The Cardinals have a third-base question to answer this offseason, and Chaim Bloom has already made clear it’s on the list. St.
Louis is in a different spot than it has been in recent years, with a farm system that no longer needs to be stripped down just to add talent. That gives the club some room to think bigger while still keeping the rebuild on track.
If the Cardinals decide to look outside the organization, two names stand out as fits for different reasons: Eugenio Suarez and Luis Arraez.
Suarez brings the kind of pop St. Louis could use if it wants to lean into more thump in the lineup.
He’s a familiar face in the division from his years with the Cincinnati Reds, and his bat still plays. In 2025, he hit 49 home runs with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners, then added 26 more this year after returning to the Reds.
The batting average is the tradeoff. Suarez hit just .212, but the power is undeniable, and that kind of production could fit alongside Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson and Leo Bernal in the middle of the order. Busch Stadium isn’t exactly a launching pad, but if the Cardinals are searching for more offense for 2027, the extra power would make sense.
Arraez offers a different path. Instead of chasing home runs, St.
Louis could add a player who puts the ball in play, sets the table and lets JJ Wetherholt slide into a bigger run-producing role. Arraez can handle three infield spots, which makes him a natural fit at third base if the Cardinals want to use him there.
His regular season line was .310/.345/.419 with six home runs, 64 RBI, a 2.9 WAR and a .765 OPS. The three-time batting champion is one of the game’s pure contact hitters, and that profile could give St. Louis a cleaner top-of-the-order option while maximizing the power already in the system.
If cost becomes part of the equation, Arraez may wind up as the better fit. The source of the decision is simple: the Cardinals can chase power with Suarez or go for contact and versatility with Arraez.
In Other News...
Cardinals Face A Catching Decision That Could Reshape Their Depth Chart
As the Cardinals sort through the back half of their 2026 roster picture, the catcher situation has become one of the more important items on the docket for 2027. Rookie Leo Bernal has moved into position as the likely starter, which gives St. Louis at least one clear answer behind the plate, but the rest of the depth chart is still taking shape.
What happens next could have ripple effects beyond just one position. Pedro Pages is among the names being weighed for a backup role, but his limited offensive value and the clubs catching depth, which also includes Jimmy Crooks and Ivan Herrera, could make him a trade candidate as the Cardinals look to streamline the group before making their final call. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face An Uncomfortable Nolan Gorman Decision This Offseason
The Cardinals go into the offseason with a roster that looks far less ripe for turnover than it did a year ago, which makes their decisions more pointed than plentiful. Most of the club is young and under team control through 2027, leaving St. Louis with only a handful of obvious avenues to reshape the roster, and that puts a spotlight on the players who no longer fit cleanly into the long-term picture.
Nolan Gorman sits at the center of that conversation after an uneven season that ended with a Triple-A demotion. With other internal options available at third base, the Cardinals are weighing whether to try to move him in a trade rather than let the situation drift toward a non-tender and free agency, a choice that would say plenty about how quickly the organization is willing to pivot from a once-promising bat. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face An Offseason Temptation That Could Derail Their Progress
The Cardinals are heading into an offseason that could say as much about their direction as any move they made during the season. With a young core in place, a strong farm system behind it and Chaim Bloom now entering his second year running baseball operations, the organization has reason to feel good about where it stands. Bloom has stressed patience and discipline as the club looks to build on its 2026 progress, even as the temptation grows to accelerate the timeline.
St. Louis does want to add veteran pitching and stay in the hunt for a Wild Card spot, which is where the tension comes in. The challenge is making those upgrades without getting pulled away from the long-term plan that has given the Cardinals a clearer foundation than theyve had in a while. Bloom called it a dangerous time to lose focus, and for a team trying to win now without shortchanging what comes next, the line between aggressiveness and drift may be awfully thin. [Read more 🡒]