The Cardinals are staring at a bullpen reset when the 2026 season wraps up, and Ryne Stanek looks like one of the first names headed for the exit.
St. Louis already has a few late-inning pieces worth keeping in mind.
Riley O'Brien has had his rough patches lately, but he still leads the National League with 36 saves and made the All-Star team this season. Gordon Graceffo has also emerged as a bright spot, putting together 1.5 wins above replacement and a 2.70 ERA across 56 appearances.
Justin Bruihl has been steady too, posting 0.4 wins above replacement, which is the best mark among Cardinals relievers who have been with the club all season aside from those two.
After that, the picture gets messy fast. The Cardinals own the 24th-ranked bullpen ERA in baseball, and it needs a serious overhaul. That’s where Stanek comes in, or rather, where his future starts to look shaky.
Stanek signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with St. Louis that includes a $6 million club option for 2027.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan included that option in a column of 14 club options that are "unlikely to be picked up." Stanek was the only Cardinal on the list.
The veteran right-hander has appeared in 64 games for St. Louis this season, logging a 4.42 ERA with a 60-to-29 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 57 innings.
When he first arrived in free agency, there was already talk of him as a possible trade chip, much like Dustin May. But a rough start to the 2026 season didn’t help that idea gain traction.
At 35, Stanek doesn’t look like a fit for a bullpen that needs real change. The Cardinals have bigger problems to solve than spending $6 million on a veteran arm with a fading case.
All signs point to the club passing on the option, and for St. Louis, that seems like the right call.
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MLB.com recently added an intriguing name to the mix, reporting that the Braves may be willing to trade Spencer Strider. The right-hander has been sidelined by injury this season, but his track record before that made him one of the more dominant young arms in the game, which is exactly why a team like the Cardinals would have to weigh the upside against the risk. It is the kind of move that would fit the front offices broader needs, while also forcing a tough debate about how much uncertainty St. Louis is willing to absorb in pursuit of a higher ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face A Tough Offseason Trade Debate Around Useful Pieces
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For St. Louis, the debate is less about moving away from talent and more about sorting through a roster that still has overlapping pieces and a few health-related complications. Herreras place in the mix, Pallantes role on the pitching staff and OBriens value out of the bullpen all make sense on paper, but that is also what gives them appeal to other clubs. The Cardinals do not have to make any of those moves, yet the offseason could become another test of how aggressively they want to reshape the roster. [Read more 🡒]