The St. Louis Cardinals are staring at something they haven’t been able to claim since 2022: a positive run differential.
That alone doesn’t win anything, and nobody’s hanging a banner for it. But with the Cardinals sitting at -6 entering the closing stretch of the 2026 season, they’re close enough to a break-even finish to make the number matter. It would be their first positive mark since the year they won the National League Central and finished at +135.
That’s a sharp contrast from what followed. In 2024, St.
Louis finished above .500 but still landed at -47 in run differential. The offense went cold, the pitching was only average, and the team spent much of the season surviving rather than overwhelming anybody.
They squeezed out wins for a while, then fell apart after the trade deadline.
The bigger point is what the number says about this season’s club. The Cardinals haven’t just been better in one narrow area; they’ve got more real talent on the roster, and it shows up across the board.
On the position-player side, the group looks loaded with young, ascending pieces. Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, JJ Wetherholt, Ivan Herrera, Masyn Winn, Leo Bernal, and Joshua Baez form a core that stands out.
There’s also useful support from Thomas Saggese, Jose Fermin, and Nathan Church, with Rainiel Rodriguez getting closer and more names not far behind. That collection is only going to get deeper.
The rotation has taken a step too. Kyle Leahy and Andre Pallante have been studs this year, while Michael McGreevy and Quinn Mathews are climbing in their own right.
The most exciting arms in the system still haven’t arrived in St. Louis, which only adds to the sense that the pitching staff is trending up.
The bullpen remains the obvious problem area. That’s going to have to be fixed through a mix of starters who slide out of the rotation, trades, free-agent additions, and more reliever prospects such as Sandro Santana and Randel Clemente moving closer.
Still, the overall picture is different from what the Cardinals have had in recent seasons. In 2023, the pitching was the issue.
In 2024, the offense was the problem. In 2025, they were stuck in the middle with a strange, half-committed roster that never fully rebuilt but never really pushed forward either.
This group feels more complete than that. It also feels like the most talent the Cardinals have had since Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina played their final game for the club.
So if they can finish the year in the green, runs-wise, it would do more than tidy up a stat line. It would put a number on how far this roster has come.
In Other News...
Cardinals May Be Headed For The Big Spending Move Fans Want
The Cardinals have spent much of the season looking like a club ahead of schedule, and that has changed the tone around how aggressive they can be this winter. One area that still stands out is third base, where the production has lagged and the need for an upgrade is obvious enough that it could push St. Louis toward a bigger splash than many expected in the offseason.
Bo Bichette fits that conversation because he has been working mostly at third this season while still bringing the kind of offensive track record and leadership presence teams covet. Any pursuit would come with a hefty commitment, including two years and $84 million left on his deal and a player option for 2027, but the Cardinals may finally be in a spot where spending to fix a clear weakness feels less like a luxury and more like a statement. [Read more 🡒]
What The Cardinals Rebuild Already Revealed About Two Core Roles
The Cardinals developmental 2026 season has already started sorting out some of the most important questions on the roster, and the answers have not always been tidy. Matthew Liberatores work as a starter has been uneven enough to raise the possibility that his future fits better in the bullpen, while the infield picture has shifted as Thomas Saggese and Blaze Jordan have shown more at third base than Nolan Gorman has managed there.
Ivan Herrera remains a useful part of the offense, but the defensive side of his game has not made the expected jump behind the plate. For a club trying to piece together its next core, that leaves St. Louis weighing whether Herreras bat is best preserved in a designated-hitter role, a decision that would reflect just how clearly this year has begun to redefine where a few familiar names fit best. [Read more 🡒]
JJ Wetherholts Return Just Changed A Cardinals Roster Battle
JJ Wetherholt is back on the Cardinals active roster after a stint on the 10-day injured list, and his return immediately reshaped the clubs mix in a hurry. The rookie infielder was activated as St. Louis moved to clear space, a reminder that every late-season roster decision comes with a little extra weight when the team is trying to sort out its infield and pitching depth.
Ramn Uras and right-handed pitcher Peter Strzelecki were designated for assignment in the corresponding moves, a sign that the Cardinals were willing to make a tough cut to get Wetherholt back in the fold. Wetherholt has already logged 130 games this season, while Uras appeared in 43 and Strzelecki made eight appearances, and the latest shakeup leaves one more roster question hanging as St. Louis keeps adjusting around its young infielder. [Read more 🡒]