The Cardinals’ offseason checklist starts on the mound, and it’s not subtle. St.
Louis needs pitching help in multiple places, with both the rotation and the bullpen in play. Even if the organization treats 2026 as another rebuild season, the logic stays the same: add veteran arms, deepen the staff, and keep moving the reset forward.
That was the formula last winter, when the club brought in several relievers and Dustin May, and it makes sense again now.
With October baseball underway, there’s also a built-in scouting trip for the Cardinals. Four impending free agents are still alive in the postseason, and all four have traits that should put them on the team’s radar.
Kris Bubic is the most obvious starting-pitching name in the group. He was an All-Star and turned in a 2.55 ERA last season over 20 starts with the Kansas City Royals.
Injuries derailed his 2025 campaign, though, and he ended up appearing in just 14 regular-season games - nine for Kansas City and five for the Dodgers. Los Angeles has used him out of the bullpen, but the Cardinals would be looking at him with a starter’s role in mind.
Steven Newcomb brings a different kind of value. He’s worked both as a starter and a reliever, and this year he logged 60 regular-season appearances for the White Sox, including six starts.
In all, he posted a 3.09 ERA across 90 1/3 innings. For St.
Louis, the appeal is pretty clear: a multi-inning bullpen piece who can also make a spot start if needed.
Dustin May is already a familiar face. He gave the Cardinals solid work in the rotation, and with a mutual option for the 2027 season that is almost certainly going to be declined, he’s expected to hit free agency.
St. Louis has already seen what he can do there, which makes a reunion an easy idea to understand.
Then there’s Génesis Romero, another arm the Cardinals know well. He was excellent in St.
Louis before being packaged with May in the trade that sent both pitchers to Milwaukee. The Cardinals came out ahead in that deal, but the bullpen still needs help, and Romero would bring exactly what they’re lacking from the left side.
In Other News...
Cardinals Just Held Onto A Key Piece Of Their Progress
Rob Cerfolios rise inside the Cardinals front office has become one of the quieter signs of progress around the organization. Since joining St. Louis in 2024 as an assistant general manager, he has helped shape the clubs pitching development through both talent acquisition and the broader philosophy behind it, giving the team a clearer identity on that side of the game. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes work that does not always draw attention right away, but it has mattered in a system that has been trying to rebuild itself with more purpose.
Cerfolio recently interviewed for a position with the Oakland Athletics, a reminder that his profile has grown beyond St. Louis. But according to ESPNs Jeff Passan, the Cardinals are expected to keep him in place, which is notable for an organization that cannot afford to lose momentum in an area where it has started to see real traction. With the front office vacancy still open, Cerfolios importance only seems to be increasing, and it is not hard to imagine his name coming up for something even bigger inside the club. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Walker Just Gave Cardinals Fans A Feel Good Reminder
Jordan Walkers rise back into the spotlight gave Cardinals fans something they have been waiting to see again: the version of him who looks like a centerpiece, not a question mark. After two difficult seasons in 2024 and 2025, he put together a strong 2026 campaign that included an All-Star nod and a big offensive line, finishing with 29 home runs and 102 RBIs.
The turnaround carried into the summer showcase stage, where Walker added another reminder of his talent by winning the 2026 Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park. His performance put him in the mix for the Hank Aaron Award as a finalist, and for a Cardinals fan base that has tracked his development closely, it was a welcome sign that the promise is still very much there. [Read more 🡒]
Alec Bohm Is Back In Phillies Offseason Talk For One Reason
The Cardinals enter the winter with their third base situation still very much unsettled, and the internal picture offers some familiar but unproven possibilities. Thomas Saggese and Blaze Jordan are both viewed as the likeliest in-house candidates to get a look there as St. Louis turns toward the 2027 season, which leaves the front office weighing whether that spot can be filled from within or whether it needs a more established answer.
Alec Bohm has surfaced as the external name to watch, and it is easy to see why he would come up in that conversation. Philadelphias All-Star could represent a clear upgrade if his 2026 performance holds, but any path toward a move would have to clear the usual winter hurdles, from the price tag to the depth of the market around him. The bigger question for St. Louis is not just who fits at third, but whether the club is prepared to get aggressive enough to make a real run at one. [Read more 🡒]