Cardinals Unlikely to Sacrifice Future for 2026 Run

Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Cardinals Unlikely to Sacrifice Future for 2026 Run

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Jun 5, 2026 8:04 AM ET

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The St. Louis Cardinals had a day off on Thursday and are going to be even better than they have been this season, on paper, when they take on the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.

St. Louis will begin a three-game series against the Reds on Friday night at Busch Stadium sporting a 32-28 record. Also, the expectation is that outfielder Lars Nootbaar will be back in the lineup for St. Louis. The vibes are high around St. Louis, but with trade rumors growing around the league, it's important to temper expectations. The Cardinals have shown over the course of the season so far that they can compete with anyone. There's even more firepower down in the minors right now working their way up, like No. 3 prospect Joshua Báez.

The Cardinals are a fun club, but don't expect any major fireworks this season. ESPN's Jeff Passan specifically said the Cardinals are "highly unlikely to add" when discussing the club's standing for the upcoming deadline.

Don't Expect Fireworks

Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

"Objective: Do not mortgage the future to uphold an unsustainable present," Passan wrote. "Best player potentially available: Lars Nootbaar, OF. What to know: The Cardinals' recent swoon has dropped them out of the final NL playoff spot, and even though this season has been a rousing success in terms of solidifying St. Louis' future, this is no time to chase a playoff spot. Considering the upward trajectory of the farm system, the Cardinals under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom are highly unlikely to add at the deadline."

If the club keeps winning, making some sort of small deal could make sense in the right circumstance. For example, the Boston Red Sox acquired lefty reliever Joe La Sorsa from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday for cash. That's the type of deal that would make sense for the Cardinals, not some sort of splashy move.

The Cardinals could use bullpen help right now. If a team is willing to give a hurler away, like the Pirates on Thursday, that's when the club should strike. Or else, this roster will be pretty much what fans should expect to see. We could see a few guys go, but don't expect to see any big-time pieces coming to St. Louis, unless it's an internal promotion from down in Triple-A.

This is the right call as well. The Cardinals have the young pieces to be very good at some point in the next few years, maybe even in 2027. The club can't mortgage the future for the present.

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

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