The "Cardinals Way" used to mean winning 90 games with a roster full of gritty veterans and homegrown stars. Now? It basically means paying $59 million for guys to play against you.
St. Louis is in the middle of a teardown that feels more like a controlled demolition. If you haven’t been following the hot stove lately, the big names are already gone. Sonny Gray is in Boston. Willson Contreras followed him there. And just this past week, the Nolan Arenado era ended with a whimper and a trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
It's a weird time to be a Redbirds fan.
The Core is Gone: Breaking Down the Big Three
Honestly, the sheer amount of cash the DeWitts are eating right now is staggering. To get these deals done, Chaim Bloom—who is officially taking the reins as President of Baseball Operations from John Mozeliak—had to get creative.
The Cardinals are sending roughly $41 million to other teams in 2026 alone just to offset the salaries of Gray, Contreras, and Arenado.
Take the Arenado deal. He’s going back to the NL West, and the Cardinals are reportedly covering $31 million of the $42 million left on his contract. In return? They got Jack Martinez, a pitching prospect from the eighth round of the 2025 draft. It’s not exactly the haul fans expected for a future Hall of Famer, but that’s the reality of trading an aging star coming off a .666 OPS season.
The strategy here isn't a secret. Bloom is clearing the runway. By moving these veterans, he’s opening up spots for the kids.
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Who is Next? The Brendan Donovan Dilemma
While the big three are gone, the St. Louis Cardinals trade rumors haven't cooled down. The name on everyone’s lips right now is Brendan Donovan.
Donovan is basically the heart and soul of this team, but he’s also their most valuable trade chip. He’s cheap, he’s versatile, and he’s consistent. The Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants have been linked to him for weeks. More recently, reports from Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggest the Kansas City Royals are sniffing around, too.
Why trade him? Because the Cardinals desperately need pitching depth. If Bloom can flip Donovan for a cost-controlled starter or a package of top-ten prospects, he might have to pull the trigger.
But there’s a risk. If you trade Donovan, you lose the veteran leader this young locker room actually needs. It's a classic rebuild conundrum.
Relievers on the Block
Don't sleep on the bullpen, either. JoJo Romero is a hot commodity.
Rival teams saw what he did in 2025—specifically the way his slider made Shohei Ohtani look human. The Mariners are reportedly in "ongoing discussions" for Romero. Relievers are volatile, and his value might never be higher.
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Other names popping up in the rumor mill:
- Lars Nootbaar: Teams love his underlying metrics, but his injury history is a concern.
- Nolan Gorman: He’s got elite power, but the strikeouts are a nightmare.
- Ryan Helsley: He was already shopped heavily, and with the team in reset mode, a trade still feels inevitable if the right offer comes along.
The Chaim Bloom Effect: A New Philosophy
Chaim Bloom isn't just tweaking the roster; he's gutting the philosophy. For years, the Cardinals relied on "patchwork" rotations—signing 35-year-old starters to one-year deals.
Bloom is pivoting. He recently signed Dustin May to a one-year, $12 million "prove-it" deal. May is 28 and has a literal electric arm, but he’s spent the last few years on the injured list. It’s a high-upside gamble that the old front office rarely took.
Then there’s the youth movement. Trading Arenado finally clears third base for JJ Wetherholt, the organization's top prospect. Manager Oli Marmol already hinted that Wetherholt has a real shot at the Opening Day roster.
The goal isn't to be "kind of good" in 2026. It's to be "actually great" in 2028.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Payroll
There’s a common misconception that the Cardinals are just "being cheap." While the 2026 payroll is projected to be around $100 million—the lowest since 2010—the team is actually spending a lot of money on nothing.
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Between the $54 million they’re paying to the Red Sox and Diamondbacks over the next two years and the dead money from previous moves, the "working" budget is tiny.
Bloom mentioned during the Winter Warmup that they still "have room" for a right-handed outfielder. Naturally, fans started chanting for a Harrison Bader reunion. Bloom didn't say no. He noted that they need a righty bat to balance out a very lefty-heavy lineup.
Adding a veteran like Bader on a short-term deal would provide some much-needed defense in center field while the prospects continue to bake in Memphis.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Offseason
The trade market is moving slow, but the Cardinals are the ones holding the matches. If you're tracking the next few weeks, here is what to watch for:
- Monitor the Mariners and Royals: These two teams are the primary suitors for Brendan Donovan. If a deal happens, expect a "two-for-one" return involving young pitching.
- Watch the Griffin Canning News: The Cardinals have been linked to free agent righty Griffin Canning. He’s another Dustin May-type "lottery ticket" who could be a prime trade chip at the July deadline if he stays healthy.
- The "Righty Bat" Search: If it’s not Bader, look for the Cardinals to target a veteran outfielder who can mash left-handed pitching. They lost a lot of pop when Contreras and Arenado left town.
- Spring Training Battles: Pay attention to how many reps Thomas Saggese and Nolan Gorman get at third base compared to Wetherholt. That will tell you everything you need to know about the next trade.
The Cardinals are finally doing what fans asked for: a real reset. It’s going to be a bumpy ride, and the win-loss column might look ugly for a bit, but the days of "treading water" in the middle of the NL Central appear to be over.
Instead of looking at the standings this summer, Cardinal fans will be looking at the box scores in Triple-A. That's where the future is being built.
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and minor league transactions over the next 10 days. Bloom has been aggressive in adding "inventory" arms like Hunter Dobbins and Richard Fitts. These aren't flashy moves, but they are the foundation of the new St. Louis pitching factory. The next step is seeing if any of these "lottery ticket" starters can actually stick in a rotation that currently has more questions than answers.