Cardinals Playoff Outlook After Dodgers, Rockies Series Wins

With 18 games left to go, the Cardinals are four games out of the final National League Wild Card spot. The San Diego Padres are the first team on the outside looking in on the playoff race and are just a 1/2-game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Cardinals and the Miami Marlins are both tied in the standings and are both four games back.

The Cardinals turned the keys to the franchise over to president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom ahead of the 2026 season and St. Louis is ahead of schedule. The Cardinals traded away Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray and the expectation was that the 2026 season would be the first of a reset. The Cardinals have the third-youngest roster in baseball with an average age of 26.6 years old. Still, this is a .500 baseball team still with a chance to make the playoffs on Sep. 7.

Who saw that coming?

Even if the Cardinals aren't able to get over the hump and make it to the postseason, the 2026 season has been a clear step in the right direction. Between now and the end of the 2026 season, the Cardinals have a favorable schedule as well. St. Louis has matchups ahead against the San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are all below .500 right now.

For the Cardinals to make the playoffs, they need a lot to go right over the next few weeks. St. Louis needs to stack wins and also needs the Diamondbacks, Padres and the Marlins to all falter down the stretch. Again, most likely, the Cardinals won't be in the postseason. But the dream isn't dead. This club has surprised people all season and has a favorable schedule from here on out. Don't count them out.