Mar 6, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals hat and gloves lay in the dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images Kim Klement-Imagn Images

2 Ways Cardinals Could Exceed Expectations in 2026

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Jan 22, 2026 4:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals have taken a different direction this offseason, choosing to rebuild and trade away veteran players for prospects while also shedding salary. While a rebuild is never the desired outcome, it's refreshing for fans who have wanted them to pick a direction.

Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras are all gone. Thus, the Cardinals are not expected to contend in 2026. It may be a long year in St. Louis.

However, there are ways that this year ends up being better than expected. Here are two ways that the Cardinals can exceed their expectations for this season.

Matthew Liberatore Becomes an Ace

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With Gray gone, Matthew Liberatore has a chance to step up and prove himself. He took a lot of steps forward in 2025 and managed to spend the whole year in the starting rotation rather than stuck in the bullpen.

If he can stay healthy, then he'll be in good shape for 2026 and could be the next best pitcher in St. Louis. Without Gray, Liberatore has the most upside of any Cardinals starter, and if he can prove himself capable of going another full season in the rotation and handling a starter's workload, then he could lead the rotation to be much better than it was last year.

JJ Wetherholt Breaks Out

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Now that Arenado has been traded, a path has been cleared for top prospect JJ Wetherholt to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training. The Cardinals haven't had a true star to build around since Paul Goldschmidt was the National League MVP in 2022, and they haven't drafted and developed one since the days of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina.

But Wetherholt's potential is high, and if he can replicate his strong 2025 season at the Major League level, then he could be who the Cardinals build their next core around. In fact, with Arenado's decline, a case could be made that if Wetherholt does break out, he could be seen as an upgrade over the struggling third baseman.

The Cardinals also need that power threat in their lineup, and if he can give them that, then the offense could look a lot different, even with Arenado and Contreras now gone. Wetherholt could potentially contend for Rookie of the Year.

He may not be enough to get them to the playoffs, but he can at least ignite some hope for the future and give fans a reason to come to the ballpark.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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