The Cardinals are still looking for a hitting coach, and one of the names on their list is off the board.
Philadelphia hired Peter Fatse for the job, leaving St. Louis to keep searching after parting ways with Brant Brown earlier this offseason. Brown spent two seasons with the organization before the Cardinals moved on, a decision that signaled a desire for more consistency in the system even after several hitters posted the best seasons of their careers.
Fatse was not just in the mix for the Phillies. According to reports, he had a choice between Philadelphia and St.
Louis. Rob Bradford noted, “Great hire.
Also of note: Pete had his choice between the Phillies and Cardinals. https://t.co/RSpaAi1kWR”
That detail matters because it suggests the Cardinals may be leaning toward an outside hire rather than promoting from within. Jeff Jones reported that Fatse being a finalist could point Bloom toward an external option, which would leave Casey Chenoweth back in the minors if he stays with the organization. Chenoweth had been viewed by fans as a possible internal candidate after being credited with helping players like Jordan Walker break out in 2026.
If Chenoweth remains in place, the Cardinals would at least keep some continuity in the lower levels of the system. That kind of steadiness could matter in an organization with a deep pool of minor league talent, especially if the club wants the same voice guiding hitters as they move up.
Fatse’s decision also makes sense on a personal level. He was born in Massachusetts and is leaving the Red Sox organization, so the move to Philadelphia brought him closer to home. It also gave him a shot at working with a contender rather than a team still building toward that level.
The Phillies remain a club with win-now expectations, and Fatse will step into a room that includes Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. Those veterans are established names, but they are also nearing the back end of their careers. At 39, Fatse gets a chance to work in a high-profile environment right away, and if the job doesn’t last, his name could resurface later when the Phillies’ current window narrows.
In Other News...
Cardinals Fans Can Finally Dream Big About Leo Bernal
Leo Bernal has already given the Cardinals something to think about. After getting into 24 big league games in 2026, he showed enough at the plate with a .284/.333/.474 slash line and five home runs to make it clear he is more than just a defense-first catching prospect. That kind of production matters in St. Louis, but Bernals calling card has always been the glove, and he backed that up by winning the Minor League Gold Glove Award in 2025.
What makes the early returns so encouraging is the way Bernal fits the long view behind the plate. Baseball America has already labeled him the likely successor to Yadier Molina, which is about as lofty a comparison as a Cardinals catching prospect can get, and the expectation is that he will be in the starting job by the 2027 season. For a fan base that has spent years measuring every potential catcher against a franchise legend, Bernal is starting to look like a real answer rather than just the next name in line. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Rumors Raise A Bigger Question About Chaim Bloom's Rotation Plan
The Cardinals offseason pitching search is already taking shape around a familiar kind of bet, with the club considering a short-term prove-it deal for a starter as it looks to stabilize the rotation. Jack Flaherty has been mentioned as one possibility, which naturally brings a lot of history back into the conversation, especially with St. Louis now under a different front-office leadership than the one that moved him out before.
Lance Lynn, who knows the organization well, has already cast doubt on the idea of Flaherty returning, pointing to the issues that helped lead to that earlier split. The bigger question for the Cardinals is whether Chaim Bloom and the front office want to chase the upside of a name like Flaherty, or play it safer with other short-term options such as Dustin May, given the injury concerns and age factors that make this market tricky. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Third Base Search Is Starting To Point Toward A Veteran Stopgap
The Cardinals are already sorting through their third-base possibilities for 2027, and the list is starting to look more like a bridge than a long-term answer. One name that has surfaced is J.P. Crawford, who shifted from shortstop to third base in 2026 and settled in as an average contributor on both sides of the ball. For a club trying to stay flexible while keeping an eye on what comes next, that kind of profile can make sense, especially if the goal is to patch the spot without locking itself into a major commitment.
Alec Bohm and Teruaki Sato are among the other options in the mix, but the bigger picture may be about timing as much as talent. St. Louis could be viewing third base as a temporary stopgap until Jesus Baez is ready to take over, which changes the calculus on any veteran pursuit. It is the kind of roster decision that says as much about the Cardinals development timeline as it does about the market itself, and the eventual answer may depend on how patient the front office wants to be. [Read more 🡒]