The Cardinals have spent much of 2026 looking like a team that was supposed to stumble, only to keep hanging around.
After four blockbuster trades, the expectation was a finish near the bottom of the standings. That hasn’t happened.
St. Louis is still alive in the wild card race, and while a deep October run doesn’t look likely, simply getting there would matter for a young group that could use the experience.
The bigger question is what comes next, because the Cardinals’ rotation keeps flashing the same missing piece: an arm that can pile up innings and steady everything around it. Tyler Kepner of The Athletic highlighted the major league leaders in innings pitched, and the names at the top tell the story. Former Cardinals Sandy Alcantara and Michael Wacha sit first and second on that list.
That kind of starter has long been part of the Cardinals’ best teams. Adam Wainwright, Bob Gibson and Chris Carpenter all fit the mold of pitchers who could take the ball and carry a staff through long stretches.
St. Louis has had versions of that more recently, too.
Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson were all on the roster as recently as 2024, and those are the kinds of pitchers who could cover innings.
Gray’s departure this offseason stands out as the one that hurts the most, even if it was necessary. The Cardinals’ rotation is workable, but it doesn’t have that true anchor. They can survive with what they have, but surviving is not the same as building toward something bigger.
There will be options available this winter, including Gray, and the Cardinals don’t necessarily need to chase the most expensive name on the market. What they do need is someone who can ease the burden on a bullpen that has already been asked to do plenty this season and give the staff a breather when things start to wear thin.
The organization has enough pitching depth to get through a season. The next step is supplementing it with a veteran starter or an ace in the hole, the kind of arm that can push them closer to where they want to be in 2027. They may not be as far away as they look.
In Other News...
Cardinals Are Learning Two Very Different Things About Their Young Outfielders
The Cardinals spent the final month of the season getting a better look at two young pieces they hope will matter in the near future, and the early read has already been different for each. Thomas Saggese has settled in well since his promotion, putting together a series of successful swings and giving the club something to consider as it sorts out the infield picture. Victor Scott, meanwhile, has brought a different kind of evaluation into focus as the team weighs what his role could be in St. Louis.
Scotts opportunities have been limited, but the Cardinals have still learned enough to keep his development front and center. His athleticism remains part of the appeal, yet his baserunning choices have also shown how much more there is to sort through before the roster puzzle is complete. For a club looking ahead to next season, the contrast between the two young outfielders is useful, because it gives St. Louis a clearer sense of where the immediate help may be coming from and where the bigger questions still remain. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Linked To Costly Rotation Upgrade Worth Watching
CBS Sports Mike Axisa has floated the Cardinals as a possible destination for Michael King if the right-hander chooses to opt out of his current deal with the Padres. King has been one of the more intriguing names to watch on the pitching market, and with a 3.00 ERA this season, it is easy to see why a team looking for rotation help would take a long look.
For St. Louis, the fit is obvious enough on paper. The Cardinals have been searching for ways to strengthen the starting staff, and a pitcher with Kings track record would qualify as a meaningful addition. Nothing official has surfaced yet, though, and whether the interest turns into a real pursuit will depend first on what King decides to do with his contract situation. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Get A Crucial Return As Another Roster Squeeze Looms
JJ Wetherholt is expected back in the Cardinals lineup during the upcoming home stand after working through wrist tendinitis, a welcome development for a club still trying to claw its way back toward relevance. For a team sitting below .500, getting a useful bat back in the mix matters, especially when every healthy day on the roster feels more important than the last.
The catch is that St. Louis will have to clear a spot to activate him, and the roster math has already started to tighten. Ramn Uras is the most likely player to be moved, leaving the Cardinals with another decision that underscores how little margin for error they have as the playoff picture gets tougher to chase. [Read more 🡒]