The St. Louis Cardinals are heading for their third straight postseason miss, and that’s finally forcing some hard decisions about the franchise’s direction.
At 73-78, the Cardinals sit 18.5 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central and 4.5 games out of the final wild card spot. With historically low attendance at Busch Stadium, it’s clear something has to give.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal expects major roster changes this offseason, arguing that the organization’s middle-ground approach between contending and rebuilding hasn’t gotten them anywhere.
That’s where the front office transition comes in.
John Mozeliak will step down as president of baseball operations when his contract expires after 2025, ending an 18-year run in the role. Chaim Bloom will take over, bringing experience from his four years as the Red Sox’s chief baseball officer.
Bloom’s Boston tenure was messy, but he laid groundwork that’s paying off now. He drafted Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer – two of the four prospects Boston just traded for Garrett Crochet. He also brought in reliever Connelly Early and acquired Wilyer Abreu from Houston in the Christian Vázquez deal.
“Under Bloom, the Red Sox drafted Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, two of the four players they traded for Garrett Crochet and their latest pitching callup, Connelly Early,” Rosenthal wrote.
The Cardinals need similar player development and roster building. Until Bloom takes over, though, they’ve still got to field a team.
Rosenthal identified several players he expects to stick around as building blocks. Alec Burleson and Iván Herrera are two hitters they can develop around. Shortstop Masyn Winn is a Gold Glove candidate with offensive upside who’ll have meniscus surgery in October but should be ready for spring training.
Willson Contreras has said he won’t waive his no-trade clause, so he’s staying put at first base. Lars Nootbaar could be expendable if the Cardinals commit to prospects Victor Scott II or Nathan Church in the outfield.
The farm system offers some help too. Jimmy Crooks heads a deep catching prospect list, and top prospect JJ Wetherholt should find a spot somewhere in the infield.
What’s telling about Rosenthal’s list? Not a single pitcher made it.
That suggests the Cardinals’ rotation and bullpen could see major changes before 2026. It’s a significant revamp, but after three years of missing October, they’re running out of alternatives to standing pat.
