Sep 24, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson (41) and St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) celebrate after scoring against the San Francisco Giants during the third inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

3 Huge Cardinals Offseason Predictions: Too Early Edition

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals are likely headed for the beginning stages of a stressful rebuild this winter. They opted to sell at the trade deadline despite having a competitive record.

The front office seemingly understands the current level of the roster. It's not a World Series contender at this point, so the offseason is going to be very important for the future of the franchise.

This winter, the Cardinals could look to make a lot of huge moves.

Here are three bold predictions for the first offseason of the Chaim Bloom era:

Prediction: Brendan Donovan is traded to a contender

Brendan Donovan is likely going to be the hottest name on the trade block for the Cardinals. He's an All-Star infielder with a solid bat, two years of team control, and defensive versatility. But his value is higher right now than it's ever been and it's likely higher than it ever will be.

At this stage, the Cardinals should dump Donovan for a package of prospects, potentially in a deal with a team like the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers.

A contender might be willing to overpay in the offseason, especially for two years of All-Star production. It would sting to lose such a talented and likeable player, but it's a move the Cardinals need to make.

Prediction: Cardinals sign at least two impactful free agents

Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Last offseason, the Cardinals opted against going after too many free agents. In fact, they signed Phil Maton to a one-year deal after he slipped through the cracks of free agency. But they could look a lot different this winter.

The Cardinals could, and should, go after more free agents this winter. A reunion with Ryan Helsley could make sense. There's also a chance the Cardinals target younger free agents in an attempt to land players who could be with the team for five or six years.

Either way, I expect the Cardinals to be more aggressive in free agency this offseason.

Prediction: Nolan Arenado is released, not traded

Nolan Arenado's name has been mentioned in trade discussions for months, but a deal hasn't come to fruition. This offseason, the Cardinals will likely look to shop him again.

But again, they'll likely fail to find a suitor willing to take on his entire contract, especially after such a down year this season.

At the end of the day, the Cardinals need to get him off the roster one way or another. If they can't figure out a trade, they should release him. At this point, releasing the veteran seems like the more realistic option.

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

More must-reads: