Aug 8, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) and guest coach Yadier Molina (4) react after right fielder Jordan Walker (not pictured) hit a solo home run against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Brewers Dominance Makes Cardinals Next Moves Very Obvious

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals seemed to have a chance to make the postseason this year, and they still do, but it doesn't seem like they have much of a shot to win the World Series. They don't have the talent that the other top contenders do, plain and simple.

The National League is loaded with talent. Let's take a look around the NL to see what the Cardinals are forced to compete against.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants are elite teams and they're only going to get better in the offseason. Each of them are expected to hit the free agency market rather hard this winter.

The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies are among the league's most talented and aggressive teams. The Atlanta Braves are also looming in 2026, as they've fought injuries this year, but will look to get healthy by next season.

The Milwaukee Brewers are the hottest team in baseball and the Cardinals are forced to play in the same division as them. Milwaukee seems to churn out All-MLB pitchers every year and Jacob Misiorowski seems to be the next elite Brewers pitching prospect. The Brewers have been so dominant as of late, that the Cardinals might be forced to change their strategy going forward in order to compete with them.

Cardinals need a full scale rebuild to compete in the National League

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

If the Cardinals want to compete with the loaded NL, they're going to need a full-scale rebuild. This means tearing the team down and building it back up. It doesn't mean playing the middle like the Cardinals have done for the last five years. It means trading away players like Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman, Lars Nootbaar, and others and struggling for a few years as the top prospects make their way to the big leagues.

The Cardinals don't have the elite talent or the high payroll to compete with the best teams in the NL. Building a team from the ground up in the same way the Brewers have done in years past is what the Cardinals need to do.

From a fan's perspective, it might not be enjoyable because the team wouldn't be good for a few years. But this would clear the way for prospects like Quinn Mathews, JJ Wetherholt, Tink Hence, and others to make their way to St. Louis and get comfortable for years to come.

It's unclear if the Cardinals will choose this route, but if they opt against it, they're at risk of getting stuck in the middle for the next decade.

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

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