The 2026 St. Louis Cardinals had plenty to feel good about, but the season also exposed some uneasy truths.
For all the movement around the roster and all the youth the Cardinals poured into the lineup, this was still a year of evaluation under Chaim Bloom in his first season as president of baseball operations. St.
Louis dealt away most of its veterans and gave the kids a real chance to show what the next core might look like. That part of the season brought reasons for optimism, with players like JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, Kyle Leahy, Michael McGreevy, Alec Burleson, Andre Pallante, Leo Bernal and Joshua Baez giving the organization something tangible to build on.
But not every young Cardinal took a step forward.
Matthew Liberatore entered 2026 with some momentum after putting together the best season of his career in 2025, when he posted a 4.21 ERA in 29 starts. The left-hander had been trending in the right direction, with his ERA improving each year from 2022 through 2025.
Then came a stumble. In 2026, Liberatore made 31 starts, logged 155 innings and finished with a 5.23 ERA.
He was also the Cardinals’ Opening Day starter, which only sharpened the concern when the results went the other way. At 26, he still has time to rebound, but his spot in the 2027 rotation should not be assumed.
Spring Training ought to be a real battle.
Nolan Gorman’s season carried a different kind of frustration. His power remains the calling card, and when he squares the ball up, the upside is obvious.
But in 2026, the contact never came often enough. Gorman hit .184 in 85 games with a .272 on-base percentage, numbers that simply do not hold up over a full season.
He was sent to the minors during the summer before returning late in the year, but the bat never caught fire.
Scott’s year followed a similar path. He was also bumped down to Triple-A during the season, and while his defense remained strong, the offense lagged behind again.
After hitting .216 in 2025, Scott dropped to .193 in 2026 with a .270 on-base percentage. The glove still plays, but if he’s not reaching base, he’s hard to keep in the lineup.
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Cardinals Face One Rotation Decision Fans May Not Like
The Cardinals came up short of the postseason, but the season still felt like a step forward after last offseasons selloff and the rebuild it triggered. St. Louis got encouraging production from younger players on both sides of the ball, and the organization now has a better sense of what it has while trying to sort out the next layer of the roster.
The hardest call may come in the rotation, where the club still lacks a true ace and leans heavily on an inexperienced group. Rather than chase a splashy long-term answer, the Cardinals appear more likely to keep the focus on development and look for a shorter-term veteran presence to stabilize things, even if that approach is not the one many fans would prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Just Quietly Secured Two Voices This Dugout Needed
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Pop Warners return carries its own weight, too. He is set to enter his 27th season coaching in the Cardinals organization and remains one of the most respected third-base coaches in the game, a reassuring fixture for a team that benefits from experience as much as instruction. Even without a splashy headline, retaining both men gives St. Louis a little more stability in the places where it can matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals May Get An Unexpected Shot At Royce Lewis
Third base is already on the Cardinals long-term radar as they look toward 2027, with Nolan Gorman, Thomas Saggese and Blaze Jordan all part of the internal conversation. But the position could also become a more interesting target if St. Louis decides to shop outside the organization, especially if a player with a much higher ceiling suddenly lands within reach.
Royce Lewis is the name to watch. The former No. 1 overall pick has the kind of power and positional flexibility that can change a lineup, and the Cardinals would have reason to keep tabs on him if Minnesota makes him available. His appeal is obvious enough: a talent with upside at a spot St. Louis wants to strengthen, even if the path to him opening up remains tied to a situation the Cardinals can only monitor for now. [Read more 🡒]