The St. Louis Cardinals have been a much better team than expected in 2026. After trading Brendan Donovan, Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras, the Cardinals were picked by many to finish at the bottom of the National League Central, much like they did in 2023.
However, while they are essentially out of postseason contention, they are only two games below .500 entering the final month of the season, and there have actually been quite a few success stories, including the emergence of Jordan Walker, which included him winning the Home Run Derby.
Other players such as JJ Wetherholt, Joshua Baez, Ivan Herrera, Riley O’Brien and Alec Burleson have also emerged as mainstays of the team’s core. The Cardinals have taken several steps forward this year despite what their 68-70 record would indicate.
Katie Woo of The Athletic discussed the Cardinals’ transformation under first-year president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, and had a lot of positive things to say.
“Looking at the Cardinals now, we have so many more answers about this club, the players in it and their future direction just from this season alone than we have in the last probably three years combined,” Woo said on the “Dealin’ the Cards” podcast.
“When you add that on top of a record that all things considered is not terrible given what we were expecting at the start of the year, that is the most encouraging sign. I would encourage fans to be a little bit more open minded in this specific situation because for so long, the big thing with the Cardinals is what’s their plan. They’ve made a ton of changes and we’ve seen their plan, and we’ve already seen some early returns on the answers.
“That I think has made this season, regardless of how they finish in the win-loss record a success.”
Full episode: t.co/beiXftp04I
Katie Woo Praises St. Louis Cardinals Changes Amid Shocking Turnaround
Chaim Bloom has worked tirelessly to ensure that the Cardinals make the necessary changes and become a consistent contender again. Now, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for St. Louis, and their window to return to contention is becoming clearer.
While some of their star players are surely missed by fans, the fanbase also understands that it’s going to take a little time before the Cardinals are back in the postseason again. Given how low expectations were entering the 2026 season, they have done surprisingly well since Bloom took over for John Mozeliak.
Why St. Louis Cardinals Could Be Contenders Again Soon
The Cardinals are still likely a few years away from being a contender, but they have taken a lot of important steps forward this season. Walker has become the player the Cardinals always thought they had, and Wetherholt has remained in the race for the NL Rookie of the Year award along with Sal Stewart.
They still need some pitching if they want to get back in the race as soon as 2027 or 2028, and just a few additions won’t make them a World Series contender, but the future is bright in St. Louis for a change.
MLB Insider Praises Cardinals for Stunning Turnaround amid Rebuild