meyer (1-0, 4.12).

The Marlins drafted Meyer in the first round (third overall) in 2020, but he has yet to live up to that hype. The former University of Minnesota star made his MLB debut in 2022, and in 29 career starts, the 27-year-old is 7-11 with a 5.13 ERA. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022 and missed the 2023 season.

In his only appearance against the Cardinals, which came in 2024, Meyer allowed one run over six innings in a 6-1 victory.

Meyer might not have made Miami's rotation this year except that the team traded Edward Cabrera to the Cubs and Ryan Weathers to the Yankees. In addition, Braxton Garrett -- who missed last season due to injuries -- was sent to the minors for more rehab work.

This season, the Marlins are 2-2 when starting Meyer, who has yet to last more than five innings in those appearances.

The Marlins -- who have lost seven of their past nine games -- got good news on Sunday when left fielder Kyle Stowers was activated from the injury list after missing the first 21 games due to a hamstring injury.

In his first plate appearance on Sunday, Stowers was hit on the right hand by a 102-mph fastball from Milwaukee starter Jacob Misiorowski.

'First at-bat, 100 off the hand, I was certainly worried in the moment,' Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said of Stowers, who made his first All-Star Game last year, when he hit 25 homers in just 117 games. 'But he was fine.

'Great to have Kyle back. He lengthens our lineup.'

--Field Level Media