The Cardinals got to one strike from finishing off a 5-4 win Saturday night against the Chicago White Sox, and then it all unraveled.
Riley O'Brien gave up a two-run homer to former Cardinal Randal Grichuk, flipping the game and putting the South Siders in front for good. It was another painful ending for a pitcher who had looked like an All-Star in the first half but has clearly lost his footing in the second.
That latest blown save pushed O'Brien's ERA to 4.20 and dropped him to 3-8 on the season. For St.
Louis, the issue is bigger than one bad night. The Cardinals are 7 1/2 games out in the National League wild card race, and while they have outperformed expectations overall, their bullpen has been the weak link all year.
The lack of reliable late-game answers has become impossible to miss. O'Brien handled the closer role well early on, but the Cardinals simply do not have enough options there now. George Soriano has also seemingly run out of gas, and with the postseason now looking like a long shot, the club may have to get creative with how it uses its relief corps over the final weeks.
The offseason is where the real work figures to begin. Bullpen help needs to be at the top of the list, especially a reliever who can finish games. The free agent market should offer some solid options, and that is the area the Cardinals have to attack as they try to build toward 2027.
They are still a little ways from being a true contender, but they need more depth in the bullpen to get through next season. O'Brien has not looked like the closer of the future, and the Cardinals need more answers in that spot if they want to take the next step.
Chaim Bloom will have his hands full finding relief help, but it is something the Cardinals must do.
In Other News...
Joey Votto Just Reopened A Cardinals-Reds Yadier Molina Debate
The Cardinals Hall of Fame celebration on Sept. 12 was supposed to be about honoring Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and John Sherdel, and in many ways it was. But Joey Vottos public reflections added an extra layer to the occasion, especially the way he singled out Pujols as the most iconic player he faced while also giving Molina his due. For a St. Louis audience, that matters because Votto spent so many years on the other side of one of baseballs sharpest rivalries, and his perspective carries a little more weight than the usual post-retirement praise.
Molina, of course, has never been a simple figure in Cincinnati, where his battles with the Reds were often as emotional as they were competitive. Even so, Vottos respect for him is a reminder of how widely Molinas reputation travels beyond the fan friction he created in the NL Central. Players and analysts alike have long pointed to his defense and game-calling as defining traits, and for many around the game he remains in the conversation with the best catchers ever, which is why even a familiar rivalry can still reopen an old debate. [Read more 🡒]
Leo Bernal Is Forcing A Cardinals Decision Behind The Plate
Leo Bernals first two weeks in the majors have done more than just put him on the radar. They have pushed the Cardinals into a real conversation behind the plate. Since his debut nearly two weeks ago, Bernal has piled up 13 hits and 12 RBIs in his first 10 games, setting a franchise record for RBIs by a rookie over that stretch and earning the most consistent catching reps the club has handed out recently.
For St. Louis, the bigger issue is what comes next at a position where stability is always at a premium. Bernal has already put himself in line to be the likely starting catcher for the 2027 season, which means the Cardinals may soon have to sort out where that leaves Jimmy Crooks, Pedro Pages and Ivan Herrera. As Bernal settles in, the organization has some decisions to make about who stays in place, who shifts into backup duty and who could become part of the trade conversation. [Read more 🡒]
JJ Wetherholt Is Pushing For A Cardinals Return Sooner Than Expected
JJ Wetherholt has been on the sideline since Aug. 29 because of wrist tendinitis, but the rookie is already making a push to get back sooner than it might have seemed when the injury first hit. With the Cardinals in the middle of a nine-game home stand that runs through Sept. 20, there is at least a workable window for him to ramp up without having to leave town and reset elsewhere.
Wetherholt does not expect to go on a minor league rehab assignment, which makes the next few days especially important as he continues his workouts. If everything responds well, the Cardinals could be looking at a return to the active roster before the homestand is over, a boost that would matter both for the stretch run and for a young player trying to finish his first season on the field. [Read more 🡒]