3 areas Cards need to upgrade to contend in 2027, beyond

The Cardinals have always been clear on what 2026 was about: building toward the future. While 2027 won’t deviate from that objective, the Major League club can also make some noise along the way with the proper upgrades.

The front office is unlikely to be ultra-aggressive in upgrading the roster with external additions ahead of next season. But there will be ways to upgrade the big league team while still keeping the future in mind. One of the benefits of this past season was how it gave the Cardinals a better idea of who they can build around and where they need to improve.

“We have so much more clarity to what this looks like moving forward than any of the previous years,” manager Oliver Marmol said when asked if 2026 was a success. “You go in with a lot of question marks, and we’re coming close to ending the season with a lot of answers as to who can and who can’t and what it looks like moving forward as to who’s going to be a part of this thing. So, yeah, I feel really good about how certain guys were able to step up and show what they’re capable of doing.”

So, that begs the question: what areas are lacking that clarity? Upgrades could come from acquiring talent outside the organization, up-and-coming prospects or continued development from guys who’ve already been in the mix. But if the Cardinals find improvement in these areas, then they should be firmly in the mix for a postseason berth in 2027.

Third base

On Saturday, Marmol told reporters that the third-base competition is “wide open” -- and for good reason. Through 156 games, Cardinals third basemen have slashed .215/.278/.352, all marks that rank in the bottom six among MLB teams. That’s not good enough for what is supposed to be a premium offensive position, and the Cardinals know that.

Nolan Gorman failed to run with the job in his opportunities (.585 OPS in 258 at-bats). Blaze Jordan showed flashes during his rookie campaign, while Thomas Saggese has been swinging a hot bat since being recalled from Triple-A. Both are contenders for the role in ‘27, as is utility man José Fermín, but that shouldn’t stop the Cardinals from exploring other options.

While there isn’t a clear next man up coming through the system, Double-A shortstop Jesús Báez (Cardinals’ No. 15 prospect according to MLB Pipeline) and his 39 regular-season home runs could force his way into the conversation next season, as could their top prospect Rainiel Rodriguez if the Cardinals add more position versatility for him this offseason.

Bullpen

While there are multiple young arms making strong impressions, the Cardinals’ bullpen will have to improve if the club wants to win at a high level. The bullpen’s 4.52 ERA ranks 24th in MLB and has the third-most blown saves (29).

The Cardinals have spent the past couple years unloading relievers at the Trade Deadline and bargain shopping for reinforcements in the offseason. While that strategy will likely remain in place next season, perhaps some added payroll flexibility this offseason will allow president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom to target some higher-end options to hold down leads.

Front of the rotation

The Cardinals’ rotation has been a bright spot in 2026, posting the Majors’ 11th-best ERA (4.14). But it’s fair to say they lack an ace at the top of their rotation.

Michael McGreevy and Andre Pallante have sub-4.00 ERAs this season, but they profile much better as middle or back-of-the-rotation options. Quinn Mathews has the makeup, but he’ll be in his first full year starting for St. Louis. Kyle Leahy pitched like the closest thing to a No. 1 starter this year, but without a starter’s track record and facing an innings limit this season, that will be a lot to ask of him to replicate next season.

Cards' top prospects like Liam Doyle (No. 2), Tanner Franklin (No. 6), and Jurrangelo Cijntje (No. 12) may be factors in 2027, but it’s unfair to expect any of them to step into that void immediately. The Cardinals certainly have interesting options to top their rotation moving forward, but they could stand to add some certainty to the front of their rotation for the 2027 season.