Three questions facing the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason

The St. Louis Cardinals find themselves in a different place — mired in mediocrity.

The Cardinals had one losing season between 2000 and 2022, a span during which they reached the postseason 16 times, won four National League titles, and two World Series championships. That has not been the case over the past three seasons, as the Cardinals have a combined 232-254 record.

Changes are coming. Former Rays and Red Sox executive Chaim Bloom, who spent the past two seasons as an advisor to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, has taken over that role. Bloom spent the last two years reshaping the Cardinals' farm system, improving their standing from the 22nd-ranked system in 2023 to 12th following the 2025 trade deadline.

While Bloom has been careful not to frame the incoming overhaul as a rebuild, there is a lot of work to be done for the Cardinals to contend once more. Let's take a look at three questions facing the Cardinals this offseason.

Three questions for the St. Louis Cardinals during the offseason

1. Will third baseman Nolan Arenado finally be traded?

Trade rumors have swirled around Nolan Arenado for years at this point. He infamously nixed a potential trade to the Astros during the 2024-25 offseason, invoking his no-trade clause. However, Katie Woo of The Athletic reported that Arenado is more willing to waive his no-trade clause this offseason, as it is clear that the Cardinals are moving in a different direction.

Arenado is no longer the perennial All-Star he was earlier in his career, but he is still a solid option at third base. He produced a career-worst .237/.289/.377 batting line in 436 plate appearances, hitting 12 homers and 18 doubles. Arenado also missed time due to a sprained right index finger and a sprained right shoulder, both of which could have impacted his performance. The Cardinals will likely need to assume a significant portion of the $37 million left on his contract (the Rockies are paying $5 million this season), but Arenado will likely be on the move.

2. How much longer do the Cardinals give infielder Nolan Gorman and outfielder Jordan Walker?

Gorman and Walker were expected to have established themselves as solid major league regulars by this point. Both players appeared to be on the cusp of establishing themselves in 2023 before taking significant steps back over the past two years. Gorman produced a disappointing .205/.296/.370 batting line in 402 plate appearances, hitting 14 homers and 14 doubles. Walker, meanwhile, was the worst player on the Cardinals (-1.6 bWAR), posting a .215/.278/.306 batting line in 396 plate appearances, hitting six homers and 13 doubles.

Walker, in particular, may be on his final chance. The Cardinals have been frustrated with his unwillingness to make changes to become more consistent at the plate. Gorman and Walker have displayed flashes of their talent but have been unable to find sustained success. As the Cardinals are looking to return to contention, neither player may have much longer to get on track.

3. Can the Cardinals find a top-of-the-rotation arm?

The Cardinals' rotation is in a state of flux. Miles Mikolas has struggled over the past three seasons and is slated to enter free agency. Sonny Gray was a victim of bad luck with the batted ball, allowing a career-worst .332 batting average on balls in play, and may be on the trade block this offseason. Regardless of whether or not Gray is traded, the Cardinals will soon have a significant hole atop the rotation as he is slated to become a free agent after the season.

The problem is that the Cardinals do not have any internal candidates to take over that role. Pitchers Mike McGreevy and Matthew Liberatore may be better suited as middle-of-the-rotation starters. Andre Pallante (-1.3 bWAR) ranked last among the 52 pitchers to qualify for the ERA title in bWAR. Pitching prospects Quinn Mathews and Tink Hence battled injuries. Unless Mathews or Hence, or fifth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Liam Doyle, take a significant step forward in 2026, the Cardinals may need to look outside the organization for their next ace.