Other Financial Commitments<\/p>\n
2027 guarantees: $16.5MM (if Stanek\u2019s option isn\u2019t exercised)
Total future commitments: $124.5MM (if Stanek\u2019s option isn\u2019t exercised)<\/p>\n
Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projections from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz<\/a>)<\/p>\n Free Agents<\/p>\n For Cards fans wondering if the unexpected success of 2026 might mark an early end to the rebuild, president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom poured cold water on that idea during his end-of-season press conference.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re further along that path than we were a year ago, but, in my opinion, we still have a heck of a lot of work to do,\u201d Bloom told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch\u2019s Lynn Worthy<\/a> and other reporters.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s when you start chasing after things in the name of contention that actually don\u2019t fit and don\u2019t make sense within the context of trying to build a consistent contender, that\u2019s when you actually get off track.\u201d<\/p>\n In short, don\u2019t expect the Cardinals to suddenly pursue high-priced veterans in the name of making a playoff push in 2027.\u00a0 St. Louis still wants to evaluate what they have at multiple positions around the diamond before deciding on what more established free agents or trade targets might fill the remaining roster holes.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s begin with the positions that already seem set.\u00a0 First baseman Alec Burleson<\/a>, second baseman JJ Wetherholt<\/a>, and breakout right fielder Jordan Walker<\/a> all enjoyed very good seasons.\u00a0 Iv\u00e1n Herrera<\/a> is mostly established as the regular DH and he is part of a crowd of catching candidates.\u00a0 Top prospect Joshua Baez<\/a> made waves with three homers in his first Major League game, and after logging 108 plate appearances over 29 games, Baez will have first dibs on the left field spot.\u00a0 Masyn Winn<\/a>\u2019s bat remains a big question mark, but he is a superb defensive shortstop who might be weeks away from his second Gold Glove and Fielding Bible awards.<\/p>\n Nathan Church<\/a> became the everyday center fielder down the stretch and displayed solid glovework, but also didn\u2019t hit much.\u00a0 St. Louis is probably likely to stick with the left-handed hitting Church in a platoon with utilityman Jose Fermin<\/a> or maybe Everson Pereira<\/a> or Victor Scott II<\/a>, but acquiring a more experienced outfielder for at least a part-time role seems like a logical move.\u00a0 Such a player could primarily share time with Church, or perhaps get some action in left field if Baez struggles over the course of a full MLB season.\u00a0 Depending on where the Cardinals sit at the trade deadline and how Church\/Baez are progressing, this veteran outfielder could potentially be flipped for more future talent.<\/p>\n Bloom described third base as \u201ca long-term vacancy<\/a>,\u201d so the door is open for any of Thomas Saggese<\/a>, Blaze Jordan<\/a>, or Fermin to step up and make a claim on the hot corner.\u00a0 The Cards could even pursue a reunion with Ramon Urias<\/a> on another low-cost deal, basically as a do-over since Urias was injured for most of 2026.\u00a0 Whether Urias or a similar type of veteran infielder, the Cardinals likely are going to focus more on internal options at the position rather than committing too much playing time to a newcomer.<\/p>\n
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