Robert Francis Prevost – who has chosen the papal name Leo XIV – may not be the Latin American Jesuit wildcard that his predecessor, Pope Francis, was, but his election is similarly historic.
This frames the story early on around prominence and timeliness. The story puts an emphasis on the historic nature of his election to the papacy, while immediately contrasting him with the late Pope Francis. The word "wildcard" here suggests unpredictability. Nobody expect him, an American pope, to be selected for this huge role.